There's a very interesting issue of 'Aeroplane Magazine' just out as it's all about Lightnings, including an article on umpteen different variants proposed by BAE, including the inevitable swing-wing version, but also one with twin mainwheels that retracted into fairings scabbed underneath the wings!

Plus a whole lot about lots of proposed RAAF variants, who eventually ended up with Mirages of course, but the Lightning versions make for interesting, and very Whiffable, reading.

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 18, 2024, 02:59:40 AMThere's a very interesting issue of 'Aeroplane Magazine' just out as it's all about Lightnings

Currently

Thanks for the tip, Kit 😉.  Best I get one shortly.

Off to Farnborough next week: I'll keep an eye out for modern Whiffery ideas...😎

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 18, 2024, 02:59:40 AM......but also one with twin mainwheels that retracted into fairings scabbed underneath the wings!......

Side by side skinny mains retracting fore and aft or into the wing normal Lighting style with a bulge, or fore and aft wheels Valiant style?  That fairing would be a drag issue on a very clean wing- just need more power to overcome the drag! 

Quote from: sandiego89 on July 19, 2024, 03:16:31 PMSide by side skinny mains retracting fore and aft or into the wing normal Lighting style with a bulge, or fore and aft wheels Valiant style?  That fairing would be a drag issue on a very clean wing- just need more power to overcome the drag! 

Side by side mains, still pumped up to 345 psi (!!!)

The fairing was only 10" deep apparently, and would have had 'negligible impact on performance'.

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 20, 2024, 02:45:51 AM

Quote from: sandiego89 on July 19, 2024, 03:16:31 PMSide by side skinny mains retracting fore and aft or into the wing normal Lighting style with a bulge, or fore and aft wheels Valiant style?  That fairing would be a drag issue on a very clean wing- just need more power to overcome the drag! 

Side by side mains, still pumped up to 345 psi (!!!)

The fairing was only 10" deep apparently, and would have had 'negligible impact on performance'.

interesting.  I was flabbergasted when I first learned that some Naval F-4 Phantoms ran at 475psi on the mains.   

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 18, 2024, 02:59:40 AM. . . including the inevitable swing-wing version, but also one with twin mainwheels that retracted into fairings scabbed underneath the wings!

The swing wing Lightning was offered by BAC for the Royal Navy loosely based on the T55 export two 'side by side' crew version, the under carriage would retract into the ventral fairing  then used as a fuel tank, with no landing gear in the wings extra fuel storage would go there.

Miko (plans to use my 'hopelessly inaccurate' Trumpeter F3 as a Lavochkin La 240 'Molniya' a Soviet reverse engineered Lightningski ! )

Quote from: MikoLee on August 13, 2024, 12:34:39 PMThe swing wing Lightning was offered by BAC for the Royal Navy loosely based on the T55 export two 'side by side' crew version, the under carriage would retract into the ventral fairing  then used as a fuel tank, with no landing gear in the wings extra fuel storage would go there.

Yes indeed. Colin Freightdog does a good resin conversion kit for one.

Actually the undercarriage was to retract into the wing gloves and not the ventral fairing.

Gondor

Quote from: Gondor on August 13, 2024, 10:02:26 PMActually the undercarriage was to retract into the wing gloves and not the ventral fairing.

Gondor

And the Freightdog conversion kit incorporates that feature.

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 18, 2024, 02:59:40 AM... a whole lot about lots of proposed RAAF variants...

Seriously?  Did they not realise just how wide this brown land is?

Quote from: zenrat on August 14, 2024, 03:42:28 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 18, 2024, 02:59:40 AM... a whole lot about lots of proposed RAAF variants...

Seriously?  Did they not realise just how wide this brown land is?

IIRC the RAAF versions had nearly full length belly packs.

Quote from: Mossie on August 14, 2024, 08:27:29 AM

Quote from: zenrat on August 14, 2024, 03:42:28 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 18, 2024, 02:59:40 AM... a whole lot about lots of proposed RAAF variants...

Seriously?  Did they not realise just how wide this brown land is?

IIRC the RAAF versions had nearly full length belly packs.

Exactly what the recent 'Aeroplane' article regarding possible RAAF Lightning sales said.

That's why I got Colin's FGA set to lengthen the belly tank.

As for his VG set, it's not applicable to the Naval VG two seater as that was to have had a 10% larger wing.

Presumably they assumed the RAAF were thinking of getting a tanker or two?

But the Mirage III was hardly the longest ranged fighter of its time, was it?

Kit, is the Lightning development article by Tony Wilson? It sounds like the info is an excerpt from his book English Electric Lightning: Genesis and Projects.