Wings unlevel Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Hi all, in the Matchbox GB I’m building a Lightning F.6 using Xtradecals to represent XS919 in the 1980s dark sea grey scheme, as she’s seen here. But wondering what colour the undercarriage bays and the inside bay doors were painted on the grey jets? Aluminium? Or a grey? Online images are not clear. Any wisdom appreciated, Gerard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 I'll have a look at our EE P1 and report back on Friday, but from memory everything is grey aluminium. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Our F.53 is aluminium 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 1 hour ago, 224 Peter said: I'll have a look at our EE P1 and report back on Friday, but from memory everything is grey aluminium. Isn't a grey jet and the undercarriage on the P1 is different to the in service Lightning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 (edited) The AD grey jets undercarriage bays were silver and got a tad dirty. The gear and the bays never got painted. Looks like the pilot's name is Tim Brunskill or ET as he was know on the Sqn. Edited May 18, 2022 by tweeky 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Aluminum, and muck. John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Some photos I took. John 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Great photos John, l have been searching the internet for the very photos. Regards Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 8 hours ago, canberra kid said: Some photos I took. John John these are the Bruntingthorpe F6's from talking to the guys that run them the U/c bays have a good coating of wax oil or the like so that's not representative of how the jets were in-service. I'm in work at the moment and will try to dig my photos out this afternoon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 3 hours ago, tweeky said: John these are the Bruntingthorpe F6's from talking to the guys that run them the U/c bays have a good coating of wax oil or the like so that's not representative of how the jets were in-service. I'm in work at the moment and will try to dig my photos out this afternoon. True, I should have pointed that out, but under that wax oil, it is still aluminum and muck. 😊 John 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 5 hours ago, tweeky said: John these are the Bruntingthorpe F6's from talking to the guys that run them the U/c bays have a good coating of wax oil or the like so that's not representative of how the jets were in-service. I'm in work at the moment and will try to dig my photos out this afternoon. The wax oil was called PX32 IIRC! Selwyn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wings unlevel Posted May 19, 2022 Author Share Posted May 19, 2022 17 hours ago, canberra kid said: Aluminum, and muck. Sincere thanks all for the speedy, informed responses. Aluminium and muck I can do! Gerard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 4 hours ago, Selwyn said: The wax oil was called PX32 IIRC! Selwyn This was done post service Selwyn. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 3 hours ago, tweeky said: This was done post service Selwyn. Are you sure? Because I know a lot of in service aircraft used this stuff on their undercarriage systems. Selwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 I'm fairly sure it was post service too, to protect the bays from corrosion, seeing as the u/c would not be raised again. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sloegin57 Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 (edited) On 19/05/2022 at 13:07, tweeky said: This was done post service Selwyn. On 19/05/2022 at 16:57, Selwyn said: Are you sure? Because I know a lot of in service aircraft used this stuff on their undercarriage systems. Selwyn Selwyn is perfectly correct. Most of the Lightning F.3's of 11Sqdn had gold coloured legs/inside of doors and bays in the summer of '76. Similarly the PR.9's at Wyton had gold coloured inside of doors and the main/nose legs coated in late '77. It seemed to be a bit of an ad hoc finish dependant on which company performed the overhaul of the legs. I know that the SR.2's at Wyton had odd bits of the main legs so finished but in general we just ignored it until the next time the leg came off. The painters then stripped it for NDI and it was re-finished Aluminium on completion. I've got some shots on file somewhere - I'll dig them up and publish here in a bit. Dennis Right - pix HTH Dennis Edited May 21, 2022 by sloegin57 Add photos 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 34 minutes ago, sloegin57 said: Selwyn is perfectly correct. Most of the Lightning F.3's of 11Sqdn had gold coloured legs/inside of doors and bays in the summer of '76. Similarly the PR.9's at Wyton had gold coloured inside of doors and the main/nose legs coated in late '77. It seemed to be a bit of an ad hoc finish dependant on which company performed the overhaul of the legs. I know that the SR.2's at Wyton had odd bits of the main legs so finished but in general we just ignored it until the next time the leg came off. The painters then stripped it for NDI and it was re-finished Aluminium on completion. I've got some shots on file somewhere - I'll dig them up and publish here in a bit. Dennis Right - pix HTH Dennis In my 5 years on type we never sprayed anything in the u/c bays or the legs. the main u/c bays got dirty, A/C's were washed pre check servicing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B (Sc) Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 I seem to recall being told that some of the F2As had 'gold' coloured undercarriage legs and bays. That PX32 or whatever would explain it. John B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 Sadly, the EE P1A WG763 at BDAC and owned by the RAF Museum has had the inside of the wheel wells, and the legs, sprayed silver, covering everything, hoses, wires and cables. A bit of scraping suggested that this was over old, dirty silver. Quiet when it was tarted up is unclear, the airframe was at the. now defunct Manchester Museum for many years where although under cover wasn't looked after very much. Externally the airframe is unpainted, grimey aluminium of some sort. The engineering team is slowly removing the grime, but it will not be mirror polished as is the one at Cosford, which looks rather too "new" Once cleaned up it will be parked next to the cockpit section of our F2A, XN 726. WG763 flew often from Boscombe Down and had its maiden flight on 18 July 1955 reputedly piloted by Roland Beamont. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 I can't speak for the Lightnings but there were certainly other RAF aircraft that got a coating of that waxy stuff sprayed onto and into the U/C bays during second line servicing in ASFs etc. It was a lot thicker than the Waxoil you could buy from the shops and did give the legs and bays a slightly golden sheen to them (on top of the silver paint). Needless to say that it was a favourite item to be "requisitioned" for coating the undersides of Ford Capris, Escorts and other rust buckets in our possession at the time (ideal for winter-proofing motorbikes too but don't get it on the hot bits!). Duncan B 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 3 hours ago, Duncan B said: I can't speak for the Lightnings but there were certainly other RAF aircraft that got a coating of that waxy stuff sprayed onto and into the U/C bays during second line servicing in ASFs etc. It was a lot thicker than the Waxoil you could buy from the shops and did give the legs and bays a slightly golden sheen to them (on top of the silver paint). Needless to say that it was a favourite item to be "requisitioned" for coating the undersides of Ford Capris, Escorts and other rust buckets in our possession at the time (ideal for winter-proofing motorbikes too but don't get it on the hot bits!). Duncan B Get your wallet out Duncan, just what you need for your old Capri or Escort! PX32 Selwyn 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 4 hours ago, Duncan B said: I can't speak for the Lightnings but there were certainly other RAF aircraft that got a coating of that waxy stuff sprayed onto and into the U/C bays during second line servicing in ASFs etc. It was a lot thicker than the Waxoil you could buy from the shops and did give the legs and bays a slightly golden sheen to them (on top of the silver paint). Needless to say that it was a favourite item to be "requisitioned" for coating the undersides of Ford Capris, Escorts and other rust buckets in our possession at the time (ideal for winter-proofing motorbikes too but don't get it on the hot bits!). Duncan B Sprayed on cor you light blue lot are posh....navy just got a two inch brush (5 cm) a tub of px32 and some sort of solvant to thin it down. To be fair naval aircraft have a good use for the stuff ( and px24 cab wipes) what with being in a salt water environment etc....pig to clean off in depth maintenance though....avoided AMG like the plague me . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 22 hours ago, Selwyn said: Get your wallet out Duncan, just what you need for your old Capri or Escort! PX32 Selwyn Holy moly how much?? 22 hours ago, junglierating said: Sprayed on cor you light blue lot are posh....navy just got a two inch brush (5 cm) a tub of px32 and some sort of solvant to thin it down. and of course the solvent was environmentally and Erk friendly (not). Duncan B 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 XS904 at Brunty looks like this 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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