Airfix 1/48 lightning F3- Finished

[delta7]

I'd like to join in with this please, pics to follow but need some help. 

I'd like to do this as 23 squadron from leuchars but have hit a snag with decals. On both airfix and aeroclub sets the eagle tail markings are all facing the left however on any pictures I have the eagles face forward. So would need one left and one right facing decal

So are the decals wrong?

Any help appreciated

Edited September 16, 2018 by delta7

[Redstaff]

Hi delta7

I've got a fair few lightning pics saved as it's one of my faves,, anything I have from 23 squadron seem to have the eagles facing FWD on either side

apart from one pic I've found on this page here of F6 XR725 which appears to have RHS eagle facing backwards (6th pic down)  so maybe some were reversed??

http://www.dhc-2.com/Ken_Marshall_UK_Military.html

 

 

Edited July 23, 2018 by Redstaff
More info

[delta7]

Thanks , you seem to back up my suspitions, I might have to go for 111 Sqdrn markings instead.

[Redstaff]

6 minutes ago, delta7 said:

I might have to go for 111 Sqdrn markings instead

One of my favourite lightning schemes  

That's what I was going to go with originally, then decided to have a bash at a  Royal Navy Buccaneer instead, just waiting decals for final choice, then I will make a start

[delta7]

OK under starters orders

Its an older version , but looks ok

I have to make a confession, this is my second attempt at a lightning.

I did one years ago but was never happy and it ended up in the bin, the only thing I kept was the resin seat and the clear canopy.

Seat here which I will tidy up, wont see much anyway as I make kits with canopy closed.

[Col.]

What can be more synonymous with the RAF during the 60s than a lightning   Good luck with this one. I'll sure it'll receive plenty attention and support.

[delta7]

started with the internals,

First I added the etch and painted the pit, then sprayed the inlet silver and exhaust silver.

Inlet was only glued at back to aid linning up. There is the usual gap at wheel wells to fix  ,

I forgot to add weights to inside nose so will have to pack weights around it. I have ordered some lead fishing weights and Im "weighting" on these arriving

Seams will need tidied up in exhausts then I will add tamiya smoke to darken it down.

Leaving things to dry as silver takes age to harden then will paint nose cone, Incidentlly no true colours will be harmed in this build,any colours I use will bear only a passing resemblance to reality and will be determined purely by what I mix and what I think looks right.

Seat is only fitted in for photo, need to attatch handles and will glue later in build.

 

 

[Col.]

Easy there tiger! We don't start this GB until Saturday 😮 Still under the 25% mark though so I'm sure we can forgive you  

[delta7]

oops sorry thought we were off, Ill reign it back and wait till the weekend.................. are we there yet? ....................................are we there yet ?

Edited July 26, 2018 by delta7

[delta7]

Etch added and wings together

 

paint and weights arrived , exhaust etch fitted. sink marks filled

 

 

just nose cone to paint then can box internals up 

Edited August 7, 2018 by delta7

[Col.]

Always good to see a Lightning taking shape  

[At Sea]

Would the white circled 23 squadron eagles from Revell's Tornado F3 be any good?

 

I have a couple of spare pairs I can send you to try out if you like.  

 

[delta7]

On 15/08/2018 at 01:22, At Sea said:

Would the white circled 23 squadron eagles from Revell's Tornado F3 be any good?

 

I have a couple of spare pairs I can send you to try out if you like.  

 

 

Thank you for the kind offer, however I dont think I could blend in the white on the decals with background. I have another thread on the aircraft cold war section and have found out that there were 2 styles of eagle so kits decals are ok 

[delta7]

Iv cracked on with this so progress so far

 put in internals and weights, fishing wights and wood glue-

 

then glued halves and filled-

 

 

worst seam was underneath

 

 

then wings,tail added- when adding wings important to check alignment and that they arnt warped, mines looked good so no need to do anything drastic. On my last kit the port wing always looked weird, that and the poor finish led me to scrapping it so I hope this one turns out better

 

 

other parts on and light filling with green stuff and PPP, not anything much here generally a good fit.

 

 

I will tidy things up then start on undercarraige.

 

[exdraken]

Looking good and like a big beast Lightning already!

Glad you sorted the decals!

[delta7]

Cockpit finished and masked

 

 

once all main parts were on I spreyed halfords primer, then attacked the visable joins.

It wasnt bad there was an invisable seam on the bottom that I used superglue to hide, some PPP on the nose ring join and some work where the canopy rear joins.

once happy I sprayed black and now have a nightfighter.

 

I will polish this with a rag then attatch the final tiny aerials etc then spray aluminium.

 

 

 

[exdraken]

I like your Lightning nightfighter!

[delta7]

So a bit of a two forward , one back week.

I tried to spray the vallejo aluminium but it just didnt work. Bit of a surprize as I used it on a previous kit and it worked well, cleaned it off, cleaned airbrush, tested it on normal acryllics and spray gun ok, tried vallejo and no joy. Obviously something Ill need to practice using to get right balance of pressure etc. In the meantime I used humbrol silver from a spray can and that went down well. I left it a few days, done a light second coat and left it a few days to settle then rubbed lightly with a rag.

I then removed the masking and there was underspray inside the canopy so that had to come off and get cleaned then back on.

Wheels are on.

Iv just given it the first coat of clear , I will use three or four as silver paint I find is easy to mark. Oh and the invisable seam on the bottom has mysteriously reappeared , but its only at certain angles and I casnt be bothered sanding and filing it anymore as if I did Id lose all detail on base.

here is how it sits now

 

 

 

Im quite liking the black so this may turn out a 111 after all.

I have a dilema with the chrome for the nose ring, Iv prepped the spare tail and will test on this to make sure it sprays ok or if not try to find a way to brush on the chrome.

[theplasticsurgeon]

51 minutes ago, delta7 said:

I have a dilema with the chrome for the nose ring, Iv prepped the spare tail and will test on this to make sure it sprays ok or if not try to find a way to brush on the chrome.

1

Try kitchen foil, stuck with gloss varnish, as I show during my Lightning build.

 

[delta7]

Well the chrome sprayed ok so a bit puzzled about the aluminium, ah well pretty straight forward progress, here it is now

 

 

decals worked well apart from slight crease behind pit. I should have sprayed the areas under the yellow white as the black is showing through slightly but I might try to use oils to blend in once future coated.

Just now applying multiple tiny jet decals, I still have the missiles to finish and the clear lenses to add and some minor antenas .

[exdraken]

Looks great!!

 

regarding the decals, 

yeah, you can never be sure with light colored large area decals unfortunately

 

 

by the way, Typhoons would also benefit from a black spine and fin I guess

Edited September 7, 2018 by exdraken

[Col.]

Lovely   The black coming through on the yellow decals may work out depending how well weathered you want to make the final finish.

[delta7]

well everything else went fine and it is now finished:

 

 

 

and with its younger brother

 

 

next one will definatly be a 23rd squadron. thanks for support and especially MADMUSKY for his help with 23squadron details.

 

 

 

 

[Col.]

lovely result

[exdraken]

Turned out fantastic!

 

But the Phantom its brother????