Scottish Airforce BAC Ligtning, May 2024

[nönöbär]

Scottish Airforce BAC Ligtning, May 2024

The plane

After the Brexit and the Scottish independence shortly after it, Scotland needed its own military. With patrolling British Jets near the south border and Russian aircraft approaching the North Sea coast, Scotland required an air force.
However, getting some jets was expensive and time consuming and while the Scottish Aviation aircraft company at Prestwick started research for updating some older F16 acquired by the US Air force, immediate help came form a totally unexpected side.

Angus MacIntosh, a collector of military equipment, offered the Scottish government a collection twelve BAC Lightnings he had bought from the RAF when the plane was decommissioned in the 1980s. Restored and refurbished, the aircraft were part of its huge collection and were in almost flying condition.

True, the Lightnings were outdated planes, but their speed and mission profile made them the perfect interceptor against the Russian aircraft approaching the coastline. After an intense discussion in the Scottish parliament, the government decided to accept MacIntoshs offer and the aircraft entered service soon after.
Only 8 of the Lightnings were reactivated, the remaining four were used for spare parts. Russian pilots were quite surprised when they were welcomed by the Lightnings after they went into service and, soon the numbers Russian aircraft sent to the Scottish coast were strongly reduced.

With their great intercept performance, the Lightnings even stayed active after the introduction of more modern aircraft like the F16AT (see https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,46234.0.html)

The model shows a BAC Lightning of the Scottish Airforce in May 2024.








The model

The model was a OOB build of a very old Airfix 1/72 Lightning model, with a different paint scheme and self made Scottish decals.

[zenrat]

The old original Airfix kit?  Good job!

[PR19_Kit]

It must be the re-hashed kit though, the original kit was an F1, and Nonobar's Scottish model is an F3, with the big fin and Red Tops.

It looks terrific. 

It's still old though. 

[NARSES2]

That does look good 

[Old Wombat]

 

[Tophe]

True, the Lightnings were outdated planes
BAC Lightning of the Scottish Airforce in May 2024.

Ahem, wikipedia tells me that the Lightning's first flight occurred in 1954, 70 years before 2024...  maybe to be used now with 90 y.o. veteran pilots feeling young again
what-if

[Captain Canada]

Neat idea. And who wouldn't love to see them back in the air ! Love the tail.

[Scotaidh]

It must be the re-hashed kit though, the original kit was an F1, and Nonobar's Scottish model is an F3, with the big fin and Red Tops.

It looks terrific. 

It's still old though. 

"Old" doesn't "mean past it," young feller me-lad.   

If I was to be given a gov't funded job of refurbishing the old girl, I'd start with more fuel-efficient engines - maybe the TurboUnions from recently retired Tornadoes. 

All-new wiring/data harness, re-done electronics to bring her into the 22nd century - there must be a new radar that would fit - I'd give Elbit that job.  If not, make the nose solid for that and change the intakes to something swiped from the F-105. 

Up-rate the missiles and change the undercarriage - I'd go with something like wot the A-7/F-8 have, and put that into the belly tank.  That frees up the wings for weapons carrying ... and I'd see about some F-15E-style conformal fuel tanks.

Lots to do, to modernize the Lightning - but with enough sponduliks it could be done. 

And, those are just my ideas ....

[Pellson]

Magnificent! 

[Dizzyfugu]

Bold markings, I like.