BAC (English Electric) Lightning F.3

The Wooksta! · June 17, 2022, 03:34:56 PM

There was some discussion in several threads as to what a Lightning would look like if Petter and EE had designed the Lightning with side by side Avons rather than stacked.

This is MY take on it.

Rather than a nose intake, EE would have soon discovered that not only did the air have a draggy long tunnel to the engine, but the intake ducts would mean a cramped cockpit (as Hawker had discovered with the original Hunter design with the nose intake). These made the team go for cut back side intakes with shock cones. This also allowed for a larger radar if necessary, although the AI.23 was a superb piece of kit and effective well into the 1980s.
In addition, with more room in the fuselage to play with, a shorter undercarriage could be mounted in the fuselage rather than the wing, freeing it for more assorted lethality and integral fuel.

My reasoning anyway.

So here are some photos of the project as it stands. Nowt has been glued up yet, being held in place by tape.

Looks sleek, doesn't it?

The intakes as they stand are cut down bits of the Su-15 nose. There will be shock cones going in here, as well as splitter plates. Might change them as they look a tad big at the top, although a saw cut may take out enough plastic.

Does my bum look big in this? Combination of a bored out Su-15 exhaust with cast Javelin one. The latter looks a lot more British, a predecessor of the larger TSR2 exhausts and more fitting for the project.

Spin, spin sugar. Another top view. I've gone with Airfix F3 wings and fin simply as I had them spare. I may yet change them for Novo F6 wings, for more lethality.

Feel free to pour scorn on the project but remember, you cannot hate it any more than I simply don't care. Ha!

Wardukw · June 17, 2022, 05:48:01 PM

Ive always thought the lighting look bloody horrible with the engines stacked..no doubting is speed tho..she could move and still can but this verison looks far better..i dont know if its the norm because all twins are side by side but with the engines stacked the lighting just looked wrong to me anyway ..its way ive never had a model of one.
This is reckon looks much better .

AeroplaneDriver · June 17, 2022, 06:14:32 PM

Much as I love the Lightning's unconventional looks I mist say this looks very good.

PR19_Kit · June 18, 2022, 01:39:06 AM

That's pretty much as I imagined a Flattening, albeit your intakes make more sense than leaving the nose as it was, as I'd thought of it. The exhausts are so VERY British of course.

Pellson · June 18, 2022, 02:39:25 AM

Love it, Lee! I just might have to add a scrap Lightning to my old PM Flagon. Hmmm...

kitbasher · June 18, 2022, 02:51:57 AM

Top banana, Lee. I'll be doing a Flatning soon and I guess there can only be so many variations on a theme.

Keep it coming!

Dizzyfugu · June 18, 2022, 02:55:28 AM

That works well, even though a nose intake wopuld certainly look more Lightning-ish. But that's hard to arrange with the wide body.

PR19_Kit · June 18, 2022, 04:38:30 AM

Maybe an ovoid intake, like the Supermarine 545?

But there's still the problems of getting the ducts past the cockpit of course. And there'd be NO hope of a two seat, side-by-side trainer!

rickshaw · June 18, 2022, 04:56:36 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 18, 2022, 04:38:30 AM
Maybe an ovoid intake, like the Supermarine 545?

But there's still the problems of getting the ducts past the cockpit of course. And there'd be NO hope of a two seat, side-by-side trainer!

Have to be a tandem one, Kit!

nighthunter · June 18, 2022, 08:32:59 AM

Y'know, I do believe this Quals for the use in the upcoming GB...

PR19_Kit · June 18, 2022, 08:34:13 AM

It would, but it's already been started.

In any case Lee probably has 45 more Lightning variants up his sleeve that he can do for the GB.

Tophe · June 19, 2022, 04:15:53 AM

This nose is better than the true one, I think, aesthetically

Wardukw · June 20, 2022, 12:11:57 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 18, 2022, 08:34:13 AM
It would, but it's already been started.

In any case Lee probably has 45 more Lightning variants up his sleeve that he can do for the GB.

Yup

id put money on it

Martin H · June 21, 2022, 02:28:10 AM

Quote from: Wardukw-NZ on June 20, 2022, 12:11:57 PM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 18, 2022, 08:34:13 AM
It would, but it's already been started.

In any case Lee probably has 45 more Lightning variants up his sleeve that he can do for the GB.

Yup id put money on it

Only 45?

Wardukw · June 24, 2022, 02:00:17 PM

Ya know it wouldnt surprise me if Lee has more Lightings than the RAF ever had and it also wouldnt surprise me if Lee has invented variants of variants he has already invented.

Thats dedication boys