P6 - Lightning & Thunderbolt

Scotaidh · June 13, 2021, 01:10:26 PM

I started this back during the Prototypes GB and ran out of steam and spent my time just brousing the interweb. Now tired of accomplishing nothing, I've returned to this project. You know? Problems don't go away because you ignored them for months.

Here's my start. I began adding layers of strips of plastic card and putty to build out the cheeks of this aircraft, trying to change the Lighting's characteristic slab sides into a barrel-shape. At first I just used the Mk 1 Eyeball, but as things progressed I bethought me of a pattern guage I bought some years ago, and pressed that into service.

Some arbitrarily selected "frames" allowed me to get the sides more or less the same. My next big stumbling block was paint - I thought to get some of that appliance paint some of you swear by. I finally found some, and it is marvelous stuff! I am now much less afraid of airliner models, and may soon attempt one.

After getting the pilot's seat and himself set into the model, I tried the chrome ring and green cone onto the front.

The fuselage is too narrow, and the ring protrudes. Moreover, it does not sit flat.

P6, thy name is PSR!!

OTOH, the tail came out nicely.

The Lightning's tail planes fit nicely where the F-105's had been. In the spares bin I found a resin jet nozzle of some sort. I used a drill to give it some internal depth, but it looked cheesy so I ended up drilling it all the way out, blanked it with some black foam, a lick of paint - black on the ins-ide and steel on the out-, and Voila!

Lots more to do, but at least the light is on at the end of the tunnel.

JayBee · June 13, 2021, 01:23:49 PM

Looking very, very nice/interesting.

Scotaidh · June 13, 2021, 01:39:11 PM

Thanks.

Dizzyfugu built one of these, but I think he used a soviet aircraft.

Pellson · June 13, 2021, 01:42:42 PM

Quote from: Scotaidh on June 13, 2021, 01:39:11 PM
Thanks.

Dizzyfugu built one of these, but I think he used a soviet aircraft.

The Sukhoi Su-11, methinks?

Anyway - this is cool. Much looking forward to see where it goes.

DogfighterZen · June 13, 2021, 02:40:40 PM

Very interesting indeed.

Weaver · June 13, 2021, 02:44:21 PM

Oh nice one: I'll keep an eye on this one.

Can't recall if Dizzy made one, but I certainly did. VEB Plasticart Su-7 fuselage with Revellofrog Lightning wings, tailplanes, fin, canopy, spine and intake. Mine was purely fictional, so I didn't try to recreate the P6's shoulder-mounted wing:

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=34972.msg555660#msg555660

That was supposed to be a prototype and was built in a bit of a rush. I started an operational one, but I've never finished it. It's still a 'live' project though:

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=42162.msg727536#msg727536

Scotaidh · June 14, 2021, 01:59:02 AM

Weaver - nice one! You certainly should finish it, even if you just spray it white.

This one sat on my workbench for ... months, I'd say - my short-term memory is about as long as my hair (mostly missing). I'm a 'one thing at a time' sort of bloke, so I couldn't really move on without either completing or binning this one, and I can't stand to bin a model ... goes back to my childhood when models were for me as scarce as diamonds and almost as expensive (expressed as a percentage of income).

kitbasher · June 14, 2021, 02:11:00 AM

Quote from: Weaver on June 13, 2021, 02:44:21 PM
Oh nice one: I'll keep an eye on this one.

Can't recall if Dizzy made one, but I certainly did. VEB Plasticart Su-7 fuselage with Revellobox Lightning wings, tailplanes, fin, canopy, spine and intake. Mine was purely fictional, so I didn't try to recreate the P6's shoulder-mounted wing:

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=34972.msg555660#msg555660

That inspired me to get all the bits I'd need to do my own take on the P6. All still in the stash waiting for a rainy day.

Following this build with interest; as you say, ignoring a part build won't make it go away - which is why I'm working through 'shelf queens'.

Stick with this one, the potential is huge

Dizzyfugu · June 14, 2021, 02:38:55 AM

Quote from: Scotaidh on June 13, 2021, 01:39:11 PM
Thanks.

Dizzyfugu built one of these, but I think he used a soviet aircraft.

A Pantera/Mistercraft Su-17 gave its fuselage for the stunt, and the Lightning's nose, cockpit, spine and fin were grafted onto it (as well as the wings...). LOTS of PSR...

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

AeroplaneDriver · June 15, 2021, 08:10:30 AM

Loving how this one is shaping up. Great work!

Scotaidh · June 23, 2021, 12:53:16 AM

PSR is now (mostly) done - mostly, because, in my heart of hearts I know it's never really all done.

The cockpit area and the black panel in front of it will need to be redone, of course.

The original plan, back when this was intended for the "Prototypes GB," was to just leave this in gloss white, no weapons, and w/ minimal national markings and the yellow "P" (which always makes me giggle, 'cos I was a sailor and my mind is bent).

Now that it's not for that long-ago GB, my mind is telling me that there are lots of nice colours out there that would really rock this model ... but part of my mind says "Idiot! That way lies disaster - don't you remember all those models when you did this and they're now in the scrap pile?"

Another part of my so-called mind says "Never take counsel of your fears! You learned a lot from those ... problems. You can totally do this!"

And, the "rational" part of me says "Play that CD again - "Zabadack" is the perfect background song for critical thinking."

Pellson · June 23, 2021, 06:43:37 AM

Oooh, it's absolutely gorgeous!!
I am heavily biased towards late Cold War versions, so I would go Barley grey over Light Aircraft Grey and have her sporting Skyflash missiles. But that's just me...

1960's silver with no 56 sqn firebird scheme is also nice, obviously.

Weaver · June 24, 2021, 06:43:16 PM

You could leave it white, call it anti-flash white and put low-vis markings and a couple of Genies on it...

It's not like the RAF didn't want Genies, and if you're chucking those damned things around, you want all the protection you can get...

Scotaidh · June 25, 2021, 01:20:35 PM

Quote from: Weaver on June 24, 2021, 06:43:16 PM
You could leave it white, call it anti-flash white and put low-vis markings and a couple of Genies on it...

It's not like the RAF didn't want Genies, and if you're chucking those damned things around, you want all the protection you can get...

I hadn't thought of Genies ... hmmmm.

Scotaidh · June 28, 2021, 01:33:55 AM

AAARG! Spent all weekend fighting decals -

This is my first encounter with decals so old they literally splintered when wet ...

I spent a fair amount of time just opening kit boxes looking for 'extra' fin flashes and roundels ...in the "correct" style.

Matchbox kit, see - older than dirt.

Well, now to overspray to seal the things in place - it's been so muggy here that I haven't dared do that yet - it'd never cure.

Then add the pitot - a final spritz of dullcote - add the canopy, and take pictures for posterity - that's you lot.

Then I'll just hang it from the ceiling, next to my other Lightnings.