Freightdog new for Telford - 1/72 EE Lightning GA proposal

[Freightdog862]

Hi everyone,

Just finished assembling this for Telford, so time to share. My next new release, the EE Lightning Ground Attack proposal. Based on original source documents at Kew, the GA variant was a proposal to convert surplus F.1, 1A and 2 Lightning to a ground attack capable airframe, retaining its air defence capability. The proposal outlined bringing the airframe to equivilent F.6 standard, and fitting a multi-role weapon pack in the belly. The weapon features stub wings and allowed the carriage of N1 bombs (included), Bullpup, AS30, Napalm tanks or Zuni Rockets, retaining the Fire Streak missiles as all guns were removed;

   

Price still TBC, set includes belly, stub wings, pylons and N1 bombs for starters. Designed for use with the Airfix F.2A or F.6 Lightning base kit.

Thank you!

Colin

[Thorvic]

Hi Colin

Put me down for one of these 

Cheers

Geoff

[Martin H]

Hi Colin

Put me down for one of these 

Cheers

Geoff

Count me in for at least one set as well Colin

[Captain Canada]

Ooh nice ! Hopefully that breeds ever more Lightning whifs to the site !

[PR19_Kit]

Yummy, I DO like that!  

That extended belly tank would have been just the job for my PR9, perhaps I'll use one as an upgrade for the PR10.....  

Are the pylons mounted far enough forward? In the current position the bomb's fins will hit the runway on rotation I think.

[Weaver]

Wow, I've not seen that particular proposal before: the rotate clearance with that bomb looks pretty marginal!

The proposals in Battle Flight seem to be a later ones that include an extended belly pack (up to the front of the missile pack line) with guns in the front and a modular midddle section with AAM rails, retractable rocket packs or semi-recessed bombs.

[Freightdog862]

Yummy, I DO like that!  

That extended belly tank would have been just the job for my PR9, perhaps I'll use one as an upgrade for the PR10.....  

Are the pylons mounted far enough forward? In the current position the bomb's fins will hit the runway on rotation I think.

They are in the right place, but in hindsight I suspect the pylon needs about half a mm shaved off the top to aid clearance! Quite easy as the base of the stub wing is flat as is the top of the pylon. I think the idea was to keep them below the AD missiles, don't really want to fire a zuni rocket up the tail of a Firestreak and see what happens!

Colin

[JayBee]

Put me down for two of those Colin. 

Cheers,

Jim

[Weaver]

Colin, a question: is the centre portion of the modified pack (from the panel line to the somewhere under the pylon) a constant cross-section? If so, that might be very useful because you could then cut and splice two of your sets to make the later, longer pack.

[Freightdog862]

Colin, a question: is the centre portion of the modified pack (from the panel line to the somewhere under the pylon) a constant cross-section? If so, that might be very useful because you could then cut and splice two of your sets to make the later, longer pack.

Yes, that would be possible.

Colin

[Weaver]

Here's a thought folks: if anyone's planning to use Colin's P.1083 and/or P.1109 sets on a Revell Hunter FGA.9, you could take the Mavericks and Swiss markings from that kit and use them together with the GA belly pack to make a Lightning that was kept in service for ages with loads of upgrades in typical Swiss fashion. Scratchbuild chaff/flare launchers into the back of the belly tank....

Colin, a question: is the centre portion of the modified pack (from the panel line to the somewhere under the pylon) a constant cross-section? If so, that might be very useful because you could then cut and splice two of your sets to make the later, longer pack.

Yes, that would be possible.

Colin

Cheers Colin. In that case I'm provisionally interested in a couple of sets, but it will depend on the RRP I'm afraid.

[TsrJoe]

nice, hold me one too please Colin, exactly what im needing for a lil project im planning building

cheers, Joe Cherrie

[Freightdog862]

Thanks for the interest chaps, will hold some back for you. Price will be about £11. I've spoken to Paul about the clearance issue, and agreed we will revise the pylon's on the next batch and make them a fraction less deep. Not sure why they sit too low, the stubs are in the correct place, the u/c legs do seem to be under max compression making the Airfix kit sit a bit low, which does not help. So what I will do is add a comment in the first batch on how to shorten them, and if anyone wants a set of replacements I will post them out after the show, although it is a very simple fix on the existing pylon's.

Colin       

[sandiego89]

This looks great!

Was the WE177 ever mulled for the GA? 

[Mossie]

I've not seen any details on this particular version, but the ones covered in Battle Flight show Red Beard semi recessed in the belly pack. These proposals were around 1960, so WE.177 would probably have replaced Red Beard as it entered service in the late '60's.