As my 'Little Cold Wars' project gathers pace I decided to avoid doing anything really useful (like painting infantry figures) by throwing together this Airfix 1/72 kit of a BAC/English Electric Lightning. One of my favourite Cold War aircraft, you never so much heard a Lightning as felt the noise in your guts. I gather they were popular with their pilots, less so with the maintenance crews as the stacked engine arrangement made access something of an issue.
And so back to the kit. It was very much built down to a basic standard as it it destined - like all my toys - to be a wargames toy rather then a display piece. I had originally intended to go with the grey and green camo scheme but was unable to resist the can of silver spray paint....
More when the decals are on.
11 comments:
Looks nice and simple. Shame about the missed opportunity for the scheme. I love the grey green.
That missile looks huge!
I was trained to c/o Operational Turn Rounds on Lightning. 2 ADEN cannons and 2 FireStreak or Red Top heat seeking missiles. Easy compared to Phantom OTRs. Interestingly the FireStreak had a pointed glass nose cone which made a delightful cover for growing plants. Also their heat seeker gear was cooled with ammonia. Bleach effectively.
Cool, must get one of those!
I remember building this one when I was a kid. I can recall being very impressed with the aesthetics of the aircraft. It has the same pleasing effect on the soul as does the Spitfire.
Other come close but the Spitfire and the Lightening are league winners.
I have to applaud your colour choice. Lightnings look their best dressed in silver!
Paul Foster
No pleasing some people! If I build another I'll give it the grey/green treatment, OK?
Dancing Cake Tin
If you think I'll be adding transparent nosecones to missiles in that scale.....
Al
Definitely!
Stephen Thomas
And the Hunter. Which reminds me - I have one of those somewhere....
Nick Grant
I am obliged sir.
Go on, it'll be fun. For me.
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