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How do I know which EE Lightnings has the refueling probe?5


Supertom

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Hi everyone, much to my annoyance, Trumpeter didn’t include the refueling probe on their Lightning’s. How do I tell which birds were issued the probe? I’m trying to build F.3 XR749/DA of the Lightning Training Flight of RAF Brinbrook. I also intend to build a 74Sdn F.6 based out of Tengah and the Airfix instructions just stick a giant question mark next to the diagram of the probe.

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As far as I am aware all operational F3s and F6s would have flown with the refuelling probes fitted. It was cleared for use on the F.1A and became standard fit from then on due to the Lightning's very short range on internal fuel.

Which Trumpeter kit is it? I thought they all had the refuelling probes in the kit.

 

Duncan B

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3 hours ago, Supertom said:

Hi everyone, much to my annoyance, Trumpeter didn’t include the refueling probe on their Lightning’s. How do I tell which birds were issued the probe? I’m trying to build F.3 XR749/DA of the Lightning Training Flight of RAF Brinbrook. I also intend to build a 74Sdn F.6 based out of Tengah and the Airfix instructions just stick a giant question mark next to the diagram of the probe.

Definitely for XR749 

bFYjSs.jpg

bFYlR2.jpg

bFYc3x.jpg

John 

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1 hour ago, Supertom said:

I have the F.3 in 1/72. Looks like I’ll have. To look at the Airfix item and make a pattern out of it.

I have scrapped some of the Trumpeter 1/72 Lightnings without having completed them. I'll have a look and see if there is an IFR Probe in the spares as I'm sure the kit would/should have had one. I could post one out to you if you want?

 

Duncan B

 

 

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I have an IFR probe from the F6 kit if you want it (PM me your address if you want me to send it over to you). I had a look at the instructions for the F3 and was surprised to find that they didn't include the IFR probe with the F3 as you said (yet another nail in the Trumpeter Lightning coffin as far as I'm concerned).

 

Duncan B

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28 minutes ago, Duncan B said:

I have scrapped some of the Trumpeter 1/72 Lightnings without having completed them. I'll have a look and see if there is an IFR Probe in the spares as I'm sure the kit would/should have had one. I could post one out to you if you want?

 

Duncan B

 

 

Are they that bad?

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The Trumpeter kits were eagerly awaited and were a sore disappointment when they arrived. The back end was a travesty and the belly tank for some marks was off as well.

The good news is that Airfix and Sword have much better renderings (and the Alley Cat conversions for the Airfix kits are excellent).

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That’s true Steve, but I’ll build it anyway. I got it off the bargain bin for a few bucks, Well aware of the issue. It would be a nice distraction from the AModel and KP kits I just finished 😛

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5 hours ago, Duncan B said:

I have scrapped some of the Trumpeter 1/72 Lightnings without having completed them. I'll have a look and see if there is an IFR Probe in the spares as I'm sure the kit would/should have had one. I could post one out to you if you want?

 

Duncan B

 

 

As Father Douglas would say, that would be grand! Let me at least reimburse you for postage.

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13 hours ago, neilfergylee said:

Are they that bad?

I'm a bit of a Lightning nut so ordered multiples of each one the moment they were announced. As the saying goes about fools and money! it's a beautifully moulded kit with lots of lovely details but it's not a Lightning. I did attempt to fix one by adding a plug to extend the fuselage, add an aftermarket resin belly but there is nothing that can be done with the humpbacked canopy or the position of the wings. In the end I gave up when the Sword and Airfix Lightnings arrived on the scene.

8 hours ago, Supertom said:

As Father Douglas would say, that would be grand! 

Please tell me it's the original Father Ted and not a sanitised US version? Life on Mars and The Office were ruined when they were 'converted' for US TV.

 

Duncan B

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It’s the original. There were talks of making an Americanized version but there’s no way it could be done without compromising the characters. As it was, it could have had potential as it was supposedly going to use material that wasn’t released.

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18 hours ago, 71chally said:

I think the comment may have been sparked by the 'Father Douglas' bit!

Oh. Stupid Apple Autocorrect! 

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5 hours ago, Duncan B said:

The IFR probe will be in the post this morning. Hopefully it'll get through Customs ok.

 

Duncan B

Thanks Duncan! I'm looking forward to it!

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  • 2 weeks later...

My initial response was 'if it's more than 15mins from Binbrook...... '

 

 

What was the phrase - ' The Lightnings are based at Binbrook to defend Binbrook, which is where the Lightnings are based'

Edited by JagRigger
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On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 2:04 PM, tweeky said:

The following Lightning's flew with IFR probes, 

F mk2a, F mk3 F mk6 and T mk5.

In actual fact , the only Lightnings not equipped for IFR were the original F1 aircraft .  All others could & generally did have them fitted .

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1 hour ago, tweeky said:

Was the F2 fitted with then, the were after the F2A upgrade ? And the T4 did that have probes fitted.

 

Yes they were fitted to F2 & T4 .  As I said previously , the only Lightning which didn't have the option of the refueling probe was the F1 .  Just to be 100% clear , the F1 had no provision for a refueling probe - the aircraft were not plumbed for IFR . The F1A/F2/F2A/F3/F3A/T4/T5/F6/F52/F53/F53K/T55/T55K all had provision for the probe .

Edited by rs2man
Clarified info
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