Lightning (BAC) in a bag...F/2 19 Sq, Güttersloh, W. Germany, 1973...

[John Masters]

Now that I have wrapped up my Group Build commitments for 2021 I have time on my hands until the next round of insanity in 2022.    19 days, to be precise.  Plenty of time to work a bit on my 19 Squadron Project.  For those of you who don't know, I became interested in 19 Squadron last year and have been slowly building their aircraft.  It was during the Hawk STGB when I built the commemorative aircraft in the Spitfire colours.  So it began...Now I have some time, etc...here's what I have to work with...

 

 

I know 19 Sq didn't fly the F3.  I have done a bit of research and aside from some internal differences (avionics/motor) there is no huge external differences between the F1/2 and the F3.  Except the tail fin.  Here are two nice profiles that I did not draw or paint myself but rather took from Wings Palette.  I am not sure of their original provenance.   I have resampled the images to show the copyright information as we do here on The Forum...Clavework Graphics.

 

 

I think I can adjust the fin on the Airfix kit to replicate the F/2 I wish to build.  The decals are from Model Alliance, Electric Lightnings Part 4.

 

 

 

Sprue...

 

 

If you look closely you can see I have already marked out what I need to do with the fin at the bottom of the image.

 

Looks good to me!

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

[Jonners]

Nice one, John! I'm sure you won't overlook the very obvious nose guns on the F2, which were not present on the F3.

Jon

[John Masters]

Yes @Jonners  I’ll drill those out.  Shouldn’t be too much of a bother.

[modelling minion]

Looks like a nice project John, should keep you busy over Christmas.

[John Masters]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

should keep you busy over Christmas.

I agree.  Thanks Craig!

[Hook]

Oooh, Lightning! Consider my chair pulled up, sir.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[John Masters]

You’re welcome @Hook. Please do.  This’ll be my first Lightning and aside from a couple of modifications it’ll be right OOB.  

[John Masters]

I have built many finely moulded, beautifully detailed kits in my time.  This is not one of them.  It's not a bad kit, it is just rudimentary at best and there plastic is stiff.  I think it is from a time when Airfix was between philosophies.  While I won't be spending my time scratch building bits and bobs, I do think it is worth my time to also invest in (or at least investigate) other kits.  I have the Sword kit, the tail of which I am using as a template to modify the F3 rudder....but there are many others.  Airfix actually makes a 19 Sq F2A with the squared-off tail...hmmm...I wonder if it is a new mould?

 

Anyway...I used the scribe tool to mark the lines and also to cut through the plastic, very carefully.  The Sword piece is on top for comparison, obviously.

 

 

But before that, a side by side...Sword F1/2 on the left, old mould Airfix F3 on the right.

 

 

And after the sanding and re-scribing, I am pretty happy with the result.

 

 

The nose guns were a bit trickier and required some Eyeball 2.0 to get it right.  I also had to use the box art from the Sword kit.

 

 

I drilled the hole normally first, then used the side of the drill like a router and carved the channel.  I think they are ok.

 

 

Once that was all done, I went to the plans to see where to start. Hmmm...I'll leave the nose wheel off for now.  I'll insert the seat without the pilot.  Also add some Liquid Gravity for 10g of nose weight..  Give the interior a spray of grey primer...leave it for a few minutes then button up the fuselage.

 

 

 

 

 

Like I said, not the most complex or perfect of kits, but I think it will build up into an excellent representation of the aircraft.  Simple yet effective.  I imagine a better moulded kit and some aftermarket gizmos could really boost the build quality.

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Masters]

Puttied up the seams yesterday and sanded them down this morning...donlt worry...I'll take care of that bit behind the cockpit.

 

 

 

Figured I'd move along to this...

 

 

So I did.

 

 

I'll have to smooth the edges around the nozzles and fill the narrow gaps in the wing roots.  Nothing too dramatic.

 

 

Looking ahead...

 

 

After a very slight clean up, they popped right into place.  I'll have to fill some gaps.

 

 

--John

 

 

 

[Paul821]

On 12/20/2021 at 8:02 PM, John Masters said:

I have built many finely moulded, beautifully detailed kits in my time.  This is not one of them.  It's not a bad kit, it is just rudimentary at best and there plastic is stiff.  I think it is from a time when Airfix was between philosophies.

this kits has an interesting History as different sources give different timelines to the model.

 

Scalemates has this as a reissue of the original 1963 F1 Lightning with "additional parts"

 

Other (including Vintage-Airfix)  sources follow the listing in the 1988 catalogue that it is a "new model".

 

One clue is in your statement regarding the wings

 

2 hours ago, John Masters said:

they popped right into place

 

for in 1981 the F1a was slightly retooled for the short-lived "SnapnGlue" range, I recently built the release that may be the same as yours, which was in one of the boxed sets, and this certainly could be snapped together. One clue is the pin on the pilots seat to attach the pilot that is shown in the instructions. To me this indicates it was a retool of the model. Others might have more information on this.

 

But you have chosen an interesting project here and it is progressing well.

[John Masters]

5 hours ago, Paul821 said:

But you have chosen an interesting project here and it is progressing well.

Thanks Paul.  

5 hours ago, Paul821 said:

"SnapnGlue" range

The fuselage halves wanted to snap 'n' glue as well.  Tough to actually get together without some pressure.  It explains the large locater pins.

 

 

[John Masters]

With all the wings attached and gaps filled it begins to take on a familiar shape...

 

 

--John

 

 

[Hook]

Coming along nicely!

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Richard Humm]

On 12/23/2021 at 11:33 AM, Paul821 said:

this kits has an interesting History as different sources give different timelines to the model.

 

Scalemates has this as a reissue of the original 1963 F1 Lightning with "additional parts"

 

Other (including Vintage-Airfix)  sources follow the listing in the 1988 catalogue that it is a "new model".

 

One clue is in your statement regarding the wings

 

 

for in 1981 the F1a was slightly retooled for the short-lived "SnapnGlue" range, I recently built the release that may be the same as yours, which was in one of the boxed sets, and this certainly could be snapped together. One clue is the pin on the pilots seat to attach the pilot that is shown in the instructions. To me this indicates it was a retool of the model. Others might have more information on this.

 

But you have chosen an interesting project here and it is progressing well.

The F.3 was a 1988 minimum change retooling of the 1963 F.1A, which had been modified to Snap'n'Glue in 1980. The only part that were changed were the tailfin and the missiles, with Red Tops replacing the original Firestreaks. The other major difference in the real aircraft, the fuselage side cable ducts, wasn't addressed.

 

The F.2A and F.6 kits of recent years were an entirely new tool, with the actual differences between the two versions included in the one mould.

[tweeky]

F2's were only cleared for Firestreak use.

[Bobby No Mac]

Interesting build, and I do have a fondness for the RAFG green Lightnings... so I'm pulling up a pew.

 

It would be nice if Airfix could get around to making a new tool release of the F1/2/3 family. Since coming back to the hobby I've gone from being mildly ambivalent to almost fanatical about this aircraft. This is largely due to Airfix's fantastic F2a and F6 kits. I keep contemplating getting this ancient kit because I'd quite like to build an F3 - Kingkit has an abundance of them for £9.99 a pop - but I know it could be a whole world of pain. Probably better to wait to see what January 10 brings... but I'll be watching this thread with interest! 

[Steve Coombs]

14 minutes ago, Bobby No Mac said:

I'd quite like to build an F3.

Nab an F2A kit or two and the Alley Cat F1/F3 conversion, which is quite user-friendly, and away you go!

[Bobby No Mac]

13 minutes ago, Steve Coombs said:

Nab an F2A kit or two and the Alley Cat F1/F3 conversion, which is quite user-friendly, and away you go!

 

It hadn't even occurred to me to look if a conversion set existed, interesting... 👍

[Steve Coombs]

9 minutes ago, Bobby No Mac said:

 

It hadn't even occurred to me to look if a conversion set existed, interesting... 👍

Enlightenment here: https://www.scalemates.com/de/kits/alley-cat-ac72027c-early-english-electric-lightning-conversion-f1-f3--937952

This gives you the correct wing profiles, the belly tank, and the correct tail for an F1, which you won't need if building an F3.

The table at the foot of the page here gives you the lowdown on wings, cable ducts, and what-have-you: https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/history.php

Good hunting!

[Hook]

There's the pretty nice Sword kit as well:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/nl/kits/sword-sw-72082-lightning-f3--535242

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[John Masters]

1 hour ago, Hook said:

There's the pretty nice Sword kit as well:

 

I have the F1/2 Sword kit.  That's next.

[John Masters]

I made an executive decision...I am not too keen on the landing gear.  I found I had an extra one of these...

 

 

Drilled some holes, made a slot...it'll work...

 

 

I'll paint the fella up to fit the bill.  Slip him back in his seat...Black helmet, I think...yellow Mae West...

 

 

--John

 

 

[John Masters]

Here he is...

 

 

I closed up the landing gear...

 

 

Masked and attached the canopy (checking to make sure the pilot is in inside of course!)

 

 

And just like that, I am ready for primer.  There are a couple of big gaps in the canopy that need to be filled first (Milliput) but I am there.

 

--John

[John Masters]

Primer is on.  I'll sand down that air brake door a bit...

 

 

--John

 

 

[Ray S]

Good work on this John, I did two or three of these old Airfix Lightnings a year or so ago, and thoroughly enjoyed them, and they looked the business when done.

 

Ray