Airfix 1/48 lightning 23 squadron markings

[delta7]

I'd like to do a lightning 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 seen of real aircraft the eagles face forward on both port and starboard sides. So I would need one left and one right facing decal

So are the decals wrong?

Any help appreciated

[AMB]

It depends which machine you are doing and which year. F6 XR753/A with the white tail had the startboard Eage facing forward but on F.3 XP756/C it is facing to the left, both circa 1965.

On the later metal tail finish with badge in a disc, the starboard Eagle faced to the left. Example F.6 XR747/K

[delta7]

It is an F3 , thanks for your help

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

With no apologies for showing a Leuchars aircraft!

S

 

Still looking for a port side view with the disc marking.

Plenty on line of the later style eagle.

What do the decals have,small in disc or later style?

[PhoenixII]

Hi Delta7,

to answer your questions:-

1. Correct

2. Yes

3. Yes

 

I Assume you'll be using the BIG chicken?

 

Stbd:- http://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/small/000/291/291489.jpg

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/abpic-media-production/pictures/full_size_0373/1558331-large.jpg

 

Port:- https://i.pinimg.com/originals/05/ee/30/05ee3082b26ebae4296f400bbabd1989.jpg

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g247/MDE_2006/XM169a23SqLeuchars.jpg

 

Because, like you, I can only find photos of forward facing chickens! That doesn't mean they didn't exsist......

 

Should you be using the little chicken on it's white disc, some were handed:- 

 

Stbd:-  http://www.aviationphotocompany.com/img/s/v-3/p1956643306-3.jpg

 

Port:- https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTXDud4s7KsD-Lyt6YXFtbd7MuHnX1b0IlBZ2mS7H0DD43CPRoIHg

 

HTH

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

1 hour ago, PhoenixII said:

 

Should you be using the little chicken on it's white disc, some were handed:- 

In your links,both face left do they not?

I've just looked at dozens of 23 Squadron Lightning F3 photos (tough job eh!)

In all of them the eagle in the disc faces left.

The larger Eagle also appears to face left in the 1965 era (XP707/A XP760/K and XP763/M for example)

On the F6 they appear to be handed eg XR727/F  XR754/M facing left on port side and XR765/A,XS937/C facing right on starboard side.

The old adage of find many pictures of your chosen airframe is certainly applicable here I'd say.

Have you seen these?

 

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/model/English Electric Lightning F3/150/?f=&sort=photographer&order=desc

[delta7]

Thank you for your replies; to try to clarify

The aircraft , Lightning F3, listed on airfix instructions is XP745  code M leuchers 1964

The aeroclub Lightning F3 are  listed as XP760 or XP763 codes K and M

Airfix uses the big eagle while aeroclub give big eagle and smaller in disc ones 

So looks like I need to use the smaller disc ones as the bigger ones I can only find pictures with eagle facing forward

Just to add to confusion there is a corgi 1/72    f3 cosde M with large eagles facing rear on starboard side but cant find actual picture of real plane

Edited August 5, 2018 by delta7

[delta7]

OK I have found a picture of XP736 code F with eagle facing back -  http://www.aviation-picture-hangar.co.uk/XP736.jpg 

[MADMUSKY]

I grew up next to Leuchars and the Lightning is my favorite aircraft, I've just looked through my old knackered laptop and found a photo taken from the old control tower, and on the pan is 4 white tailed F3s coded J,K,E last one I can't read also a T4 coded Z all have the Eagles facing right (to the rear)on the right side. Strangely enough behind them is a Javilin which looks to be in 23 Sqn markings and behind that is 43 Sqn Hunter T7. 

Just found another F3 white tail coded C XP756 it's rear on the right too.

Having looking at all my pictures of seems that on the right they faced rear and on left they face front, even when they had plain tails with small discs, and early F6s, looked at my 11 Sqn too they ask to be the same, but at sometime when they went back to large Eagles they changed to all facing front. 

.

Darren

Edited August 10, 2018 by MADMUSKY

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

1 hour ago, MADMUSKY said:

Having looking at all my pictures

Any chance of showing them in the forum?

Lightning,Javelin and Hunter all at the same time..I'm green with envy!

[MADMUSKY]

1 hour ago, Scimitar said:

Any chance of showing them in the forum?

Lightning,Javelin and Hunter all at the same time..I'm green with envy!

Since the photobucket farce and a duffish laptop I've not sorted out photo sharing yet, but I'll see if I can sort something out.

My grandad finished up at Leuchars at the end of the war and settled in nearby Guardbridge, my uncle's grew up there and have loads of pictures of Leuchars aircraft from the late 50s onwards but won't let me share them,, which is annoying.

[delta7]

Thanks again for help

@MADMUSKY it would be nice if you could get something sorted as it would be great to see the Leuchers pictures.