The almost predictable Lightning

[PR19_Kit]

My backstory is adjustable to suit how my model ends up................  

The wings are on now, and most of the odds and ends are on the fuselage too. 

[eatthis]

My backstory is adjustable to suit how my model ends up................  

The wings are on now, and most of the odds and ends are on the fuselage too. 

if its a full on low level photorecon job then surely you want a small wing for stability (and a bit of low level speed aswell), in fact why not get rid of the radar stick a metal nosecone on it and wind the mach numbers up it certainly had enough welly

[PR19_Kit]

Made  some good progress on the PR9 over the last few days, All the surfaces have been installed, the camera pod is glued and PSR'd (and was it EVER PSR'd....) in position, the RWR pod has been added to the top of the fin plus a small fin extension 'cos it looks good. The cockpit's done and dusted but it's masked over so I could prime the rest of the model.

The camera pod is the undernose fairing from a Hasegawa RF-4E, Gondor supplied me with BUCKETS of them a short while ago in the sure knowledge I'd find a use for them. Thanks Alastair, you were dead right. 

I intend to sand off and polish the camera windows of the pod,  or I'm going to try anyway. If that doesn't work I'll go the black decal route. No-one will notice anyway as they point down. 

[ChernayaAkula]

Seamless modification!  Using the photo nose for something other than a nose is a brilliant idea! 

[PR19_Kit]

The problem with fitting a forward facing camera to a Lightning's nose is that it effectively HAS no nose! 

I did toy with the idea of a larger 'radome'  housing a single camera but that radome and intake is 'part of the essential Lightning' and it just looked stupid and ugly too. Gondor's generosity has fed two of my PR projects so far and I have enough of those camera pods for two more I think. The world is my PR oyster. 

[TallEng]

I like that Mod.
You'd never guess that it's a camera nose from a Phantom though.
Might try that on my next Lightning.. I'm sure it would fit in the front
Of an extended belly tank.
Just have to think of a colour scheme and user 

Regards
Keith

[PR19_Kit]

That's the later RF-4 camera nose I used there, with the curved forward facing window. The earlier one has a much sharper angled window and you get both types in the Hasegawa kit. Not only that, you get them in EVERY Hasgawa F-4 kit, even the fighter ones!

I thought the curved one fitted the look of the Lightning better, it almost mirrors the front end of the tank itself, but moved forward a foot or two.

[Army of One]

Like how it ended up.......gotta say......I love the idea of the delta/canard lightning.......phantom wings you say.......oh, thats given me an idea......got an old airfix phantom I found when looking for something else.....parts missing.....but not the wings.......mmmmmm....

[Captain Canada]

Oh she's looking good now ! I love this aeroplane...can't wait to build a few more myself !

And I see what you mean by the aforementioned wing extensions......and let's not make mention of it again 

[PR19_Kit]

One of my three donor F2As will have to donate its canopy to the cause as I found an error on this otherwise magnificent kit. The windshield doesn't fit worth damn and needed so much filing to make it fit that I broke it. 

I'll be a LOT more careful with the second one, but without wings AND a canopy it's lolking like I'll be building a 100% jet-lift drone out of the donor kit! 

[kitnut617]

The older Airfix Harrier GR.5/7 had a similar problem Kit, only it was the rear part of the canopy which was way too wide at the base. Trying to pinch it in so you can glue it down is very tricky, just a slight squeeze too much and  --- snap --- I've got four of the kits now without a rear part  ----  

[Gondor]

The camera pod is the undernose fairing from a Hasegawa RF-4E, Gondor supplied me with BUCKETS of them a short while ago in the sure knowledge I'd find a use for them. Thanks Alastair, you were dead right. 

I have bought a couple more RF-4 kits since then Kit so I will probably be passing on a couple more under-nose fairings, probably via OGL. It has been my pleasure to supply you with those parts considering the help you have provided myself from time to time. 

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

I've got the colour coats on the PR9 now, but I'm not sure if  my slightly 'experimental' greys and greens work. I'd welcome comments on that front.

The main grey is just the basic Halfords Grey Primer with two coats of Klear on top. It's almost WWII RAF Ocean Grey but not quite. The green is a tad bluer than normal Humbrol Dark Green, and the underside is straight PRU Blue of course.

I've installed another canopy set with PVA glue and it's a lot better fit than the first one.

The third pic shows all the little add-on bits I've got to assemble yet, but I'll need to paint the gear wells and stuff first, and I'll probably decal the model beforehand as well. The new Airfix kits have ZILLIONS of stencil decals and putting them on with the tanks and wheels sticking out will just be an invitation to breakages.

[pyro-manic]

Are those tanks + 'Winders going on the cheek positions? That will look unusual! Colours look good to me.

[Captain Canada]

Beauty. Love the scheme and the colours ! Lots of bits to attach still eh ?