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Lightning help English Electric type


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Hi all i also have the RN Fg.1 thread going just below. Im also working on an 1/48 Airfix Lightning F.3. Do the wing flaps droop when at rest. All the photo's ive seen show me know. But as some of you have more experience with the Type i thought i'd ask ? 

 

Dennis

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No, they would normally be parked with the flaps up and they didn't normally droop. Doesn't make for a very dynamic looking model unfortunately so feel free to use your artistic license, it's your model after all.

 

Duncan B

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Likewise air brakes were selected "IN" when parked to prevent FOD accrual and the two small auxiliary intakes either side of the centre fuselage above the wing would be closed unless the upper engine was running.  You could do a mini-diorama: P/O Prune in the cockpit with flaps down, air brakes out and auxiliary doors partly open with a liney looking on as Prune completes his pre-taxi checks.

Edited by stever219
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  • 2 months later...

Hello All I’m finally finished with Foiling, and starting the Decals on my Lightning. I’m in search of a couple things ? Can anyone provide an accurate color photo or photo’s of an RAF Pilot in Flight gear appropriate to the Lightning era ? I have a Pilot I’d like to pose next to My Lightning. Any help i recieve would be greatly appreciated. I have a few images of them in B/W but i can only guess in colors ? 

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A pilot climbs into English Electric Lightning F.3 XP741 of No 111 Squadron at RAF Wattisham, as a member of the ground crew passes to him his Taylor pressure helmet, circa 1965 (Imperial War Museum)

 

 

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English Electric Lightning F 6 fighters of No 11 Squadron RAF prepare for take-off at RAF Leuchars in Fife. (Credit: Imperial War Museum)

 

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Wing Commander B H Howard, Wing Commander Flying at RAF Wattisham, discussing a sortie with Flight Lieutenant J M Curry on his lefft and Flight Lieutenant B J Cheater on his right in front of No 56 Squadron's English Electric Lightning F1As. (Credit: Imperial War Museum)

 

And you get a few snap shots of kit in here... (IWM Copyright, sharing permitted so I suppose copyright is OK for YouTube)

 

 

 

Later on in service life, the inimitable Ian Black models various items of kit...

 

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And these splendid chaps (from a recruiting advert, obviously)

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And there's bits in here (suiting up at about 3:08):

 

And although this is from the BBC Test Pilot series and thus the ETPS 'tub', the kit is appropriate for the final days of the Lightning in RAF service (late 1980s)

 

 

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Well they we're in service from the 60's through to the late 80's so take your pick.

What colour/markings are you going for.

When I Was on type 80-85 they were various pilots that used the old cloth inner hard outer shell two part flying helmet and one used the type with the yellow bar across the visor.

Also in summer they wore flying suite with the external anti g trousers. winter it was a immersion suite with the anti g trousers internal. 

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Tweeky ... my Apologies im looking for the late 1960’s era ?  My lightning is an F.3 from 111 Sq. And if im correct they transferred into  Phantoms in the early 1970’s. I’ve built a pilot from 3 other pilots to get it looking pretty accurate. Ive seen Green flight suits and i believe thats correct ? But ive seen blue as well in a couple photo’s ? I think the blue was the Flight testing phase of the lightnings maybe? 

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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57 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Ive seen Green flight suits and i believe thats correct ? But ive seen blue as well in a couple photo’s ? I think the blue was the Flight testing phase of the lightnings maybe?

There was a gradual change from about 1966/7 (or so, not sure of the exact year) right across the RAF from the earlier blue flying suits to green.

 

The reason/story given at the time came from Transport Command: if an aircraft operating near the lines was on the ground delivering troops, any enemy sniper could figure out that if there were several dozen in Army green, but only two or three in blue, if he shot those he shot the crew and the aircraft wasn't leaving.

 

In any case, it would help in an escape/evasion case in NW Europe to be in green rather than blue, so this change took place across the RAF, but it took years, as flying suits would be replaced as needed, unless, of course a particular C.O. wanted more uniformity.

 

Kevin

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