DONE +++ English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", RAF 65 Sq., Coningsby 1983 (pics@p. 4)

Dizzyfugu · February 12, 2016, 09:22:02 AM

More news from the fuselage halves. Here's the result of the first rough PSR session. Looks good at first glance, but it's still pretty bumpy - almost anywhere, and different sinkholes in the plastic itself as well as a mediocre fit (O.K., also provoked through the "mating process"...

) don't help. So, there will be at least another major PSR session.

The Su-17 stabilizer attachment points have been plugged, the new Lightning parts will be mounted in a lower position, using fuselage parts from the Lightning in order to compensate the round fuselage and the angle at the attachment points. Even more PSR, and the wings will have to be added somewhere and somehow, too. But at first I need a finished fuselage, I won't make the Izedeliye 33 errors again...

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Inside of the fuselage is the Su-17 cockpit tub, with a scratched rear wall and dashboard. The exhaust is OOB, I just added an afterburner grate inside. A foamed styrene bulkhed blocks light from the opened air intake, pretty effective. Lead band was placed behind the cockpit, and behind the OOB intake a simple vertical wall simulates a vertical splitter. That's enough because you can only look 3mm into the intake.

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Dizzyfugu · February 13, 2016, 02:51:56 AM

Fuselage halves glued together and the OOB fin is in place. A sleek aircraft!

Time for major PSR session #2. $:-\$

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

PR19_Kit · February 13, 2016, 03:16:30 AM

Looks JUST like a single engined Lightning, which is what it should look like of course.

Dizzyfugu · February 13, 2016, 09:34:58 AM

Yes, somehow...

Anyway, the thing so far reminds me also a lot of the F-8, which brought up the idea to mount a ring air intake on a Crusader airframe...

Besides, the fuselage surface is still bumpy, so we are now in major PSR turn #3.

This time I use a different NC putty (another car body putty, from Bindulin). It's much less viscous than the grey-stuff I normally use (Presto), and it dries up much harder. My hope is that the putty's inherent surface tension and some gravity help even out the differences between those parts that were never meant to be combined. And the different color will later also help evaluate the finish.

Still a messy business, and nowhere near of mounting any wing or elevator...!

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

sandiego89 · February 13, 2016, 05:06:19 PM

Nice blending of the fuselages, she's looking good

-Dave

The Wooksta! · February 13, 2016, 06:27:36 PM

I'd add the belly tank anyway. You've given it the larger fin so it's more likely that EE/BAC would have added the Lightning belly tank.

Cockpit colours for Lightnings and later TSR2 are a lighter grey.

Users? Any of the real world Lightning units, but I'd go for an 80s 5 Sqn aircraft in the Dark Sea Grey/Dark Green over Aluminium. The disruptive camo should assist in masking any blemishes.

Dizzyfugu · February 14, 2016, 06:33:06 AM

Rough work on the fuselage is done, even though here and there some dents and sinkholes still have to be fixed.

But now the work on the tail surfaces can start - using cut-out fuselage parts from the NOVO Lightning as adapter plates, and again some putty in order to place the stabilizers where they were never expected on a Su-27...

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Captain Canada · February 15, 2016, 05:36:11 AM

Great stuff. Love to watch you work.

Dizzyfugu · February 16, 2016, 09:34:03 AM

Thank you for your attention. After a short allergy shock hiatus fromm last weekend, things move again.

Once the tail has been sorted out, now for the wings. How to attach the Lightning parts that were never meant to be grafted onto a Su-17, and then in a shoulder position.

Two options:
a) clean the wings, bevel the edge and glue them directly onto the fuselage
b) take the wings as they are, including the OOB adapters, but cut out matching slits - then lots of (more) body work/PSR.

I went for variant b), because it is the more stable connection. Since the fuselage surface consists only of putty in the shoulder section, I think that just glueing the wings in place would not be a solution with a bright future.

So, slits were cut into the massive putty/plastic bulk, and the wings glued into place. Lots of PSR next, but I got used to that by now...#

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Looks almost like a Lightning!

dwomby · February 16, 2016, 09:43:08 AM

This is looking amazing!!

David

DogfighterZen · February 16, 2016, 12:22:35 PM

I think it looks much better than the real one!

Dizzyfugu · February 17, 2016, 12:13:57 AM

Thank you. The pics don't do it justice (yet), but with the simple, round fuselage this thing looks really sexy!

In the meantime, putty dries in the wing roots and I make preparations for the final detail touches like the wing tip missile rials, guns under the cockpit, some more scoops and antennae, etc. The thing is pretty bleak, and instead of engraving any panel lines on the hazardous putty/styrene ground I will rather simulate them with pencil lines. This worked well on the Izdeliye 33, and the effect was/is surprisingly good.

Dizzyfugu · February 17, 2016, 09:55:43 AM

New tails from the crypt... Progress on the wing roots - while the putty dries, it is time for first details like the refuelling probe, landing gear, air scoops, tail bumber etc.

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 English Electric P.6/1 "Levin", a.k.a. the Mono-Lightning (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Got to remember: send Igor to the village for more putty...

kerick · February 17, 2016, 10:24:50 AM

This looks first class!
I have a SU-22 fuselage laying around. Gives me ideas and we all know how dangerous that is!

DogfighterZen · February 17, 2016, 12:05:51 PM

Can't wait to see that with wingtip missiles...