Pantherhawk27263 Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 (edited) I recently almost finished a Hasegawa Lightning F.6 and decided to build my Sword Lightning as a follow up. Here is the kit in question, their F.1/F.2 release. I apologize in advance for my phone camera, it's all right for some photos, not so good for others. (Alcohol consumption may also be a factor.) I have read reviews of this kit and it is referred to as a short run kit, but Airfix could learn a lot from these "short run" sprue attachment points. I initially decided to build the F.1 as I liked the supplied decals for it better than the those for the F.2. As a result, I built the cockpit as the black version. As I perused the box, I realized I could build an F.3 from the supplied parts. Well, perhaps not a totally accurate F.3 as I assume its instrument panel is a little different from the F.2. If I wanted an F.3 that meant the cockpit was grey, not black. So, grey it was. As the Sword kit does not include seatbelts, I scrounged some up and attached them. This shows that I had initially attached the double pull ring but it was later replaced by the larger single pull ring as the double rings fell off and disappeared. I did not add the small sidewalls Sword supplied for the cockpit (seen above to the right of the cockpit) because they weren't really going to be visible once everything was closed up. Similarly, I left off a few of the more microscopic photo etch levers as they would also never be seen. As the size is very small and I am very old and fumble fingered I didn't bother folding the supplied foot pedals and instead cheated and used some from a spare Airwaves set. The more or less completed cockpit with a pinky finger for reference. The coaming is now completed, minus the gunsight. I used Alene's Tacky Glue to attach most of the photo etch, and did use superglue in a few spots, as needed. I then moved onto the wings. I did need to sand down some of the pour stubs on the wing halves to get a good fit. I added a few of the PE pieces and discovered afterwards I had applied them to far down in the wheel well, and that I made one conform to the rounded shape of the well when it should have been straight. I'm not worried, no one will see them anyway. The wings are now assembled, although I lost one of the photo etch pieces for the other wing. Again, it's not like anyone will notice its absence. I also assembled the fuselage. There was a fit issue, but it was my own doing. There is an engine face that has a somewhat ambiguous instruction for where it goes. I attached it to a handy slot on the back end bottom of the cockpit tub and used it to hold the cockpit in position. Despite a bit of sanding to make things fit better there was still a gap on the underside that will need to be filled. The wings are now attached. I found a handy reference on a Google image search regarding the placement of the cable ducts. Here are the ducts attached to the right side. That's where I am at for now. I am really enjoying this kit and any problems I have encountered are mostly my own doing, as is usually the case. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 Fixed photo links 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray S Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 Good going there! I have built a few of the Sword Lightnings and find they are a very enjoyable kit to do. I also agree about some of the etch being a bit small. It was a shame that they did not put belts into some of these kits but did with others! I am looking forward to seeing your progress. Ray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 ejection seat top handles was a double D on the F3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted June 27, 2022 Author Share Posted June 27, 2022 2 hours ago, tweeky said: ejection seat top handles was a double D on the F3 I did install those originally, but they fell off and disappeared. No doubt they will resurface after I've completed the kit. Even so, I'm happy with a fairly accurate F.3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 3, 2022 Author Share Posted July 3, 2022 Starting work on the Lightning again this weekend. Started off watching the F1 race at Silverstone, and was then listening to (and wearing this shirt) a great British band, King Crimson, while getting some work done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 3, 2022 Author Share Posted July 3, 2022 (edited) I found my missing etch piece for the wheel well and attached it and started filling seams. I also found some nice pictures of an actual Lightning that showed I did not attach the etch pieces too far down in the wheel well. The Sword instructions showed them in the wrong place. After another round of filling and sanding I'll start priming. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 Added text about wheel well detail parts 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 (edited) Moving onward, I have installed the cable ducts on the other side, put the seat in the cockpit and done more filling and sanding. I think the top side is done with filling and sanding, but I think there is some more to do on the bottom. I have the canopies masked and started attaching them. After that, priming will start. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 What's happened to the ventral tank fin ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 5, 2022 Author Share Posted July 5, 2022 (edited) Tweeky, I haven't attached it yet. Edited July 5, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 Added a name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 10, 2022 Author Share Posted July 10, 2022 (edited) I did a smidge more work on the Lightning. I tacked on the canopies so I can start priming. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 10, 2022 Author Share Posted July 10, 2022 (edited) I have also started priming the other parts that will be attached later. Now I have the first primer coat on the underside as those are the seams most likely to need more work. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 (edited) More progress on my Lightning. The tail has been attached. A smidge of putty has been added. The ventral fin has been added as well. A final priming and then on to painting. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD530F Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 Looking good... Interestingly, you've got filler in exactly the same spots as me along the fuselage seam.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 11 hours ago, MD530F said: Looking good... Interestingly, you've got filler in exactly the same spots as me along the fuselage seam.... I noticed that as well. I noticed you put the engine face in the correct position on yours. I pushed mine forward to help support the cockpit tub and it caused a bit of a fit problem. You had the same issues in the same places I did on the wings as well. At least Sword is consistent in their kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD530F Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 6 hours ago, Pantherhawk27263 said: I noticed that as well. I noticed you put the engine face in the correct position on yours. I pushed mine forward to help support the cockpit tub and it caused a bit of a fit problem. You had the same issues in the same places I did on the wings as well. At least Sword is consistent in their kits. The instructions say 30mm back from the undercarriage bay, I measured it and thought that was too far back so I did move it forward a little. I still had to shave it down some to get the two halves together. How'd you get on with attaching the wings to the fuselage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 37 minutes ago, MD530F said: The instructions say 30mm back from the undercarriage bay, I measured it and thought that was too far back so I did move it forward a little. I still had to shave it down some to get the two halves together. How'd you get on with attaching the wings to the fuselage? It went better than I thought it would, but those tabs could extend deeper into the fuselage and that would help a lot. I used super glue to tack them in place then hit them with Tamiya Extra Thin. I also seem to recall having the fiddle with the tabs and their slots to get them to fit right. A little extra trimming around the edges of the openings in the fuselage and sanding down the tabs a bit. It wasn't horrible, and since I mostly build kits that are 30-50 years old I'm actually rather used to those kind of things. When I build some of my newer kits that are better engineered I may not know what to do with them. "What? This actually fits properly? What black magic is this?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD530F Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 4 hours ago, Pantherhawk27263 said: It went better than I thought it would, but those tabs could extend deeper into the fuselage and that would help a lot. I used super glue to tack them in place then hit them with Tamiya Extra Thin. I also seem to recall having the fiddle with the tabs and their slots to get them to fit right. A little extra trimming around the edges of the openings in the fuselage and sanding down the tabs a bit. It wasn't horrible, and since I mostly build kits that are 30-50 years old I'm actually rather used to those kind of things. When I build some of my newer kits that are better engineered I may not know what to do with them. "What? This actually fits properly? What black magic is this?" Yep, I've been finding the same. I dremeled the slots a little and filed off the front of the tabs and it seems to fit OK. Had to put a shim in along one of the flaps to get it close to the fuselage. I've built a few new Airfix kits recently and honestly, this Lightning is actually lower stress... Except that I've gone and lost the gunsight to the ether trying to get it to fit into the combing. Modifying a Meteor one now to work. I find that Airfix's new kits are way too clever for their own good in the gentleman's scale and I have had a hell of a time getting them to work. The Harrier wing didn't fit even remotely well and the less said about the Gnat the better.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 19, 2022 Author Share Posted July 19, 2022 10 hours ago, MD530F said: Yep, I've been finding the same. I dremeled the slots a little and filed off the front of the tabs and it seems to fit OK. Had to put a shim in along one of the flaps to get it close to the fuselage. I've built a few new Airfix kits recently and honestly, this Lightning is actually lower stress... Except that I've gone and lost the gunsight to the ether trying to get it to fit into the combing. Modifying a Meteor one now to work. I find that Airfix's new kits are way too clever for their own good in the gentleman's scale and I have had a hell of a time getting them to work. The Harrier wing didn't fit even remotely well and the less said about the Gnat the better.... I haven't tried my Airfix Lightning yet, but I think I will soon. Sounds like an adventure awaits me when I do. I nearly lost the gunsight (which I thought looked nothing like the instructions show it looking like) but did manage to find it again. I also had an issue fitting one of the flaps, but didn't do anything to fix it as it doesn't look too bad in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD530F Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 I built one of Airfix's F2As and in all honesty, it's the best Lightning kit out. I had only minor issues with the build. There are injection plugs along the inside of the fuselage that will stop the intake from fitting properly so those need to go. The gun ports require a bit of fitting as does the forward section of the tank but nothing stressful. The decals are excellent. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 19, 2022 Author Share Posted July 19, 2022 3 hours ago, MD530F said: I built one of Airfix's F2As and in all honesty, it's the best Lightning kit out. I had only minor issues with the build. There are injection plugs along the inside of the fuselage that will stop the intake from fitting properly so those need to go. The gun ports require a bit of fitting as does the forward section of the tank but nothing stressful. The decals are excellent. Wow!!! I hope mine can turn out close to looking this good. I'm planning on doing mine in the green camo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD530F Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 Thanks, I'm pretty happy with it. I've ended up with another one that I'll do in green but I'm waiting for some different decals to turn up from Hannants 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted July 25, 2022 Author Share Posted July 25, 2022 (edited) We have been moving at Work, so I've been a bit tired and burned out when I get home and I've been neglecting my Lightning. I retouched a seam under the nose and sanded down the putty on the join of the tail and spine. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted August 8, 2022 Author Share Posted August 8, 2022 (edited) ....and so it continues. I've started the painting process using Hataka paints for Camouflage (Barley) Grey and Medium Sea Grey. I really like the Hataka paints, they go on very well. All I have left to do on the main fuselage greys is to paint the tail Camouflage (Barley) Grey. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 Spelling correction 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted August 27, 2022 Author Share Posted August 27, 2022 (edited) I'm adding the gear at this time. I was using the plastic parts for the oleos, but one of them pinged off into oblivion so I replaced it with one of the photoetch oleos. I'm debating if I will now replace the plastic with the other PE part. As for the nose gear, I'm not a fan of how Sword engineered the nose gear assembly. At 1/72 scale the parts are awfully small and have very little surface area to establish a decent glue bond. I'm afraid the wheel won't be able support the weight of the plane. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted November 19, 2022 Author Share Posted November 19, 2022 (edited) I took a bit of a break from modeling, but I'm back at it. I've finished painting and done some weathering. Now I'm decaling. Edited December 4, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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