AAbshier

Excellent work! I'm partial to 74 Squadron, so I enjoyed seeing it on the Lightning. As it happens, I'm building a model of XR769 also, but in 5 Squadron markings from 1987 or so. It's in the paint shop now. Andy

If you build 74 Squadron, most if not all of their aircraft were NOT fitted with the ventral tank guns; this is also true for early deliveries to 5 Squadron. I had wanted to do an as-delivered NMF 5 Squadron aircraft with my "stash" F6, but installed the tank parts with the guns, so changed to DG/DSG over NMF instead! Andy

One scheme I haven't seen yet on a built Lightning is the MSG/Camo Grey air superiority combination; I was considering it for my F6 currently in progress, but decided on 5 Squadron DG/DSG camo over patchwork! (Late in their careers, the undersides, especially the ventral tanks, could be Camo Grey, MSG, NMF, or a combination!) Andy

A much easier solution is to buy the old Eduard set for the F6, 48-250. This includes new wheel well tops in etched metal, which are easy to install and only require minimal thinning of the wing. The set also has some useful external details and internal details for the canopy and cockpit sills, so it's worth picking up. I wouldn't attempt installing the Aires wheel wells on a bet! The nozzles are gorgeous, but horrendously expensive (around US$25.00). Painted up, the kit nozzles look OK to me. Andy

That model is gorgeous! What a fitting tribute to your father, and all those who were lost. I have a 707-320B about 50% complete. We had the same thinking on handling the upper wing half to fuselage join, I see, because that's how I did mine. Andy

F2As were not stressed for overwing tanks, so they were never carried on these airplanes. F6s were theoretically capable of carrying the tanks, but in practice many did not. I just read in my just-recieved book The Last of the Lightnings that the Binbrook-based Lightnings did not carry tanks until very late in their careers. I had my 5 Squadron F6 set up for them, but just filled the holes! Missiles: F2As carried the Firestreak only. F6s carried Red Tops and Firestreaks (mostly Red Tops towards the end). Andy

Today I received a copy of the book The Last of the Lightnings by Ian Black and while it has a number of photos of XR769, including its final flight, all are during its final service with 11 Squadron--so the book didn't answer my color questions about the ventral tank for the aircraft pictured! So, I'm going to make a command decision, which I think is still plausible, on ventral tank coloring: Forward half of tank: NMF, with the exception of the cannon access doors. Cannon access doors: Medium Sea Grey Rear half of tank and ventral fins: Camouflage (Barley) Grey I also learned from the book (well, looking at the pictures and reading photo captions) that overwing tanks were seldom carried, so I had to fill those holes on my wings. Oh well! At least my project can proceed. Andy

I placed the spares order on the 8th, and the parts arrived today on the 16th. Well done Airfix! Now I can finally, FINALLY, finish the F2 I started in 1998! Andy

As my trombone teacher says, "if you're going to be wrong, be wrong with CONVICTION!" ;-) (I learned my lesson, though--have the DARK Sea Grey on my Lightning F6.) Andy

I bought this kit shortly after it came out, intending to do it as a Fuerza Aerea Brasileria aircraft. Then I used the old-style FCM decals on another project and was so dissatisfied with how the decals performed that I changed to one of the box schemes in the kit: 609 Sqdn., Royal Aux. AF: The model was painted using the old Aeromaster (Floquil formula) RAF colors on top, and Floquil Old Silver for the undersides. I poured in a bunch of lead shot into the nose, and managed to calculate the required nose weight correctly, as you can see! I reinforced all of the landing gear joints with steel pins. This was not that hard of a build, actually; I'd be happy to do another one, if/when this kit gets reissued. Then again, I learned that I should have used Dark Sea Gray for the gray areas; maybe I'll strip it and refinish it into 74 Sqdn. markings if I'm feeling ambitious. Andy

I used a Neomega cockpit in my F6, currently in the paint shop. It is a good cockpit with nice detailing, but the best part is that it fits the model nearly perfectly. Mine was a drop fit when I installed it! I bought CMK's Mk. 4 seats, and I wasn't impressed. Maybe the rest of the cockpit is better, but I can't say because I haven't seen it. Aires does nice cockpits, but they don't always fit! So I would go with Neomega. Eduard brass set 48-250 is a useful set that adds detail to the wheel wells, and is much easier to install than shoehorning the Aires resin wheel wells in! Andy

I used a Neomega cockpit in my F6, currently in the paint shop. It is a good cockpit with nice detailing, but the best part is that it fits the model nearly perfectly. Mine was a drop fit when I installed it! I bought CMK's Mk. 4 seats, and I wasn't impressed. Maybe the rest of the cockpit is better, but I can't say because I haven't seen it. Andy

I did see a new decal for the F that has them in captured markings (USAAF). I've also seen illustrations of them in Hungarian markings, but no decals for them. I'd build an F in a heartbeat if there were more non-Luftwaffe options available. Andy

I went back and took a few more of the decals I wasn't using, and did some more experimenting: One decal I soaked in hot water until it began coming off the backing paper, then immediately applied it using the Microscale decal system. The other, I applied over freshly applied Future (Kleer), then overcoated with Future. The Future trick worked perfectly! Thanks for the suggestions! Andy

I used a Neomega pit in my F6 (stash model, still underway, awaiting confirmation of the ventral tank colors!), and it was a drop fit with no fuss whatsoever. Added some instrument bezels to the panel (I used cutout ones from the Airfix kit decal) and it looks great! I suspect True Details will reissue the KMC pit, since they own the masters for the KMC sets now. Andy Are those decals glossy, or are they matte finished like the Sea Vixen set? Andy

My local hobby shop had an Eduard-boxed Lightning sitting on the shelf for the longest time, at US$93.00. (!) Last time I was in, it was gone, so someone paid that, plus the 7.65% Missouri sales tax to make it just about an even $100. I love the Lightning, but I do have my limits! Andy

The problem is that most of the aftermarket decals are for Luftwaffe subjects, and I avoid building Luftwaffe, so I need markings for the other nations that flew the E. I have an error-plagued (natch) Aeromaster set that came with a Hasegawa E with Romanian and Bulgarian markings on it. At least I know those decals will go down! The few non-Luftwaffe 109E markings I found on the Hannant's site are little decals with horrendously high prices (11+ quid!). Andy

Hi folks, I had heard that they were not very responsive to setting solutions, so I tried out a few decals I didn't intend to use on a scrap model. I applied 3 decals. On one, I used the Microscale decal system. ON the second, I used Solvaset. On the third, I used the DACO decal setting solution. None of them set into the panel lines, even after repeated applications. I'd really like to know if these decals can be made to work. I had hoped to use the Romanian markings on my model. I do have a backup plan, just in case. Andy

As long as they get the shapes right, it should be a great seller! Andy

I just did. (Found one used for a reasonable price--with my Amazon credit, I'm paying only US$5.17!) BTW this aircraft, XS769, was given on the decal included with the original F2A/F6 issue, but with full 11 Sqdn. markings. It's in the DSG/DG camo, and the instructions call for the underside to be done in NMF, with full tank striping. I'm adapting the kit markings and adding the 5 Sqdn. bits from a CE decal I've been nibbling on for several years! Andy

Are they glossy, or are they flat coated like the Sea Vixen decals were? Andy

Hi folks, It's time to play every modeler's favorite game: What color is that on the photo? Here's the airplane I'm doing: It looks like the forward part of the ventral tank is definitely NMF, and that the access doors (at least) over the cannon bulges are Barley Grey (I'm assuming it looks darker than Barley Grey due to it being under the wing). My question is, do the back of the tank and ventral fins look like they are in in Barley Grey? It also looks like most of the stripes are not painted on, which suggests the tank parts are from a grey jet that didn't get the stripes. What say you, out in Britmodeller land? Andy

Are they glossy, or flat coated? (Thinking about NMF Lightnings--flat-coated decals will look bad on NMF!) Andy

UPDATE 8 Dec. 2011: Just heard from them again with instructions on paying shipping for my parts. I'm guessing they are charging shipping because the parts are replacements for ones I lost, not defective parts from the factory. In any case, if I'm getting these instructions, the plastic must be in-house! Shipping to me in the United States is 3 quid (!) but that's still a lot less expensive than buying a whole kit just for the landing gear doors I'm missing. Andy

I'm very late to this party. Great looking model, all told! I like how you handled the tank striping. Good work on all the extra detailing also! I realize this is fixing the barn after the horse got away, but I do have a solution for you regarding the nose ring painting. I used Floquil CSX Black as a base coat (it's in their Railroad Colors) line, then overpainted using Alclad Polished Aluminum. This is what I ended up with: Worked a treat, as the saying goes. I have an F6 underway now, and may use your tank striping trick to avoid having to use the Airfix decals. Andy