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Airfix 1/72 BAC Lightning F3 - kit 02080 ++dnf++


Jinxman

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This is not even my own build. My eldest son started this about 20 years ago. We had an Airfix collection set, something like '70 years of RAF fighters'. He started this, didn't finish, and I swapped it with him for one of the new mould Lightnings.... 🤔. Can't find the decals, and the rear end needs a bit of tidying, but apart from that it doesn't look like too difficult a finish - we'll see.

 

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10 hours ago, Adm Lord De Univers said:

Always game to follow a Lightning, count me in. I'll have a search for some Lightning decals I might have going spare in a set (unlikely I still have them, but you never know).

Many thanks for the offer - I found some Xtradecal ones this morning off a used sheet - 56 Sqn with the chequerboard tail and red spine! There's even a few stencils left on it so I think that will do nicely. 🙂 Hopefully have some filler out later to start the process.

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2 hours ago, Jinxman said:

Many thanks for the offer - I found some Xtradecal ones this morning off a used sheet - 56 Sqn with the chequerboard tail and red spine! There's even a few stencils left on it so I think that will do nicely. 🙂 Hopefully have some filler out later to start the process.

That is good to hear as I only found the same set which I need for the Lightning in my stash!

 

David

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A bit of progress tidying up the rear end, but more sand/fill/prime sessions on the horizon. Couldn't live with the blocked off intake area, so progressing on this, which will also allow some nose weight to be inserted to avoid the horror of the tail-sitter.  It's ok for a kit that saw the light of day in 1963, albeit in F.1A mode, though I can't see too much shape correction taking place.

 

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46 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

Great to see you on here mate, but disappointed with the lack of rigging options on your lightning  :wink:

Yup, sorry about that!

However the lad also started an Airfix Sopwith Camel from the same collection set which he never finished. From memory he glued the lower wing the wrong way around and gave up. If I can find it, that'll be next - with rigging. 🤓

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Nose opened up. Also tidied up the scribing on the split flaps, but don't think I should have bothered as they have just been carried over from the F.1A kit, and are incorrect for the F.3. A little bit of filler will get us back where we want to be.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Small amount of time since the Blitzenbuild has seen some of the black rubbed down and polished, ready for another coat. One of the elevons was thought lost, but I had forgotten to pack it. All in all it looks better, and hopefully the next coat will be smooth enough so that we can get on with the assembly.

 

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Another coat of primer on, which looks ok this time. I'll give it a quick rub down in the morning before giving it another coat of gloss black. Then away for a week in deepest Pembrokeshire with no internet, but at least the black will have time to dry properly.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Black has dried, and this is just push fitted together - for all its faults it looks like an E.E. Lightning to me. Hopefully get the wings on later - the wings to fuselage joints look pretty good, shouldn't be too much fettling required there.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wings are on - had a little trouble lining everything up, and whilst it's not perfect you can't tell from the photos. In the process of tidying it all up, and then another coat of primer will be added to check it all. The elevators are such a good fit that they can be left until much later in the build - I think they are too long, but I shan't be doing anything with them. Also started on the canopy - this kit was some sort of snap-fit effort, and there are ugly lugs to remove.

 

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Looking a lot sharper now, and the wings are on. Also started to tidy up some of the smaller pieces - no claims for accuracy, but they are better than the basic kit parts off the sprue.

 

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Hi Jinxman, 

 

amazing how an old kit can look rather sexy with a good dose of TLC. 

You have done a great job and the decal option you chose will look fantastic!

 

Have fun.

 

JR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great job

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43 minutes ago, jean said:

You have done a great job and the decal option you chose will look fantastic!

Thanks - the only issue is that at the pace it is progressing it might end up in next year's KUTA!

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1 hour ago, Jinxman said:

Thanks - the only issue is that at the pace it is progressing it might end up in next year's KUTA!

Super, then we can start a club!

JR

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Tony - if you don't mind me asking - are the undercart main doors from the original kit? They appear rather more accurate than those from the old Airfix kit which I remember as flat, and of course the real things have the slightly scooped inside... or was that just the old F1A and the updated F3 kit had improved versions?

Cheers,

Nige

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3 hours ago, Galligraphics said:

Tony - if you don't mind me asking - are the undercart main doors from the original kit? They appear rather more accurate than those from the old Airfix kit which I remember as flat, and of course the real things have the slightly scooped inside... or was that just the old F1A and the updated F3 kit had improved versions?

Cheers,

Nige

Hi Nige,

They are the pieces from the kit - I've spent a silly amount of time on them to try and make them look something like - it's one of the most noticeable things when the u/c is down that you can see the scoops & shapes on the doors. I've only got as far as doing the port side though - still another set on the other side to match up. 🤪.

I kept on looking at the parts in the Airfix F2.A, and thinking they would look nice, but I resisted. The wheels need a bit of work as well as they aren't great.

 

Cheers,

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