EE Lightning

[Gondor]

In Tony Wilson's book "Lightning Genesis & Projects", Chapter 9 on fighter developments mentions four missiles were considered as an alternative to an improved Firestreak (Blue Vespa); Sidewinder, Falcon, Sparrow, and Genie.  It states Sidewinder was rejected (at this point still in the 50s) as being no improvement over the Firestreak development. The book has a lot of drawings of Genie carriage options that were studied including a single belly mounted one for air-to-ground use as well as the existing stub pylons, 3 different underwing points, overwing, and even wingtip. It's a great book for Lightning Whiffery. 

A conversion set for this should be available from Colin at Freightdog.

Gondor

[Mossie]

Alley cat do the Genies for the P.23 Lightning, (ex Odds & Ordnance):
https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/aircraft-sets-172-scale-354-c.asp

[Knightflyer]

Alley cat do the Genies for the P.23 Lightning, (ex Odds & Ordnance):
https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/aircraft-sets-172-scale-354-c.asp

You have to go via modelsforsale.com now. Alley Cat have stopped trading directly

https://www.modelsforsale.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=991215&Alley-Cat-1/72-OAO72018-BAC-Lightning-Genie-Missiles-Set

[The Wooksta!]

At least with Models for Sale you have a reasonable chance of getting your bits in a fast timescale. Alleycat are/were notorious for fast taking of cash monies and glacial delivery times of the resin parts.  As well as slow replies to emails (3 months!) and a range of excuses for non delivery that made "the dog ate my homework" look cast iron.

[kitbasher]

At least with Models for Sale you have a reasonable chance of getting your bits in a fast timescale. Alleycat are/were notorious for fast taking of cash monies and glacial delivery times of the resin parts.  As well as slow replies to emails (3 months!) and a range of excuses for non delivery that made "the dog ate my homework" look cast iron.

My Alleycat Basset update set took 24 hours to get to me from the moment the order was placed with Models for Sale, so yes a prompt service.

[PR19_Kit]

Models for Sale work out of a small industrial estate a few miles from my friends' place in Northants and are a surprisingly large operation. I use them as an LHS when I'm over there and so long as I phone ahead with a list of things I want, I can drop in and collect them without paying postage and packing.

Result! 

[Gondor]

Alley cat do the Genies for the P.23 Lightning, (ex Odds & Ordnance):
https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/aircraft-sets-172-scale-354-c.asp

Ah, I get mixed up with which company did what at times especially when I have bought several items from each 

Gondor

[Weaver]

Just been reading a thread about the AI.23 radar on Secret Projects, and an interesting tidbit that came up is that apparently Brazil was a potential export customer for the Ligthning. This progressed far enough that Ferranti had eleven radar sets under construction for the Brazilian order when it was cancelled (the author didn't know why) and the radars were subsequently diverted to the RAF.

Thread: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/ferranti-ari-5897-ai23-radar.2582/
The info is in post #16.


Brazilian Lightning F.56 in Shipbucket FD format (kinda):

[Rolead]

I am having some thoughts on doing a tandem seat Lightning starting with the Airfix F2A/F6 kit. In doing so a larger radome would be needed to give the back seater something to do i.e. intercept incoming bombers.

Did EE/BAC come up with any ideas regarding tandem instead of side by side seating ?

Robert

[The Wooksta!]

Yes, there were drawings for tandem T-bird, there's one in the Wilson book I think. Definitely on Secret Projects.
Bigger radome?   Start with a P.8 front end.  Might work.

[jcf]

Just been reading a thread about the AI.23 radar on Secret Projects, and an interesting tidbit that came up is that apparently Brazil was a potential export customer for the Ligthning. This progressed far enough that Ferranti had eleven radar sets under construction for the Brazilian order when it was cancelled (the author didn't know why) and the radars were subsequently diverted to the RAF.

Thread: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/ferranti-ari-5897-ai23-radar.2582/
The info is in post #16.


Brazilian Lightning F.56 in Shipbucket FD format (kinda):

The eleven AI.23 sets doesn't necessarily equate to eleven Lightnings. 

The AI.23 AIRPASS II was installed in the Buccaneer and also tested in a Draken by SAAB
under the designation J35H as part of their bid to get the Swiss Air Force to buy the type.

So, perhaps Brazilian Buccs, which became known for their low level close shaves.

[PR19_Kit]

I am having some thoughts on doing a tandem seat Lightning starting with the Airfix F2A/F6 kit. In doing so a larger radome would be needed to give the back seater something to do i.e. intercept incoming bombers.

I built one a while back, but long before the lovely Airfix kit came out. I think I used an M'box fuselage and extended the nose with a bit of a FROG F6. It had more cambered wings and a longer radome, but I can't remember where that came from. The canopy was an Airmodel PVC one for a 2 seat Mirage.

[scooter]

So, perhaps Brazilian Buccs, which became known for their low level close shaves.

[jcf]

[Weaver]

The eleven AI.23 sets doesn't necessarily equate to eleven Lightnings.

The AI.23 AIRPASS II was installed in the Buccaneer and also tested in a Draken by SAAB
under the designation J35H as part of their bid to get the Swiss Air Force to buy the type.

So, perhaps Brazilian Buccs, which became known for their low level close shaves.

      

Interesting, thanks.

I'd have thought the Draken more likely for Brazil than the Buccaneer: the UK government was a bit cagey about Bucc exports since they were nuclear capable. According to Wiki, the Draken was offered to Argentina, Venezuela and Chile in South America, so Brazil is certainly credible although it's not in the list. It may be the guy who wrote the AI.23 article has a faulty memory, and it was actually one of the other South American nations that they were building the radars for. Alternatively, workers might have been told they were for "Brazil" either as part of some arcane deal (Brazil buys the restricted radars then "gifts" them to, say, Argentina, at the same time that the latter "gifts" a load of beef to Brazil), or as a security measure to conceal a politically sensitive destination (like Chile).