EE Lightning Build 1/72. Warning: Pic Heavy

[deeknow]

this is gonna be great, good progress so far by the looks, fascinating machine the lightening, always intrigued me as a kid, that and the Phantom

[Splitpin]

"I think the finish that I have is a good compromise" 100% , your brush skills are amazing.

[chopper_nut]

this is gonna be great, good progress so far by the looks, fascinating machine the lightening, always intrigued me as a kid, that and the Phantom

There's been some amazing books written about the Lightning that I've poured over during this. The last RAF Lightning pilot, Ian Black's books are pretty amazing



He's also written some technical books which I don't have yet. Then there is the monster that Stewart Scott has written on the Lightning which is possibly the definitive technical book.



An amazing aircraft that hopefully will grace the skies again one day.

[chopper_nut]

"I think the finish that I have is a good compromise" 100% , your brush skills are amazing.

I'd advise against looking too closely...

[chopper_nut]

Made a bit of progress today


Exhausts painted with a mix of two Humbrol enamels



Once dry a black wash applied. The chrome pen came out again to do the ring around the exhaust.


Initial painting of the spine and tail. No masking tape, the angle between the two surfaces is too accute and the tape is too thick, just as easy to freehand it. Still a bit of tidying up to do.

[Splitpin]

"The chrome pen" ? share the love Nick.

[chopper_nut]

Available from Ironhorse. No good for 'colouring' in whole aircraft but good for individual panels. Things like intake rings around CFM56s and stuff on your Boeings are ideal candidates for this sort of product.

[chopper_nut]

Just a bit of tidying up today, not really any visual progress apart from attaching the front of the canopy. I had done a bit of work prior to painting that made it fit much better.




Finished the wheels too. Painted the tires with Hataka's 'jet black'. Very nice to use.


Tidied up the canopy a little and after consulting my references, I decided to add what I think is the heating handle on the roof of the canopy. I did the same for Airfix's F2A.

[chopper_nut]

Lots of little things done over the last few days.


Most of the major painting done now. Masked off the top of the tail and painted the fiberglass panel with a Humbrol grey.


Decaled the canopy. The decals are OK but have a lot of carrier film. The canopy was painted with AK gloss varnish beforehand. One of the best varnish products I've used.


After looking at the stencils that came with the kit, I think I'm going to use this sheet that I got from England a while back for an Airfix Lightning. The sheet has a complete set of stencils and markings for bare metal Lightnings, the Green Lightnings of RAFG and the low visibility and camouflage schemes they wore at the end of their career.


Given that the pitot tube on the Lightning is tapered, molding them in plastic is a bit difficult. Brass turned ones are much nicer. I received enough for all of my Lightning kits today.

[Charl]

I know who to ask about number of rivets on a MkII Lightning, now

[chopper_nut]

I know who to ask about number of rivets on a MkII Lightning, now

Very few, mostly fasteners. Due to the way the aircraft was designed, a large number of the panels come off for servicing. Would you like to enroll in my Lightning identification and recognition course?

[Charl]

OK! You start

[emfrat]

OK! You start

Sounds like the old Irish knock-knock joke joke

[chopper_nut]

Don't say I didn't warn you.

The Lightning came out of the cancelled Miles M52 program and was designed by 'Teddy' Petter. The requirement ER103 and later F23/49 had called for a Mach 2 aircraft that could reach 50000ft. Petter eventually settled on a wing sweep of 60 degrees and a low tail plane. The RAE disagreed with the low tail plane, arguing that it would be dangerous so another specification was issued to Short Brothers for a research aeroplane to investigate different tail plane positions on highly swept wing aircraft. This lead to the Shorts SB5.



In the end Petter was proved right by the SB5 and the design was fixed for what became the P1


P1A Demonstration Flight

The P1 series tried different tail, intake and tank configurations until the design was fixed for the P1B


P1B. Note: already christened the Lightning

The P1B effectively became the initial production Lightning. A testament to Petters outstanding design, Roland Beamont took the P1 to Mach 2 quite early on in the test program and reported and easy, smooth flight with no abnormalities or trim change.

Lightning F1


Lightning F1 in the early days of the Lightning Training Flight (LTF)

Lightning F1a


111 Squadron Lightning F1a. As the F1 except the cable ducting down the side of the fuselage for the weapons system.

Lightning F2


F2 of 92 Squadron. As F1a except the F2 had the capability (although not always exercised) to carry four 20mm Aden cannon in the nose, as seen here

Part two tomorrow

[Charl]

How to turn a Mach 2 fighter into a Mach Not Discussed one: just add a pot belly (what's in there?) some huge-as rockets anywhere they'll fit, and some really heavy guns
Cable ducting? The guys who did the original wind tunnel fine tuning must've wept.
Still as I recall it could go vertical which is all that mattered, really.
Can't think of a design more fit for purpose, nothing like it.

[chopper_nut]

I'm only detailing the visual differences but of course as the aircraft got heavier, the engines were made more powerful and right to the end with the heavier aircraft, you could still achieve high Mach numbers.

One of the things that lead to the Lightning being restricted in a large way was requirement F23/49 only requiring the aircraft to have an operational range of 100nm. Even in the early days, common sense prevailed and the belly tank was added. Nevertheless, in the early days of the Lightning, sorties were measured in minutes and you literally watched the fuel gauges move.

The missiles were Firestreak, the first operational air to air missile developed in Britain and built by DeHavilland. Very much first generation in terms of launch parameters. It was also carried by the Sea Vixen and Javelin. Yes they're kind of stuck on the side but where else can you put them?

[Splitpin]

Great post Nick ...thanks for the chrome pen heads up.

[chopper_nut]

Lightning Recognition Course Day 2

Lightning F3


LTF F3. The F3 remained in Service for the longest of all Lightning marks and was still part of the LTF when the Lightning was retired in 1988. As F2 with a new squared off tail and all cannon armament deleted.

Jumping ahead a little, and we'll circle back to the two seaters.

Lightning F6

5 Squadron F6. The F6 was the final British new build Lightning version. As F3 with a new much larger ventral fuel tank, a new wing with an extended leading edge and the ability to carry overwing ferry fuel tanks* In addition, in the 1970s the front of the ventral tank was redesigned to house two 20mm Aden cannon as seen here.
*The tanks were jettisonable and the aircraft was limited to subsonic speeds with them fitted.

Lightning F2a

92 Squadron F2a As F2 with the F3 squared off tail and the F6 larger fuel tank and wings*
*The F2a were a batch of F2s sent back to Wharton and refitted to a new spec. They were specifically meant for the RAFG squadrons (19 and 92). The aircraft retained the cannon armament in the nose. The aircraft were lighter and carried more fuel than the F6

Here endeth the lesson. The final part tomorrow will cover the two seaters and the export Lightnings.

[Splitpin]

Nick, there's a great Lightning article in the latest FlyPast magazine you will enjoy.

[chopper_nut]

Lightning Recognition Course Day 3

We're going to circle back to the two seaters now. In the early days of the Lightning, the RAF started streaming 'first tourists' onto the aircraft by way of a comprehensive OCU which comprised of a lot of study and simulator rides. The first flight in the aircraft though, was on your own and although the loss rate was quite low, there were a number of exciting moments. The 'T' series of Lightnings gave students the ability to experience the aircraft in a much more relaxed manner. The T series retained missile armament but the cannon was deleted. Because of the 'area rule' fuselage, the Ts were still Mach 2 capable.

Lightning T4


T4 at Farnborough 1964 As F1a with new forward fuselage, cannon armament deleted

Lightning T5


T5 of 226 OCU As F3 with new forward fuselage

The Export Lightnings
This is where the waters get a bit muddy. The Lightning never really stood a chance on the international market due to its short range. The Saudis and Kuwait however were interested but only if English Electric (now BAC) upgraded the aircrafts capabilities.

Lightning F52


F52 of the Saudi Airforce As F2. No visible differences

Lightning F53


F53 of the Kuwaiti Airforce As F6 with capability for overwing and underwing weapons*
*Note: deletion of missile pylons. The cable ducting shows that the aircraft was still capable of carrying air to air weapons though

Lightning T55


T55 of the Saudi Airforce As T5 with the F2a/F6 larger ventral fuel tank

This covers the main variations of the aircraft and not some of the one off designs such as the F3a. Hope this has been of help to someone.