Very Very Frightning............ EE Lightning T.4

[Fatcawthorne]

Well having had a 'mare in the BoB GB by trying to rush to beat the deadline clock, I'm hoping to have more luck with a future succesor to that build's Spitfire in the RAF Interceptor role, the English Electric Lightning.  

 

The plan is to utilise the Aeroclub conversion set to make the Airfix 1/48 F.1 boxing into it's uglier twin (for those that disagree, Harry Hill has the only answer "there's only one way to find out......."), the two seat trainer version, the T.4.

 

Now I also have an incomplete CMK conversion set for the same T-Bird marks which I am going to use for the inards of this build.  I'm not confident enough to blend that set's new resin nose onto Airfix's plastic body but am happy to have a go at the Aerorclub IM fuselage parts, (and TBH the CMK cockpit parts knock the Aeroclub white metal parts to a cocked hat).  Now I have 3 Aeroclub sets, so for the next T.4/5 build in my future I may even try to get hold of the Neomega cockpit, specifically designed to be used with the Aeroclub fuselage halves. 

 

OK I have already built a single-seat Lightning this year, and that ended up as a bit of a Horlicks too (see a pattern emerging yet????), which was caused by making a real mess of the Natural Metal Finish, and then a bigger mess of the paint stripping to remove it - who knew that Paint Stripper melts resin, well I do now!!!

 

Anyways I want to have another crack at NMF, although with the preparation needed not to show any blemishes with that sort of finish I'm not 100% sure doing a cut and shut is a great idea, but hey we will have a giggle along the way.

 

The intended victim, to keep to the Interceptor theme will be a squadron allocated airframe, as doing a far more colourful OCU T-Bird might stretch the definition too far for this GB.  I have been thinking of building to the 74 Sqn theme theme for a while now (having Phantoms aplenty as well as plenty of F2/6 Lightnings just for starters), so why not start here.  

 

The plan, which if it survives the first contact, is to build XM974 'T' as pictured below on 18 September 1965 at RAF Leuchars.

 

 

There are a few differently coloured panels to add even more interest.  I will be using the Xtradecal X48151 set and the choice of metal paint will be made on the hoof as I go along!!!  Any suggestions/recommendations will be greatfully accepted at this point!

 

Anyways onwards and upwards, let's have a look at what we're actually going to be mangling .............

 

 

One of the three Aeroclub Conversion sets.  Unfortunately 2 of them have quite yellowed canopies, so for future builds either I will use an unusable one to make a buck to vacform/plungemould others, or if I buy the Neomega set I may just ask them sweetly if I can also buy some of their transparencies to go with it.

 

 

 

Plenty of decal options for all the T.4/5 sets I have (plus the Sword kits!).

 

 

I am currently making some home-brew copies of the CMK resin set for the cockpit parts, pictures of those bits will follow when I can finally cast some without too many air bubbles.

 

Therefore I have started on the wings rather than the normally accepted jumping-off point that is the cockpit.

 

On the previous single-seater build I struggled to get an acceptable join on the leading edge inserts for the lower half of the wings. With this being an attempt at NMF I attempted to make this join better than on that build.

 

To that extent I added some strengthening tabs to the insert and joined them to the wing half before joining the halves to try to get a flusher joint.

 

I also had some homebrewed undercariage wells hanging around from the F.6 build, so the wings were suitably thinned to accept them.  For the first attempt I managed to lose a bit of the flap coaming (no idea of the real term!) so used some plastic rod to build it back up again. 

 

 

And after all the glueing and clamping stuff went on..... 

 

 

Now having done the same again for the other wing (for some reason the plastic parts straight from the box were quite warped so hopefully we've cured that!), it was time to actually spite my face by cutting my nose off.

 

Now I hadn't realised that I'd broken my razor saw blade, so that job will now have to wait until Paul at Little-Cars pings me some replacement blades in the post that I purchased at the weekend.

 

 

So there we are, we've made a start and hopefully I won't mess this one up too much!

 

So until next time, stay safe.

 

Chris

[Col.]

You're off to a fine start on an excellent subject there Chris

 

16 minutes ago, Fatcawthorne said:

...The intended victim, to keep to the Interceptor theme will be a squadron allocated airframe, as doing a far more colourful OCU T-Bird might stretch the definition too far for this GB...

As a general rule types used to train in the art of air combat are good so OCU & LTF birds are fine  

[FortyEighter]

Nice choice of subject and I like the idea of a 74 Sqn theme for your builds.

 

I was also thinking about the Airfix Frightning for this GB but decided to start the Javelin instead - I'm working on a 23 Sqn theme (to also include a Tornado F3, Mosquito and two FGR2s (that are part painted but have gone on the waiting shelf due to the number of group builds that are running at present).

 

Will be interested to see how your conversion progresses.

 

Mike

[exdraken]

An enlitening project!

 

 

You are not taking the easy way, are you

great progress already!