Khormaksar EE Lightning XG331

[Head in the clouds.]

Hi everyone.

I am trying to find the colour scheme worn by the above Lightning while doing AI23 trials in Khormaksar, Aden, November to December 1961. I have the S&M decal sheet and this shows an orange nose and tail, however, the only colour pic I can find of this plane in in 'Wings of Fame' which shows this plane at Farnborough alongside the T4 prototype, both having Grey instead of Orange.

I know 2 other Lightnings went to Khormaksar  for trials and these are standard NMF .

Could anyone tell me if it was indeed Grey and not Orange that XG331 was painted or does Mel at S&M have it right?

Confusion reigns!

Thanks for any help.

Gary

[tony.t]

There was a thread - 

 

- which discussed a similarly marked T.4. The colours on that (ignoring the yellow training bands) suggest a grey (which appears slightly blue due to colour shift) nose with an orange dayglo lightning bolt.

Therefore I'd go with the photos (and/or ask S&M what pictorial info they based their drawing on).

 

Tony 

Edited January 27, 2019 by tony.t
flawed keyboard finger action

[canberra kid]

8 hours ago, Head in the clouds. said:

Hi everyone.

I am trying to find the colour scheme worn by the above Lightning while doing AI23 trials in Khormaksar, Aden, November to December 1961. I have the S&M decal sheet and this shows an orange nose and tail, however, the only colour pic I can find of this plane in in 'Wings of Fame' which shows this plane at Farnborough alongside the T4 prototype, both having Grey instead of Orange.

I know 2 other Lightnings went to Khormaksar  for trials and these are standard NMF .

Could anyone tell me if it was indeed Grey and not Orange that XG331 was painted or does Mel at S&M have it right?

Confusion reigns!

Thanks for any help.

Gary

Hi Gary

Do these help? 

 

[canberra kid]

I do have a colour photo somewhere I think with her in formation with the T.4 prototype but I can't find it, anyway I went with medium sea grey for the background on my 1/48 build.

John 

[Head in the clouds.]

On 1/27/2019 at 5:11 PM, tony.t said:

Therefore I'd go with the photos (

Cheers Tony, that is the way I am leaning, I have not spoken to Mel but that too did cross my mind.

 

22 hours ago, canberra kid said:

I went with medium sea grey for the background

Hello John.

Thank you, yes I have seen those pics before but your second post grabbed my attention, the built model match's exactly the only colour pic I have found of this scheme so it looks like Medium Sea Grey then, a shame really because a bit of orange would have looked rather nice, it was the reason I bought the decal sheet after all.

Cheers

Gary

 

[will2017]

Not my content, but Thunder & Lightings have a cockpit section of XG331 in 1997. It might give an indication of previous paintwork.

 

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/survivor.php?id=540

[canberra kid]

34 minutes ago, will2017 said:

Not my content, but Thunder & Lightings have a cockpit section of XG331 in 1997. It might give an indication of previous paintwork.

 

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/survivor.php?id=540

The guy that owns the nose is who I built the model for, the colour sachem I went for was the one we decided between us to be the most likely.

John 

[will2017]

This may also help

[Sabrejet]

XG311 is a P.1B (note short tail); not sure if XG331 was, but it's from that same batch. Were all P.1Bs retrospectively titled as Lightnings? 

[Head in the clouds.]

On 3/12/2019 at 8:35 PM, will2017 said:

This may also help

Thanks will2017, a nice pic but I am past that stage now having gone for a grey nose area, your pic has a tinge of blue which I believe , for whatever reason is incorrect. Maybe the camera can lie, if one thing causes more discussion on any forum it is colour.

 

On 3/12/2019 at 8:41 PM, Sabrejet said:

XG311 is a P.1B (note short tail); not sure if XG331 was, but it's from that same batch. Were all P.1Bs retrospectively titled as Lightnings? 

If I am correct XG311 retained the short tail for a considerable time but XG331 most certainly has the more definitive tail. Whether the pre production batch were officially called Lightning I am not sure but they look like a Lightning and I think it has stuck. If I was to stick my neck out  I would say , yes.

[canberra kid]

20 hours ago, Head in the clouds. said:

Thanks will2017, a nice pic but I am past that stage now having gone for a grey nose area, your pic has a tinge of blue which I believe , for whatever reason is incorrect. Maybe the camera can lie, if one thing causes more discussion on any forum it is colour.

 

If I am correct XG311 retained the short tail for a considerable time but XG331 most certainly has the more definitive tail. Whether the pre production batch were officially called Lightning I am not sure but they look like a Lightning and I think it has stuck. If I was to stick my neck out  I would say , yes.

XG311 crashed in July 1963 at that time she still had the small fin, XG331 looks like she had the production F.1 fin all along?

 

John