specky Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Hi everyone. Although this might not be the most original of choices, there's no denying that the English Electric/BAC Lightning was a proper Cold War icon of the 1970's and totally deserving of my attempt to replicate one. Despite the obvious difficulties involved in replicating a realistic scale nmf, I find myself drawn to the F.2A as the box top artwork..... ....but to minimise the stress, it will be gear-up, in an appropriately dramatic pose, finished with AK extreme metal paint.......possibly! Cheers for now, Craig 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Great choice Craig. I'm building something from the other end of the performance scale. Going gear up means saving yourself a lot of hassle, I've got the Shelf of Shame resident to prove it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Doh! I'm going to do the same 92 Squadron Lightning - but at least mine is the 1/72nd one and it'll be wheels down - so not quite the same. If the NMF goes badly it my end up as 19 Squadron green one anyway. Dave. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I'll be following this one. I've recently just finished this kit, it was really fun to build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Lightning This GB just wouldn't be right without at least one and gear up going like the clappers is always the way I think of them 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specky Posted January 30, 2017 Author Share Posted January 30, 2017 Quote 47 minutes ago, DAG058 said: I'll be following this one. I've recently just finished this kit, it was really fun to build! I've seen your build in RFI & its a belter that's for sure and its very encouraging to hear your positive opinion of the kit since its 1/72 cousin seems to get some 'bad press'. 7 minutes ago, Col. said: Lightning This GB just wouldn't be right without at least one and gear up going like the clappers is always the way I think of them Your right Col, there are 2 at the moment, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a load more before we're done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 22 minutes ago, Col. said: Lightning This GB just wouldn't be right without at least one and gear up going like the clappers is always the way I think of them Well... for about five minutes... But joking apart, this is an excellent choice. In the 70s an NMF fighter in the low-level role was quite an anachronism. The missiles wouldn't have been much use in the radar clutter, but the four ADEN guns of the F.2A would have made it very effective in the role. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 8 minutes ago, Enzo Matrix said: Well... for about five minutes... But joking apart, this is an excellent choice. In the 70s an NMF fighter in the low-level role was quite an anachronism. The missiles wouldn't have been much use in the radar clutter, but the four ADEN guns of the F.2A would have made it very effective in the role. Aye good luck to anyone hoping to dump chaff/flares or loose a 2 second burst of 30mm ADEN shells in ground clutter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimbledon99 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 (edited) On 30 January 2017 at 8:59 PM, Enzo Matrix said: Well... for about five minutes... But joking apart, this is an excellent choice. In the 70s an NMF fighter in the low-level role was quite an anachronism. The missiles wouldn't have been much use in the radar clutter, but the four ADEN guns of the F.2A would have made it very effective in the role. Both Firestreak and Red Top were infra-red homers: the Lightning's radar was simply there so that the pilot had a (slim) chance of finding his target in the first place. Once he'd got the target's exhaust plume in the missiles' seeker heads' cone of vision the missile would lock on and follow the heat source, or a nice juicy decoy or even the sun if the target's pilot could manouvre towards it. Edited February 10, 2017 by stever219 Finger trouble: it missed the u key 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 8 hours ago, stever219 said: Both Firestreak and Red Top were infra-red homers... Once he'd got the target's exhaust plume in the missiles' seeker heads' cone of vision the missile would lock on and follow the heat source, or a nice juicy decoy or even the sun if the target's pilot could manouvre towards it. Perhaps that's why the UK was never invaded during the Cold War; precious little chance of using the sun as a decoy for IR missiles 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specky Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 8 hours ago, stever219 said: Both Firestreak and Red Top were infra-red homers: the Lightning's radar was simply there so that the pilot had a (slim) chance of finding his target in the first place. Once he'd got the target's exhaust plume in the missiles' seeker heads' cone of vision the missile would lock on and follow the heat source, or a nice juicy decoy or even the sn if the target's pilot could manouvre towards it. You're absolutely right - both were infra-red homers, but the Red Top was a vastly improved development of Firestreak - more manoeuvrable, larger warhead and with a far more sensitive seeker head that could lock onto a friction heated airframe making it an 'all aspects' weapon. But since neither were suitable for use in cloud or bad weather, its unlikely that they would have been much use over the UK for more than 2 or 3 weeks during the average year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 19 hours ago, stever219 said: Both Firestreak and Red Top were infra-red homers Doh! You're right! I should know that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specky Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 Hi everyone Despite my best efforts to dodge it, I find myself struck down by a particularly nasty cold that's doing the rounds, so although that means I wont be sitting in my cold garage airbrush in hand any time soon, it doesn't mean that I can't crack on with some prep work in between blowing my nose and coughing my lungs up! Sprue shot - not the best I'm afraid, but I had to stand back to get it all in one picture - its certainly a big old bus! 153 parts, or so the box says, but, if you remember, this will be an F.2A in flight so I wont be needing the undercarriage, over-wing tanks, refuelling probe, Red Tops, F.6 belly parts or the early tail fin. So, I wont be using much more than half of what you see. Odd bits and pieces have been assembled and some black paint has been 'hairy-sticked' into place as a pre-shade, but nothing worth showing apart from these... ....I think the pilot looks great after a quick clean-up and a wash of acrylic. Someone put a lot of time & effort into sculpting him..... ....and although Airfix makes no mention of the 'gear-up' option, the doors have proven to be an almost flawless fit - its just a shame the lower wings, especially, are badly effected by sink marks. Hopefully, much more to show next week Craig 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Cracking start Craig and agree with you about how good the pilot looks. Didn't realise this kit had such a well sculpted figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) The figure in this kit (along with the rest of the kit) is pretty great. The one I built some years ago, got a stylish and gentlemanly mustache Come to think of it, this kit was so fun, I may have a second go at one sometime soon. Edited February 10, 2017 by SoftScience 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 All Lightnings should be gear up as they look so odd on their undercart. Some aircraft look okay on the ground, Phantom, Tornado spring to mind, but some look very very out of place! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 The figure does indeed look great but I suspect some skillful painting has worked in its favour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimbledon99 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 3 hours ago, SoftScience said: The figure in this kit (along with the rest of the kit) is pretty great. The one I built some years ago, got a stylish and gentlemanly mustache Come to think of it, this kit was so fun, I may have a second go at one sometime soon. I say old chap!! Superb! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimbledon99 Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 How's the progress coming along Craig? Interested in this one for future reference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybershed Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 (edited) On 1/29/2017 at 9:58 PM, specky said: Hi everyone. Although this might not be the most original of choices, there's no denying that the English Electric/BAC Lightning was a proper Cold War icon of the 1970's and totally deserving of my attempt to replicate one. Despite the obvious difficulties involved in replicating a realistic scale nmf, I find myself drawn to the F.2A as the box top artwork..... ....but to minimise the stress, it will be gear-up, in an appropriately dramatic pose, finished with AK extreme metal paint.......possibly! Cheers for now, Craig Hi Craig, I've just started this model myself, and like you, I'm going for a 'wheels-up' job too. I usually build my models wheels down, but the fact that there are plenty of lightnings to be seen on the ground and we'll never see one in flight again makes me think that this one has just got to be posed clean and in-flight. The Lightnings of 23 sqn were based at RAF Leuchars, (relatively close to where I was brought up) and I have such fond memories of seeing these magnificent aircraft tearing up the skies around my way as a kid. Edited March 6, 2017 by cybershed 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specky Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 Hi everyone After a period of absence thanks to a touch of the old pneumonia which had kept me out of my cold, damp and draughty garage and away from the airbrush, I was finally fit enough and the weather had improved by enough to re-engage with what had already become something of a love/hate relationship! People keep banging on about how 'great' this kit is and whilst I have no argument with the subject matter, the plastic is another matter entirely! The quality is really rather poor, the wings & fuselage especially are covered in sink marks, all of which need to be filled & blended seamlessly for any chance of an even remotely convincing NMF The design, engineering and therefor fit leaves a lot to be desired. Air-brakes, belly and nose cannon inserts are just a sample of the 'challenges' that await. Although, very obviously, none of these issues is 'un-fixable' and it's entirely conceivable that I have become rather spoilt by the vastly superior quality of most of their newer kits, but given that it still receives rave reviews, every one of the wtf? moments came as a very unexpected and unanticipated surprise and disappointment. But, after weeks of hovering 1/2 a step away from being tossed back into the box & returned to the depths of the stash, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As I've said, I was rather ill and neither the medication nor the plastic was really agreeing with me, but these are wip images that I did manage to record... ...the cockpit, which apart from being far too dark, but by then I was far too ill to even think about re-spraying it, doesn't actually fit! The tub is too wide at the front and the ip is at least 20% too large in area to fit within the fuselage or beneath the coaming. In retrospect, I should obviously have test fitted it all, but as I've said, everyone raves on about it so I wasn't anticipating any dramas - lesson learnt! It all did, eventually, fit and the fuselage closed-up pretty well, although very few of the panel lines meet across the joints - top or bottom! What appear to be gaps around the belly and cannon inserts, for example, are gaps that have been filled with super glue which dries clear, so it will all look a bit 'iffy' until the first coat of primer! Still a fair bit to do, but I'm optimistic that the worst is behind me now, so I expect some brisk progress towards paint Craig 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 Looks to me like you've got the better of it, i built the kit many moons ago and ended up doing the camo scheme because i had wiped out nearly all the detail with clumsy sanding ,yours is nicley together though Glynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 Well done getting everything packed in there and the fuselage halves joined. It seems later mouldings of this kit are suffering badly in comparison to the intial releases. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 29 minutes ago, Col. said: Well done getting everything packed in there and the fuselage halves joined. It seems later mouldings of this kit are suffering badly in comparison to the intial releases. i was thinking of revisiting this kit col now i'm more comfortable with bmf, i shall investigate your advice on the earlier boxings ,are the details still engraved or are they raised,do you know? glynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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