SPA Modeler

Hi All,

Just thought I'd post up something else I've been working on for a while - a dual build of Airfix's 1/72 E.E. Lightning F.3 and Matchbox's 1/72 Lightning T.55.



I've not started with the T.55 yet (I've been trying to source RSAF decals) but I have built up the F.3 This is pretty much a OOB build as I wanted something easy after being ill for the past 4 weeks.



Cockpit detail painting consisted of this pilot...



Here's where I stand now... I had to use a fair bit of filler to get this together - I used water based 'perfect plastic putty' in the gaps and Revels own 'Plasto' on the seams. It's not my best work but it's blowing out the cobwebs. One of the obvious flaws with this kit is the end of the radome - it should be more pointy. I guess I could fix it but I might just live with it as it is.





I'll be painting this one in enamels as I haven't done that in ages - this is the scheme I'll be doing. Amazingly for such an old kit the decals are usable...





Overall it's not been a bad build - it was a bit of a pain to get the fuselage together as the kit had obviously been converted to a 'snap and glue' kit at one point and nothing fitted - I had to remove all of the oversized pins to get it to fit.

Thanks for Looking...

Cheers

Stuart

Neat-o! There is something about that over/under engine arrangement I can't quite get used to. I guess it may have reduced yaw on the loss of one engine.

I build that airfix kit when I was a kid. I remember it as beeing quite hassle free. But I never filled seams then.

Anyway, I am not a big fan of Plasto. It has quite a large "grain". Tamiya Putty is a better solution in my opnion. However, thinning or cleaning with nail polish rmeover (with acetone) often results in less sanding and a quicker build.

Really nice project Stuart!

If Borg had built the Airfix kit before, I did the Matchbox version myself (in Saudi camo)

- Kari

Following this one...

That thing had such a unique look. Every bit as high tech futuristic as the Century Series fighters. And perhaps a bit more. This should be a nice pair.

Thanks Guys!

LyleW wrote:Neat-o! There is something about that over/under engine arrangement I can't quite get used to. I guess it may have reduced yaw on the loss of one engine.

Yes I'm not sure what the idea behind the arrangement was for - smaller frontal area perhaps?

BorgR3mc0 wrote:I build that airfix kit when I was a kid. I remember it as beeing quite hassle free. But I never filled seams then.

Anyway, I am not a big fan of Plasto. It has quite a large "grain". Tamiya Putty is a better solution in my opnion. However, thinning or cleaning with nail polish rmeover (with acetone) often results in less sanding and a quicker build.

You were lucky - there were a lot of seam issues...

I have a couple of tubes of Tamiya basic putty but I can't get on with it - I really don't like the weird way it goes when being sanded. Plasto's not brilliant I agree, but I get on with it better than any other's I used and I've tried a few.

KSaarni wrote:Really nice project Stuart!

If Borg had built the Airfix kit before, I did the Matchbox version myself (in Saudi camo)

- Kari

It's not bad is it - I built one too as a kid. I'll be doing the NMF Royal Saudi Airforce version.

BlackSheep214 wrote:Following this one...

thanks!

Stikpusher wrote:That thing had such a unique look. Every bit as high tech futuristic as the Century Series fighters. And perhaps a bit more. This should be a nice pair.

Thanks Stik - I also have the new tool Airfix F.2A to build as well - so they should look good in my collection - I want to up my number of RAF jets this year anyway.

They did look pretty futuristic when they can into service - certainly a vast leap in performance over what came before it - hard to believe they were still in service in the mid 1980's though.

portman wrote:
(...)

They did look pretty futuristic when they can into service - certainly a vast leap in performance over what came before it - hard to believe they were still in service in the mid 1980's though.

I think they where hardly credibel interceptors in the 1980's with just 2 missiles.

And they.moved really really fast. I believe it was one of the first planes that could gain speed going vertical.