LightningBoy

I'll do a bit of minimal weathering, 53 670 was only in the scheme for 2 months so I imagine the weathering would be minimal. Question - did RSAF Lightnings get 'sand blasted'? Here's my F2 in 19 Sqn colours. I had to paint the blue squares over 56 Sqn red squares. LightningBoy

Thanks for the feedback The decals are produced by Model Alliance - EE Lightning Part 2. Only 2 RSAF Lightning F53 were camouflaged. 53 670 with Duck Egg Blue undersides 53 692 with wrap around camouflage Your 53 671 would have to be in NMF LightningBoy

Thanks for the feedback Pete and TeaWeasel. There are many Red Top Tips in the Work in Progress thread above the following: Lessons learnt include: Nose ring and Figure 8 fairing around jet pipes now silver foil tape instead of painted silver on first 3 Gun panels and airbrakes now found how to make them fit better, still a difficult job (see RSAF Lightning build for tips) Positioning all the small decals on the fuselage is made easier by leaving off the undercarriage and tailplanes to the end of the build Fixing the cable ducts on the side of the fuselage is easier done when they are still in 2 halves in that you can push down on a flat surface Good luck with the F6 TeaWeasel - what colours will you be finishing it in? LightningBoy

Completion A satisfying build of a rarely seen Lightning. LightningBoy

If anyone has a spare set of RSAF decals they can spare I have a mind to complete a F52 Lightning soon? LightningBoy

Thanks Tom. LightningBoy

My latest Lightning Ready for inspection (details on Work in Progress thread) Upper surface camouflage pattern mainly guesswork and continuation of fuselage side pattern as there are no known photographs apparently (unless you know different!!) Upwards and onwards with Lightning T4 XM995 of 92 Sqn now... (Work in Progress thread) lightningBoy

Completion A satisfying build of a rarely seen Lightning. LightningBoy

Latest work on XM995. Silver foil tape was used to replicate the shiny finish on the nose intake ring and tailpipe shroud Before After Before After Red Top Tip Do the nose ring first as it's easier then do the tailpipe LightningBoy

Blue spine and tail now painted, tried masking the join but found the compound curves too difficult so I waited until I had a steady hand and did it by eye. The pitot head supplied with the kit is not the best. It has several moulding pips on it which need careful removal and filing down to get an acceptable finish. I followed this up with a brush of liquid cement along its length which smooths everything out. Red Top Tip An acceptable replacement for a lost or broken Lightning pitot head can be made from "Stretched sprue". There is ample circular section sprue on each Airfix Lightning kit. Take a straight section of sprue, heat it over a candle flame and when the plastic softens stretch it out. The faster you pull, the smaller diameter results. Very thin - biplane rigging (see my HP Heyford pictures). The slower you pull, the larger diameter results. The Lightning pitot head in the photograph requires a fastish pull to start with transitioning to a slower pull to increase the diameter and form a taper. It's great fun experimenting and comes with practice. When you have a representative taper, cut off and cut and file the piece that mounts the pitot to the intake ring. LightningBoy

Taillanes are now on supported by Humbrol tinlets shimmed up with coffee stirrers until they fully dry. Red Top Tip Coffee stirrers are also useful for paint stirring LightningBoy

The filling completed on the underside fuselage join, rubbed down and more coats of silver applied. The join is less noticeable now, yet still not perfect. If iI rub down any more on the bottom of the fuselage I will end up with a flat section so have decided, reluctantly, to live with it. Red Top Tip Be careful spray painting in the garden in case a wind gets up!!!!!!! LightningBoy

Progress on 53-670:- The 2 small aerials have been added to the small panel on the spine. The aerials are made from brass rod and the panel is painted a light creamy colour. having drilled the very small holes in the panel to accommodate the aerials it can be quite entertaining trying to secure the aerials into position without them disappearing inside the fuselage. When fixed in place they are painted yellow. The outer jet pipes were weathered, the colour I use is silver with a dash of dark earth. This is a personal preference as the photos I have show major variations from mostly black to mostly silver. I'm now progressing with the very small decals and adding small dabs of matt black to the various vents and exhausts. The tailplanes and u/c are still not fitted to leave access to the whole fuselage sides. Now to update the T5 XM995... LightningBoy

Totally forgot to mask off the yellow trainer bands so XM995 will now be finished as per the photo ie without trainer bands. LightningBoy

Having given the model a good wash with washing up liquid and water it is time for some silver paint - Matt silver aerosol from the pound shop These early coats have revealed a few gaps needing filler on the underside. will fill these before doing final coats. LightningBoy

Been doing some of the detail work on 53-670 today, fitting the two small aerials on the spine (see above), fixing the small light to the spine (see above) and fitting the two navigation lights to the wings, How to remember which colour for which wing. - "Have you got any red port left" Note black surrounds to the light. I'm considering doing a RSAF Mk52 soon - does anyone have a spare set of RSAF 1: 48 lightning decals they are unlikely to use??? I have many spare sets of RAF Lightning markings to do a swap!! LightningBoy

After a lot of filing & filling on the wing joints I decided to fit the tailplanes. I usually leave this until last to allow access for applying all the small decals on the fuselage, however as the Sword kit is just a butt joint I decided to fit them at this stage. Some modellers drill holes for reinforcing rods to beef up the join, I decided that my drilling accuracy might cause misalignment so went for the butt joint option. I hope my T4 doesn't pull enough 'G' for them to be ripped off!!! I have used the shoe box to support the model in the 90 degree bank mode whilst the glue sets, I started off with glue from a tube and when this had set applied liquid cement to the bottom allowing capillary action to take it deep into the join. When this had set I applied liquid cement to the top in the same manner. When one tailplane is set fully repeat on the other side. Back to 53-670. Red Top Tip If you have any available, use spare Firestreak missiles from the Airfix kit when you get to that stage LightningBoy

There are a few areas of the Airfix 1: 48 Lightning kits instructions that are a bit vague if you are building one for the first time. the following photographs may help explain where pieces go ofrare missing from the kit: Panel on the spine with 2 aerials which is outlined on the mouldings bit has no aerials Port side part 144 - note the angle downwards - easier to put on at the end before the u/c is fitted Stbd side part 143 - note the angle downwards - easier to put on at the end before the u/c is fitted Where the u/c main leg meets parts 79 or 85 Where the main leg meets the diagonal strut (I do enjoy using technical terms lol) Where the diagonal strut meets parts 79 or 85 Where part 73 fits on the nose u/c leg The angle of the small u/c door and the biggest u/c door Hope you find these detail shots useful. I have lots more photos showing details of Lightnings if you're struggling... LightningBoy

Bell209, as an ex-maintainer who taught riggers how to file aluminium to+/- 5mm I totally agree. Also agree with differently shaded panels, I sometimes do it if I have a steady hand and sometimes I don't. Thanks for the feedback. LightningBoy Should be 0.5mm lol LightningBoy

Further progress on 53-670. Make sure you're in a calm mood as the next part of the build is applying silver foil tape to the nose ring and jet pipe shroud!! Tape used Handle of paint brush used to smooth down the tape once applied Nose ring before Nose ring middle stage before carefully trimming with a scalpel (tape tears easily). Line up edge of tape with edge of nose ring. After - leave room for pitot head fitting later. Jetpipe shroud before After Red Top Tips Start with the nose ring as it's easier, then go onto the jetpipe shrouds If you don't like what you have achieved, redo it as there is enough tape on the roll to do a lifetime of Lightning models When doing the jetpipe shrouds, do the thin narrow piece first and then the triangular bits, there are lots of compond curves to negotiate LightningBoy

Progress on 53-670. Camouflage now finished along with the Duck Egg Blue underside. First coat of satin varnish was applied to make the paint finish less matt, decals applied, second coat of satin varnish added. I'm a bit disappointed how the backing film shows on some of the decals. Question for the knowledgable - can you coat a matt finish with Future / klear, apply the decals and then give an overcoat of enamel satin varnish without the varnish dissolving / mixing with the future / klear????? LightningBoy

Progress update. The fuselage halves are now joined with few dramas. Now for the badly fitting wings!!! I have spent some considerable time filing and checking the wings to the point where I was wondering abut the affect on the wingspan on the Lighting lol. The first wing is fitted, held while it starts to dry with the 6 degrees anhedral and then rested on the bench to completely dry, do check occasionally to ensure the anhedral angle hasn't changed. I know it's an F6 but it shows the mainplane anhedral well (also the main u/c doors angling slightly outwards) The second wing is then fitted to the fuselage with the attached wing resting in the shoebox, anhedral angle checked to match the first wing. 53-670 in the background When everything had dried I then applied liquid cement along the joins one side at a time to reinforce the joint. When fully dried I I filled the massive gaps with Pollyfiller and then sanded down the joins. Red Top tips Use moist cotton buds to fill the wing join gaps with pollyfiller and clean up any surrounding areas. LightningBoy

Quick update on the T5 Fuselage halves now joined and drying. The tabs described above have been a great help They were bent to shape once dry to follow the curves of the fuselage sides. The fuselage was held together using masking tape and section by section they were glued with liquid glue section by section aligning each length of fuselage and allowing it to dry before moving along. I marked the position of the aligning tabs with marker pen to allow me to put a bit more liquid glue in those areas - don't overdo the glue or it will be a major meltdown. Guess how I know???? LightningBoy

Hello Mark, I might have got the terminology wrong. What I'm referring to is being able to plainly see all the panel lines from a distance. Those panels that are regularly opened will be more obvious, those that rarely if ever come off are sometimes difficult to see and are often painted over. Regarding different colour panels I agree and have reproduced this on some of my NMF finished Lightnings by using 4 'different' silvers or the same silver with dabs of matt black added to gradually darken it. Hope this clarifies what I meant? Done subtly, I have seen some excellent results. LightningBoy

Resin reheat pipes have been filed down and fitted to the backing plate. They come in the kit, in my humble opinion they are only marginally better than the Airfix kit parts and I would not normally spend good money for such a marginal improvement - it's only my opinion. They are designed to be fitted after the fuselage halves have been joined, unlike the Airfix ones. LightningBoy