The almost predictable Lightning

[pyro-manic]

Yup, leave it a bit and come back later with a cool head. It'll turn up.

[PR19_Kit]

I went straight back in there and stripped that end of the model room out, and all the stuff is now in the bathroom....

With the aid of a big floodlight I found the damn thing! 

It had bounced about 9" off the floor, went sideways about a foot and dropped into the box I use for storing old tyre balance weights for nose weight. Of course they're grey and sort of cylindrical and so is the tank! 

It's now glued onto the wing and wedged in place with some Blu-Tak!

[nighthunter]

Yay!

[zenrat]

Phew.

I was about to suggest dropping the second one to see where it went...

[PR19_Kit]

Phew.

I was about to suggest dropping the second one to see where it went...

Hehehe, a technique I've actually used in the past too! On one occasion I tried that and the SECOND bit got lost as well!  

The PR9's almost done now, all the bits are on and the satin varnish is being applied, surface by surface.

[McColm]

Its good to know that other Whiffers or Whiffees have the same problems as me whilst building their creations. That's why my spare parts bin was so large.
My ex-landlady keeps finding parts whilst decorating the room. Should have a full shoebox next time I see her.

[Weaver]

Hate it when that happens, still, congrats on the recovery.

My worst "drop" wasn't a model part, it was the 2mm detent ball bearing from a motorcycle handlebar switch, dropped on a black tarmac drive, at 9pm, just as it was starting to rain, with no spare available and the bike needed for work the next morning. Found it with a magnet and a torch. At 12.15pm......

[PR19_Kit]

Hm, yes. Does anyone make a plastic magnet? I'd have 5 or 6 of them!

[PR19_Kit]

OK, the PR9's about done.

As explained above, the model started life as an Airfix F2A, and I've added an undernose camera fairing from a Hasegawa RF-4, the later version with the curved forward window. The overwing tanks came from an old FROG Lightning F6 but with some stencil decals from the new Airfix F6 kit. The underwing tanks are from the Heller F-104G and the Sidewinders and their launch rails came from the spares box.

Camo scheme is the same as used by some Lightnings at Binbrook in the mid-70s but with the slightly lighter grey produced by just applying Klear varnish over Halfords Grey Primer, the underside being PRU Blue. Decals are mostly from the F2A kit but with the 4 (AC) Squadron nose markings from an unknown Harrier kit, the camera windows and the fin badge being home printed.

The back story is here :- https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=39534.msg655142#msg655142

and from that you'll glean that this model is XN781, one of the aircraft depicted in the Airfix kit, an ex-19 Sqdn. F2A converted to a PR9. When the aircraft arrived back at Gutersloh after conversion the ground crew, knowing the aircraft from before, re-applied the yellow 'Boss Cat' badge under the windscreen and thereafter '781 became the squadron Commander's aircraft.







The updated camera windows didn't show up as well as I'd hoped so I gave up on that idea. I've added a squadron crest to the port fin, but left it off the starboard one for the moment, and I've not varnished either fin so far. I'm in two mind about whether it works or if it's too fussy.

What does the panel think? I can either peel off  the one that's there or add the other one.

[NARSES2]

Predictable it may be but it's good as well

Personally I think the Squadron Crest looks fine if she's a display bird, but a little fussy if she's on alert for some reason. I know that's not an answer but it's what hits me - sorry.

[eatthis]

looks absolutely plausible
i have a vague recollection of reading they thought about fitting wingtip ir missile rails tapping into the nav lights wiring for power do you know anything about that?

[PR19_Kit]

looks absolutely plausible
i have a vague recollection of reading they thought about fitting wingtip ir missile rails tapping into the nav lights wiring for power do you know anything about that?

That does ring a bell woth me too, I'm pretty sure I've seen drawings of that installation as well. I did think of adding wing tip tanks or missiles to the PR9 but it's already got seven or eight 'sticky forward' things on it already! 

[The Rat]

Great idea, and well executed! 

[kerick]

Lots of nice work there! Nice story too!

[Captain Canada]

Very nice. Love the weapons load. Looks right to me !