NellyV Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 My Dad got his first car, a Mk 1 Ford Cortina in the mid-1960s and started to pack the whole family up in it annually to visit the RAFA air display at the famous ex-Battle of Britain North Weald airfield from then on and into the 70s. I can clearly remember sitting on the bonnet (hood) of the car with my feet dangling at the 1965 display when with no warning one of 111 Squadron’s Lightning F3s flew directly over my head from behind at low level in the middle of the display team in line abreast, before lighting the burners and climbing vertically up into the blue yonder to form a diamond nine formation. The infamous Lightning rapid pitch up and climb out. I well remember my guts resonating along with the 18 Avon engines and then after what seemed like an eternity of relative silence when they had climbed to altitude, only then did dogs start barking and the crowd start shouting! Quite the way to make an awestriking entrance to a display back then, which with the heightened display safety measures in force now would never be allowed. This was the moment in which I caught the aviation bug which persists to this day. On reading the Aeroplane Icon publication “Lightning” when researching the model, I learned that I was lucky to witness the third to last multi-ship RAF Lightning display ever! 111 Sqn had been selected to display at the Paris show that year and the North Weald show was presumably a practice outing for this, along with one further display at RAF Bentwaters. After 1965 the RAF only ever flew Lightning singleton displays as a cost saving. The Red Arrows formed in 1965 and took on the RAFs formation display role from then on. I’m sorry Red Arrows, but for me nine Gnats, or Hawks could never match the sheer body pummelling presence of nine Lightnings! “Lightning” also informed me that the F3 was the fastest of the Lightning marks, with uprated RR Avon 301Rs, the original 247 gal capacity ventral tank and the larger square tipped dorsal fin introduced to counter yaw instability caused by carrying the Red Top missiles, which were larger than the Firestreak missiles carried by earlier marks. F3s also lacked the decreased outer wing sweep and conical camber that reduced transonic drag. This improved wing planform was originally fitted to the P1B Prototype during early development, but only got fitted to the F2A and F6 later in the 60s! No cannons fitted either to the F3, and no Aden cannon ventral pack like the Mk 6, so entirely reliant on the two IR homing missiles. This model of the Squadron Leader’s mount - XR711 was built out of the box, but with the addition of some improved aftermarket seat and cockpit components, plus some photo etch dorsal radio aerials. This was my first foray into using airbrushed metalizing lacquers (Alclad 2) and the finish is a bit suspect in parts, especially so on the rear fuselage sides, but it’s still a worthy reminder of a key childhood experience. Maybe, just maybe, it’s the actual aircraft that flew directly over the top of me so many years ago? The Airfix decals are a bit thin, which makes settling them down easy, but the big yellow fin and fuselage decals proved to be a bit too translucent on top of the black painted sections. If I was to build it again, I’d make sure I applied a yellow undercoat before applying these decals or skipped using them altogether and just sprayed in the yellow sections. Interesting factoid. The 3 blades on the Maltese cross aren’t meant to be Scimitars, but Seaxes as also found on the County of Essex coat of arms. The Seax was the large single edge knife carried by every self-respecting Anglo-Saxon gent. A sort of East Saxon Swiss army knife? 50 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Beautifully built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Superb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueYeti Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Very clean 👍, will be reference for my future lightning ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saeran Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Makes the one I built look like a five year old built it . Very nice indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 A most impressive Lightning – beautiful build! Kind regards, Joachim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Beautiful build and finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welkin Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Fantastic kit - well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rakete173 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Beautiful optic. Beautiful aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Turned out great!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Genuinely fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 I like it! Nice work mate! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Man, that's beautiful! So well done sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Lovely work and a superb memory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith in the uk Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Lovely job , It seems we have the same childhood memorys , my dad took me to Coltishall in the 1960s when they flew Lightnings , i too remember being blasted by the noise as it flashed overhead , great days . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryanm Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Lovely model, great memories - I have similar ones from the BoB displays at Gaydon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The west wing Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 On 27/06/2021 at 16:55, NellyV said: with no warning one of 111 Squadron’s Lightning F3s flew directly over my head from behind at low level in the middle of the display team in line abreast, before lighting the burners and climbing vertically up into the blue yonder That leaves a lasting impression and you have done a brilliant job on the Lightning, thanks for posting the pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 What a beautiful Lightning! Superb markings and finish, very neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza l Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Very neat work, looks like you have mastered the Alclad spraying. gazza l Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Wow! I never tire of seeing the mighty Lightning modelled and this is a truly spectacular example. Richie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head in the clouds. Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Great build. It is nice to see panel lines not being to stark or dark too, just letting them fine their own shade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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