At Sea Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 (edited) Hello everyone! My project for this group build is a subject that had suggested itself to me before the GB came up, but fits so well. The medium is the Airfix 1/48 Lightning F.3 made from the F.1 / 1a / 3 kit. For this I plan to keep it British, using only Humbrol paints and OOB apart from the decal option (the reason for this will become clear shortly). The aircraft I will build is XP753. XP753 was the Lightning piloted by Fl.Lt. Mike Thompson who in August 1983 was denied permission to carryout a display over Scarbrough and by all accounts proceeded to do so anyway, resulting in a fatal accident. Mike was the Lightning Display Pilot for '83 and it was a sad accident for the pilot & aircraft. http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/73801-xs937-m-crash.html#post704442 I did some digging and found that using the firestreak decal sheet I have to build the LPG Lightning F.6 I can also modify XR753 to read XP753 by the deft application of a scalpel. I can use these serials and the kit decals to make a 74 Squadron F.3 as XP753. So my plan is to build the kit as XP753 in much happier times as she was in 74 Sq in the 1960's. Part of the reason for going 'All Airfix' is to prove to myself what is still possible without Tamiya paints and eduard masks and cockpits, also it would seem a little sad to celebrate a British aircraft by building a Japanese kit with Czech finishing details etc etc. The build is also in memorial to all the pilots who lost their lives in this great aircraft. Edited January 12, 2016 by At Sea 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supertom Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'm looking forward to your progress and RFI for this project. I read the entire PPRuNe thread on this and it's quite fascinating (and sad). Some very clear and concise recollections there, definitely as a result of their training! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 Yes, the quality of the recollections show not only the level of training these guys had, but also the impact of the events. When you think that the RAF lost 1/3 of all Lightnings, and the number of pilots who died in 'planned' ejections the whole RAF community on the East Coast must have been on tenterhooks every time a gear down failure or engine fire was reported. The Crowood aviation series book on the Lightning has been excellent background reading for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiGFan79 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Can't beat a tigger! I was close do going down the same route for this GB but time concerns meant I didn't feel I could do the subject justice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirageiv Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 (edited) Great a Lightning, look forward to it. Edited January 12, 2016 by mirageiv 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Excellent subject choice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 Right, got started on this last night watching BBC4 music night. Never built an Airfix Lightnign before and was pleasantly surprised by the surface detail and the fit. Looks like it will go together well even if is is blighted by the 'soft' feeling plastic whoch Airfix like but I am not so taken with. There aren't many bits in the box, and I tend to get stuck in once I am on a roll so apologies if I don't post a blow by blow account of my build. Here is the start, with the selected decals, note I still need to trim 23 squadron's XR753 to 74 squadron's XP753. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davek72 Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Looking forward to this one. Crack on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted February 14, 2016 Author Share Posted February 14, 2016 (edited) Progress and a Rolls Royce Avon made out of 0.20 coins as nose weight. Edited February 14, 2016 by At Sea 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triumphfan Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Great project and I like the idea of an 'all British' build theme. Did you really use 20p coins for nose weight? Will certainly make this build a fairly avant garde piggy bank. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted February 14, 2016 Author Share Posted February 14, 2016 Euro cents. Best way to use up left over holiday / business trip change. 10 Euro cents fit down the nose of a 1/48 Revell Tornado. :-) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray S Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Euro cents. Best way to use up left over holiday / business trip change. 10 Euro cents fit down the nose of a 1/48 Revell Tornado. :-) You learn something new every day! This is looking to be a 'one to watch', especially as I have one in the stash. Look forward to seeing more. Cheers, Ray 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Nice to see this one underway Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 Fuselage zipped up. Went together well but had to be very very careful, a little warped so needed plenty of Tamiya tape & straegic pinching. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 Sticky out bits on. Did them one at a time and held them in position by hand until they 'took',. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29Triplex Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Now that's the best view of a Lightning: when she goes 'ballistic'. Watching as usual with keen interest, keep up the great work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 Sorry for the delay in updating, not much done since, but it is now silver thanks to Humbrol Metal cote aluminium. I used a base of white primer and then criss crossed black primer spray over the aircraft to give it a more realistic NMF finish. Dried yesterday, clear went down tonight... Pics coming. I also used copydex and baco-foil to do the nose ring... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMP2 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Cool. How was the Humbrol metal cote? Ive got a tine of their "Steel" here to play with. Cmon, lets see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 Metal cote aluminium on the fuselage and steel on the jet pipes. Baco foil intake ring. And from the top. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 And I use Metalcote aluminium and steel aerosol for my Phantoms too, careful masking and I think it makes a very realistic finish, the steel does need polishing once on, goes on matt dark grey but polished up lovely with a bit of dry rag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMP2 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Nice. Im especially liking the steel, comes up good. Hows the Phantom collection coming along? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 No Phantom action yet... Weather has been good enough to cycle lots. Black mike will be my next project, once I get home again end of april. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMP2 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Excuses, excuses. I think Im just going to use 2 of the 4 I have here - A Falklands light grey machine (if I can find decals) and the Wrong Un as that will cover the F, the G and the R is already built. Think I got carried away with buying Tooms...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X48071I've got this set for my Falkland Phantom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMP2 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Ive seen those, cheers. Just made a post asking about some for mine - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234999621-148-phantom-falklands-decals/ Suspect I will have to be brave and print my own for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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