SEAC Lockheed Lightning FR.IV

[comrade harps]

Lockheed Lightning FR.IV
Personal mount of Squadron Leader Alfred Gordon
"Spirit of Kent", KL 839, FJ+G, 612 Squadron RAF
Brown's West Island airfield, Cocos Islands, November 1945



When the RAF rejected the Lightning in 1940, it seemed that type would have no place in Britain's inventory. However, in early 1943 a new requirement was raised for a twin-engined, long-range escort fighter for use in the China-India-Burma (CBI) theatre. Concerned about the durability of the Mosquito's wooden structure and recognising the limitations of the Beaufighter for role, the RAF again turned to the Lockheed Lightning. The result was the Ligntning III, which was based on the P-38J but featuring Packard Merlin engines.

To produce the Lightning III, Lockheed first assembled a standard P-38J at Burbank, then flew it to their modification facility at Love Field in Dallas. Here, the planes were converted to Lightning III standard. Whilst the construction of the US Government issue P-38J was covered by Lend-Lease, the conversion to Lightning III standard was funded by the British Government.





In SEAC service, the Lightning III ranged far and wide and took the air offensive deep into Japanese held territory. However, in late 1943, even before the Lighnting III entered combat, SEAC was making its long-term plans for the re-occupation of Malaya, Singapore, the Dutch East Indies and Indo-China and raised a new specification for a Lightning with even greater range. Plans called for a Forward Strategic Air Base to be established at the Cocos Islands, deep in the Indian Ocean off the Dutch East Indies. Although operations from the Cocos Islands demanded long over water flights to and from targets, this was deemed necessary to complete the encirclement of Japanese held territory. To meet the expected combat radius, the Lightning would need to carry an extra pair of external fuel tanks outboard of the dive flaps, with associated hard points and plumbing.




Alison, the manufacturer of the P-38's V-1710 powerplants, has lobbied American officials successfully against funding the development and production of Merlin-powered Lightnings. With the extra costs due to the British of the modifications required for the Lightning IV (which also included several cockpit modifications), the British needed to negotiate a new funding deal for the type. In the process, they accepted a aircraft based on the P-38L and powered by V-1710 F-series -107 and -111 engines supplied through Lend-Lease, with only the British having to pay for the cockpit modifications and extra external fuel tankage.



This aircraft was the personal mount of Squadron Leader Alfred Gordon, DSO, of 261 Squadron at Brown's West Island airfield in November, 1945. Born and raised in the county of Kent, S/Ldr Gordon had previously flown Hurricanes and Beaufighters before being assigned to the Lightning IV. Of his four confirmed aerial victories, all were against Japan, two whilst flying Hurricane IIs and one in a Beaufighter over Burma and one in this plane in July, 1945 over the Dutch East Indies.




With the extra external fuel, missions could be flown from the Cocos Islands to such distant areas as Malaya, Siam or Borneo, escorting SEAC's co-located Liberator bombers or flying independent armed photo-reconnaissance missions (the latter using a pylon-mounted camera for a crude photo-recce capability). In addition to 621 Sqn's Lightning IVs, there were several Liberator VI bomber squadrons of 231 Bomber Group, detachments of Liberator maritime patrol bombers, 136 Sqn with Spitfire VIIIs for local air defence and a detchment of Mosquito PR.XXXIVs of 684 Sdn also located on Brown's Island. When an airfield on Christmas Island became available in December, 1945, Cocos-based planes also used this as a diversion site and forward base to reduce flight times on some missions. The Brown's Island airfield remained active as a combat base in support of on-going operations in the region until the Japanese surrender in May, 1946, including missions supporting the Allied invasion of Malaya, the re-taking of Singapore and occupation of Java.

[comrade harps]

Thanks to Flyboy69 for permission to use his excellent Merlin-powered Ligntning III in my back story.

The kit of 1:72 scale Academy P-38J and most of the decals come from XtraDecal's Yanks with Roundels Part 4.

Like my recent P-51H, this is another attempt at bright and shining with racing stripes (SEAC ID stripes and on the anti-glare panels).

Before anyone mentions it, the drop tanks are all 1:72nd scale 160 US gallon tanks but are from various P-38 kits and are slightly different in size: those of the outers are just a bit bigger.

[NARSES2]

Nice. I built a SEAC Lightning but chickened out on the NM finish. Well done 

[Tophe]

congratulations!

[sandiego89]

Yep, anyone who uses silver paint is brave indeed.  I hate it.  Well done. 

[andrewj]

Nice build , certainly looks the part and very plausible, well done.

Andrew

[lancer]

Have to admit the P38 isn't in my list of favourite planes but that one does look the business...

[Captain Canada]

Very nice ! Simple but effective paint and markings....looks awesome with those roundels !