Lovely build, I have this kit in my stash, I will use your excellent video as a reference when I come to built the model. EE Lightning aka 'Frightening,' an ejector seat strapped to two engines! Still indecently fast even today, I bet a Lightning would smash most modern fighter jets in terms of sheer raw performance ie climb to altitude. I read an account a few years ago by a Lightning pilot who was on the east coast heading south. He saw a dark coloured aircraft some distance ahead, so he accelerated to close it down. As he started to catch up, the aircraft opening up and started to accelerate at an obscene rate of knots. The Lightning pilot went with it and engaged full reheat- still the dark aircraft continued to pull away.........SR71 Blackbird! Probably the only aircraft capable of out accelerating the Lightning back then. A real shame the RAF couldn't have kept one airworthy for air displays, a truly iconic machine. I have a DVD about the development of the Lightning and Roland Beaumont is interviewed at length. He provided an anecdote about a Saudi air force pilot who was sent to appraise the Lightning. Beaumont advised him NOT to engage reheat on take off for his first few flights, just use dry power. Captain Hamed had other ideas, he took off using reheat........He reached 28,000 ft before he even managed to retract the undercarriage! Beaumont had warned him, "Things happen very fast in the Lightning and it can easily get away from you." Hamed didn't use reheat again until quite sometime later after his first ''joy ride!' :)
Thank you very much fornyour comment and the stories. I knew about the Lightning capabilities, but didn't hear about those stories. I hope you enjoyed the video as much as I enjoyed the building. Cheers mate
Had a lightning base ten miles away when I was young, so often saw them flying overhead. Nice work on the kit, have one in my stash and you've inspired me to get on building as soon as I have some time.
David, thanks a lot for the comment, I hope you move your lightning to the bench soon. It was a privilege to see them flying. I lived in UK about fifteen years ago and went to Duxford, and I saw a Lightning next to a Hunter and I fell in love for both of them. My Airfix 1/48 Hunter is on the way.
2:32 I'll never forget how much filling and sanding I had to do to that poor pilot just to get him to fit in an enclosed canopy, 19 years ago too sigh.
Beautiful build and the extra detailing you have done really enhanced the model. Congratulations. I have been trying to find this kit (at a reasonable price) for sometime now. I believe Airfix stopped producing it back in 2015, this is really hard to understand as the aircraft is so iconic. Love your model
Just watched again. I actually see what you mean about the different Alclad type finishes and undercoats, missed it first time around, too busy watching, if you see what I mean. Thanks chaps.
Absolutely wonderful, beautiful aircraft.. You are an artist for creating such wonderful finished pieces.. I dream of having a Starfighter and an English Electric Lightening finished to such a high detail... I'd pay to have models finished like that - as I could never do such fine work..
Thanks a lot Mark, keep trying it just takes time and patience. In the current situation I am considering the possibility of selling some of my models.
Are you stuck because of the virus? I'm also someone who has seen my work stop.. Hope things get better.. Get in touch if you want to sell at some later date?
Thank you very much. You are right, the control column was in the opposite direction. I was dryfitting it and left it till the end along with the ejection seat. Unluckily, I miss it when glueing it in the interior of the fuselage.
Excellent. Wonderful. Really nice. Also, it's my favourite jet. Please may I have it ? I can pay P. and P. or collect or "send the boys round" if necessary......Seriously, well done, you really did manage to make a silk purse out of the proverbial pig's ear.
As many say considering it's age this kit can be made into a smart model. The main undercarriage is a nightmare so study some good walkround views on the Web and get the leg angles correct as well as the position of the small undercarriage doors and top leg support. Why these faults haven't been corrected by Airfix over the years baffles me although I haven't made this featured F1 kit, the latest version. Perhaps the faults have. Like Ernie do a little homemade detailing of the wheelbays and cockpit. I've made four in recent years with one still waiting in the stash. Great post and construction, keep up the good work.
Thank you very much for your comment, and you're right, they were black, I didn't follow the instructions and trusted in reference pictures, I guess from later versions.
Many thanks for the information, that is right, I have checked and Red Top entered service with the F.3 and later with the F.6. Airfix included in the instructions for the F.1 and I didn't check.
