Frightning pair

[Ratch]

I'm building these two A05042 kits, one in each of the kit decal options.

 

My main information source, and some RBF decals

 

The kits are 1/72 scale with 112 parts moulded on five grey runners and one transparent sprue. 
Runner A

 

Runner B

 

Runner C

 

Runner D

 

Runner E

 

Runner F

 

The kit is manufactured in India and the decals are printed by Cartograf. The kit is marked as Skill Level 2 and the box carries 1 Flying Hour. Paints (not included) are listed as 11, 21, 22, 24, 33, 53, 56, 61, 85, 102, 145, 163, 164, 165, 167, 186 and 191 for both decal options and including the pilot. 
Instruction come in a 16-page A4 booklet. Assembly is illustrated in 43 exploded diagrams in the Hornby era style with red features. 

 

Two decal options are provided, printed to the usual high quality that Cartograf have become renowned for.
·         A. XS927 No. 74 Squadron, R.A.F. Tengah, Singapore, 1970.

·         B. XR728 No. 11 Squadron, (LTF markings for Group Captain John Spencer), Royal Air Force Binbrook, England, 1988. 

Option A is an NMF scheme, whereas option B has light grey upper surfaces.

 

I compared the mouldings against the drawings of Richard J Caruna. 


There are small differences, although I could not confidently state whether the drawings or the kit are accurate. 

[Ratch]

Cockpits under construction

 

Both pilots being painted, one will go on the Reserve List.

 

AK Interactive AK456 True Metal Dark Aluminium wax for the wheel wells and intake pipes, applied by brush and polished.

 

Assembled and painted the internal components. Surfaces where decals would be placed were prepared with Humbrol Clear. The instrument panel decals were applied using DecalFix. I then washed the tub with Vallejo Game Color 73202 Pale Grey Wash. 

 

One model will be mounted in flight and therefore no nose weight is required. The other will be grounded. I added Deluxe Liquid Gravity in the void behind the radome, using PVA to fix it. 

 

It was then closed up and the intakes assembled.

 

The office sits atop.

 

Tail pipe assemblies airbrushed with Vallejo Model Air 71072 Gunmetal (Metallic).

 

Assembly moves on.

 

The nose needed holding together while the glue did its work.

[TeaWeasel]

Looks good, I've got a couple of 1/48s and I've found the cockpit placement to be pretty ridiculous; no lugs or tabs, just resting on top of the intake. 

[Ratch]

I built a couple of Airfix's 48th Lightnings a few years back, I can't remember any problems, I'll have to revisit my notes 

[corsaircorp]

Well Done Ratch !!

One 48 one done, I'm now looking for another F1 to convert it in a T model....

And then.... 

The main problem encountered was about the panels that sink into the fuselage, creating ugly steps...

Otherwise, usual Airfix stuff of the time being !!

Sincerely.

CC

 

[Steve Coombs]

Coming along nicely there!
I note the short-shot Red Top missile fin on the sprue. I think it's compulsory! Every Airfix Lightning kit I have bought has had this as a 'feature'.

This is where I offer my habitual tips of clipping the bulkhead at the inner end of the jetpipes simply to cover the end of them, making the unit a slide-in fit near the end of the build and saving some weight at the back; and to put a plastic tab in each fuselage half where the top of the belly tank is to meet, so the tank isn't able to 'turn in' at all.

If you fancy a crack at an F1 or F3 sometime, the Alley Cat conversion is very nice if you can get your hands on it (I think modelsforsale.com stocks Alley Cat stuff these days).

[Galligraphics]

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Ratch, My younger brother did one of these many years ago. I'm presuming it was Airfix, but the plane itself was an earlier version I think. It didn't have such a large beer-belly, no above wing tanks and it came with Firestreak only, no Red Top missiles. Are you planning to alternate the missiles on these builds? Regards, Jeff.

[Hook]

27 minutes ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

It didn't have such a large beer-belly

Well, it happens to the best of us. 

 

Following with interest, the only thing better than a Lightning is two of them!

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Ratch]

Cheers lads. I remember going to airshows at RAF Gaydon in the 60s, and the Lightnings flashing down the runway at what seemed like zero feet. No H&S in those days. Us young boys were allowed under the rope and lay on the grass next to the tarmac for the best views.

Airfix 02080

 

Revell 04301

 

Airfix 02068

 

Airfix 09178

 

Airfix A04054

 

Matchbox PK-126

 

Trumpeter 01674

Edited July 3, 2022 by Ratch

[Hook]

@Ratch Great gaggle!

[AV O]

On 02/07/2022 at 10:46, Ratch said:

I'm building these two A05042 kits, one in each of the kit decal options.

 

Consider yourself as a proud owner of "Collector's boxes".

Indeed, this illustration is famous and well known for its omission.

 

Where have the stabs gone ?

Edited July 3, 2022 by AV O

[k5054nz]

On 7/2/2022 at 8:46 PM, Ratch said:

I'm building these two A05042 kits, one in each of the kit decal options.

Is there any chance you'd be willing to part with the spare set of decals for XR728? I'd be happy to cover postage cost to New Zealand 🤞

[Ratch]

Message incoming

[Ratch]

[Ratch]

 

 

 

 

[Hook]

Great shots, thanks for posting!

[Ratch]

The instructions advise 4g of nose weight in the radome and having added an indeterminate weight there I fixed a 5g tyre weight to the rear of the compressor plate with cyanoacrylate super glue. 

I had a gap behind the nose wheel well and decided to use AK103 Hard White Modelling Putty to fill it. 

This is very similar to Vallejo Model 70400 Plastic Putty that I usually employ but comes in a tube rather than a dropper bottle. Like the Vallejo putty, it can be smoothed with a finger requiring minimal sanding when set. Fitting the forward belly panels resulted in a gap at the root. This was filled using Vallejo Model 70400 Plastic Putty. 

I forgot to drill out the locating holes for the In-Flight Re-fuelling Probe and had to calculate their positions from the outside. 

The flaps were fixed, and wings cemented to the fuselage as were the tail planes. 

I fitted the undercarriage doors in the closed position for XS927 and will return to fit the undercarriage on XR728. 

I added the smaller parts to each airframe so they would be painted all together. 

Some parts were not fitted for ease of construction, and this was not necessarily identical for each airframe. Part E15 (starboard ducting) is incorrectly identified on the instruction sheet; there is no part E15 on the runner, but there is part E13. 

Red Top missiles were assembled for XR728. 

Firestreak missiles and over-wing tanks were made for XS027. The pylons for the missiles were fitted, as were the tanks, before the main paintwork was commenced.

[Hook]

Moving along in a good pace!

[Ratch]

Off on a break next week 🌅

[Ratch]

XR728 masked up. The canopy is tacked on with PVA. I shall reposition it later.

 

I had quite a bit of fettling to do on XS927 to get the canopy to fit, mainly sanding the bottom of the office chair.

 

I could then prime both airframes.

The missiles were also primed white.

[Ratch]

Last session on these before I go away tomorrow. I started by brush painting Humbrol Acrylic 11 on the gun pack of XR728.

 

The 165 on the under surfaces.

 

I then airbrushed Vallejo Metal Color 77701 Aluminium over XS927.

 

XR728's Red Tops were airbrushed white (as were 927s Firestreaks), and Vallejo Model Air 71051 Barley Grey was airbrushed over the upper surfaces.

 

I then removed the masking.

 

XS927 was masked and sprayed black.

No point in wasting lots of tape when newspaper will act as a mask.

 

All revealed.

More in a week or so.

[k5054nz]

Excellent stuff Ratch, I patiently await the next installment.

[k5054nz]

Now that I have the decals from one of these kits in hand (thanks again Ratch!) I'm excited to see what progress you've made. I somehow missed your squadron post earlier - what a great range, and what amazing memories!

[Ratch]

I have brushed some touch-ups and airbrushed with Klear.