rafalbert Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Hi guys, I will be building this old girl and keeping it simple i.e. out of the box. Many thanks to rossm for kindly donating the decals! Cheers, Dave 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Oh great to have the Lightning joining the FB, and well done @rossmfor stepping up with the decals Best of luck. Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Yes, well done lads, so good to see the healthy collaboration and assistance among our many friendly members. It’s what makes BM so special and long may it continue. Those T.55 sprues look lovely, and I can’t imagine why Matchbox didn’t retool this as a T.4/5 and cash in on all the additional British sales. Cheers, welcome aboard and best of luck.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 44 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said: I can’t imagine why Matchbox didn’t retool this as a T.4/5 and cash in on all the additional British sales. To be accurate, that would have required reworking the wings to straight leading edges, as well as the fuselage mods. That's two sprues, so cost becomes a factor. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 On 1/3/2022 at 7:49 PM, Rabbit Leader said: I can’t imagine why Matchbox didn’t retool this as a T.4/5 and cash in on all the additional British sales. So that modellers can have fun mating the small belly and wing parts from an ancient Airfix Lightning, to make those version by converting. And so that modellers can have fun with What-If Lightning two-seater schemes. Or the USAF export version, compatible with the Falcon missile. Or its US Navy equivalent, with Sidewinder. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 It did carry RAF roundels for a brief period before going overseas. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 2 hours ago, Ratch said: It did carry RAF roundels for a brief period before going overseas. The (ex) RSAF Lightnings wore UK serials and national markings for their return from Saudi Arabia to the UK at the end of their service lives; when they were built they were in full RSAF colours; I think that few, if any, of them even carried B-class registrations, e.g. G-27-235, when on production test in the UK or for their delivery flights. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 Well, I have made a small start and painted the pilots, cockpit and assembled the fuselage (the same stage as the F-5s). Again, serious attention will be given to the seam. Bizarrely, Matchbox saw fit to put two different styles of pilot in the kit, the most obvious difference being the helmet. I guess they did not have more than one standard tooling of each available at the time. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray S Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 On a positive note, at least they do not look like twins! I have built a number of the Matchbox Lightnings over the years, and always thought they scrub up well. Good work so far! Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 Starting to take shape, with a little more tidying required prior to applying primer. Does anyone know if the T55s flew with the overwing tanks and/or refuelling probe. I am not a Lightning expert but I have not seen any evidence that they did. Cheers, Dave 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted February 5, 2022 Author Share Posted February 5, 2022 Now looking very silvery. I am keeping it simple and not doing the various metal tones, basically because I am lazy. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray S Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 That is looking very neat! I have not seen them with over-wing tanks or refuelling probes in any photographs. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 I quite like the look of this twin tub Lightning, that’s coming up very well and decal application will really help it pop out. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Norman Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 That is going together really well, I have 2 or 3 of these on the loft might drag one out if I get the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Thus has progressed well and looking good. Cracking work Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Following with interest I've one for later in the GB,looking very nice so far. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted March 2, 2022 Author Share Posted March 2, 2022 Please accept my apologies for the terrible photo, but the decals and canopy are now on. Missiles and undercarriage to follow. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted March 10, 2022 Author Share Posted March 10, 2022 ...and finished. Not particularly well done but it will look ok on my shelf. Thanks again to @rossmfor the decals, I would have been lost without them. The belly tank decals came from an old Revell set, and handling it for the photos I managed to remove some of them. I also forgot to add nose weight so it is a tail-sitter (hence the blu tack on the nosewheel). Still, it the first model I have managed to complete for a while so I am satisfied with that. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Cracking job, a real beauty! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 That looks really nice, I'm glad to have been able to help you get such a good result. I don't normally put pilots in my aircraft but they set it off really well so you may have converted me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 Excellent twin tub Lightning build @rafalbert and great to see some additional member contributions with @rossm's decal assistance. This is what makes Britmodeller a really warm and fuzzy place to visit. I really like the look of this kit and must try to hunt one down whenever the opportunity turns up. Glad to hear that this GB was also a catalyst for you to complete a recent plastic kit, we all hit the wall on occasions and glad this GB helped you along. Cheers and well modelled.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted March 11, 2022 Author Share Posted March 11, 2022 5 hours ago, rossm said: I don't normally put pilots in my aircraft but they set it off really well so you may have converted me. Nor do I but it was easier than detailing the cockpit! 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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