DONE @p.3 +++ 1:72 BAC Lightning F.56; Austrian Air Force, 1999

Dizzyfugu · August 15, 2022, 04:08:48 AM

Slow progress, but here are some WiP impressions; and, yes, it will be an Austrian, ex-Saudi Arabian aircraft:

The bleak exhaust, with the rear bulkhead drilled away and extended jet nozzles:

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The front end: bulkhead moved back, right in front of the donor cockpit tub. Lots of lead below, too.

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

PSR, PSR... The kit needs work on almost every seam. Esp. the area in front the cockpit and around the intake ring had poor fit.

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

PR19_Kit · August 15, 2022, 04:18:59 AM

That's looking very promising Thomas.

'Silk purse' and 'sow's ear' come to mind.................

zenrat · August 15, 2022, 04:30:04 AM

Good work on the intake and exhausts. I just painted the insides black.

Dizzyfugu · August 15, 2022, 06:53:09 AM

That's the "Standard option". I works more or less on the tail, but the intake is just as deep as the sharp-lipped steel ring, and this would remain well visible. I wonder why Hasegawa did not give us an intake cover, after they added two parts to the molds? ESCI did this "trick" with their A-7 kit - it also has no intake duct (and a wall after maybe 4-5 mm), and it's at least a cosmetic compensation for the kit's flaw(s). The rest is quite O.K..

Sport21ing · August 15, 2022, 04:02:09 PM

Now, theres gonna be a Lightning image alongeside the MiG-23O, no?

Dizzyfugu · August 16, 2022, 01:08:04 AM

Well, it's worth consideration, even though I regard the whifs as independent - but maybe the MiG 23Ö was operated as a stopgap solution until the arrival of the Eurofighter, the Lightnings would not have been the youngest airframes during the Nineties? I might alternatively add the Sk 90Ö as contemporary decoration, even though it would have been introduced into Austrian service in 2002.

Besides: more progress, more pics! I am currently doing finishing touches and varnish, and, as you can see, the Lightning received a paint scheme closely related to the Saab 35, its alternative. Looks better than expected! There's also a document about the retrofitted radar warning antennae fairing on the fin, and a look into the cockpit with the Me 262 tub; the side consoles improve the impression a lot, IMHO. The basic tones are FS 36118, 36270 and 36375 (using Humbrol 125, 126 and 127), and, as usual, the model received a light black ink washing, some post-panel-shading in lighter tones, and, due to the raised panel lines, was very lightly rubbed with graphite.

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The decals are a wild mix. The fuselage roundels are actually wing markings from a Hasegawa J 35OE, as well as the huge orange "06" on the wings (I could not resist; they will later be partly obscured by the overwing tanks, but the heck with it!). The roundels on the wings come from a generic TL Modellbau sheet - I found that I needed larger markings than those on the Draken.
Both unit and individual aircraft identifier are single black digits, also from TL Modellbau. The unit badges on the fin come from an Austrian J 29 of Fliegerregiment 2, and all stencils were taken from the OOB low-viz RAF markings sheet.

Pellson · August 16, 2022, 03:47:44 AM

Looking wildly good as usual, Thomas.

PR19_Kit · August 16, 2022, 03:57:03 AM

That's looking pretty awesome already.

Dizzyfugu · August 16, 2022, 04:00:07 AM

Thank you, both. I was skeptical at first because of the "usual" grey-in-grey livery, but with the bright roundels and relatively little dark grey from above the Austrian Lightning looks more attractive than expected.

PR19_Kit · August 16, 2022, 04:48:25 AM

Those SOCKING great numbers take the eye and make it very different of course.

Dizzyfugu · August 16, 2022, 05:12:58 AM

I just should have placed them above the )quite fat) white walkway markings...

That flaw could be corrected on the roundel, but the huge orange number appeared too hazardous to be modded. And I count on the overwing tanks to hide/distract from this...

NARSES2 · August 16, 2022, 06:35:04 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on August 16, 2022, 04:00:07 AM
Thank you, both. I was skeptical at first because of the "usual" grey-in-grey livery, but with the bright roundels and relatively little dark grey from above the Austrian Lightning looks more attractive than expected.

It looks very attractive

The Wooksta! · August 16, 2022, 07:28:33 AM

I'd have gone with a different scheme, as all the ex-Saudi aircraft that returned to the UK were in their original natural metal finish, so you could have gone for any finish the Austrians had after 1987?

You may not need the tanks. Lightning F6 had a 1 hour endurance, which is probably enough for somewhere the size of Austria. They were jettisonable but not stressed for combat manouevers.

Dizzyfugu · August 16, 2022, 11:58:49 PM

Well, this is the scheme the Austrian Air Force adopted for the contemporary interceptor force (the J 35s), or at least a faithful adaptation to the very different Lightning airframe. Other cammo schemes were uncommon - the Austrian Army was and is famous for its traditional all-over use of RAL 7013 on anything, including helicopters, and the only alternative would be (the probably later) RAL 7013/6020 scheme, seen on the Austrian Skyvans or PC-7 trainers - but it's not really suited for an air superiority fighter. The only other "jet fighters", the Saab 105s (aqs well as the earlier Saab 29s) were all left in bare metal, and I did not want to use this on the Lightning, even though this would have just meant a simple re-badging of the ex-Saudi Arabian aircraft. That said, I think the F-16esque livery turned out well, it looks better than expected and not as RAF-ish as I had feared.

Doing finishing touches at the moment, beauty pics next.

Dizzyfugu · August 22, 2022, 12:25:35 AM

So, after some delays, the beauty pics have been finished! An alternative past for the Austrian Air Force:

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
The Austrian Air Force in its current form was created in May 1955 by the victorious Allied powers, subject to restrictions on its use of guided missiles. The Austrian State Treaty of 1955 committed Austria to permanent neutrality. Pilot training started out with a four Yak-11 Moose and four Yak-18 Max aircraft donated by the Soviet Union, and Austria purchased further light trainer types under the Military Assistance Program. Until 1960 Austria purchased training and support aircraft under the MAP, but no modern fighter aircraft; the role of a fighter was rather inadequately filled by thirty already outdated Saab 29 Tunnan, bought second-hand from the Swedish Air Force in the early 1960s which equipped two fighter bomber squadrons.

To expand its capabilities and modernize the fleet, Austria purchased from 1970 on a total of 40 Saab 105 lightweight multi-role aircraft from Sweden with the intention to deploy them in trainer, reconnaissance, ground attack and even interception roles. As it became clear in the 1980s that the light sub-sonic aircraft were inadequate for air combat and airspace interdiction, Austria started looking for a more capable aircraft. In 1984, Austria had devised a two-phase solution to its problem: buying 30 interim aircraft cheaply as a stopgap and then trading them back for a new generation aircraft in the early or mid-Nineties.

International response was quick and manifold: Bristol Aerospace offered initially ex RAF Jaguars to be replaced by Tornado F.3 or even Eurofighters; Saab-Scania offered between 24 and 30 former Royal Swedish Air Force J 35D Draken, followed by Saab J 39 Gripen as future substitutes; General-Electric suggested downgraded F-16/79 or F-16A for phase one and an option for the same aircraft in a more modern variant for phase two; Northrop's numberF-5E was another alternative for phase one. Dassault was also present with refurbished Mirage III initially, followed by Mirage 2000.

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Finding the most suitable option in this mass was not easy, and eventually a surprising deal materialized: In 1985 the contract for the sale of twenty-four Lightning F.56 fighters plus four T.55 trainers was signed by the SPÖ/FPÖ government under Fred Sinowatz. The background: Saudi Arabia had been operating thirty-four F.53 single-seaters and six T.55 trainers since 1967 and was about to retire its fleet, which was still in very good condition and with a reasonable number of flying hours left on many airframes. The aircraft would be refurbished directly at BAe in Great Britain with the option to switch to the Tornado ADV or its successor, the Eurofighter Typhoon, later.

The Lightning F.53 was an export version of the RAF's F.6, but with a multi-role mission profile in mind that included, beyond the primary interceptor mission with guided missiles or internal guns, the capability to carry out interdiction/ground attacks and reconnaissance missions. To carry a suitable ordnance load, the F.53 featured additional underwing pylons for bombs or unguided rocket pods. Instead of the standard Firestreak/Red Top AAM missile station in the lower front fuselage, two retractable panniers with a total of forty-four unguided 50 mm rockets, which were effective against both ground and aerial targets, could be installed, or, alternatively, two camera packs (one with five cameras and another with a rotating camera mount) was available for tactical photo reconnaissance missions. Overwing hardpoints, adapted from the Lightning F.6, allowed to carry auxiliary fuel tanks to increase range/endurance, additional rocket pods or even retarded bombs.

The Lightning T.55 was also an export variant, a two-seat side-by-side training aircraft, and virtually identical to the T.5, which itself was based on the older F.3 fighter variant, and fully combat-capable.

The Saudi Arabian multi-role F.53s had served in the ground-attack and reconnaissance roles as well as an air defense fighter, with Lightnings of No. 6 Squadron RSAF carrying out ground-attack missions using rockets and bombs during a border dispute with South Yemen between December 1969 and May 1970. Saudi Arabia received Northrop F-5E fighters from 1971, which resulted in the Lightnings relinquishing the ground-attack mission, concentrating on air defense, and to a lesser extent, reconnaissance. Until 1982, Saudi Arabia's Lightnings were mainly operated by 2 and 6 Squadron RSAF (although a few were also used by 13 Squadron RSAF), but when 6 Squadron re-equipped with the F-15 Eagle from 1978 on, all the remaining aircraft were concentrated and operated by 2 Squadron at Tabuk. In 1985, as part of the agreement to sell the Panavia Tornado (both IDS and ADV versions) to the RSAF, the Lightnings were traded in to British Aerospace, returned to Warton for refurbishment and re-sold to Austria.

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

While the Saudi Arabian Lightnings' hardware was in very good shape, the Austrian Bundesluftwaffe requested some modifications, including a different missile armament: instead of the maintenance-heavy British Firestreak/Red Top AAMs, the Lightnings were to be armed with simpler, lighter and more economical IR-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs which were already in the Austrian Air Force's inventory. Two of these missiles were carried on single launch rails on the lower forward fuselage; an additional pair of Sidewinders could also be carried on the outer underwing stations, for a total of four. The F.53s' optional retractable unguided rocket panniers were dropped altogether in favor of a permanent avionics bay for the Sidewinders in its place. However, to carry out tactical reconnaissance tasks (formerly executed by J 29Fs with a removable camera pod instead of the portside gun bay), four Austrian Lightnings frequently had one of the optional camera compartments installed, thereby losing the capability to deploy Sidewinders, though.

Among other things, the machines were furthermore upgraded with new bird strike-proof cockpit glazing, avionics were modernized, and several other minor customer requests were adopted, like a 0.6-megacandela night identification light. This spotlight is mounted in the former portside gun bay in front of the cockpit, and an anti-glare panel was added under the windsrceen.

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The fixed in-flight refueling probe was deleted, as this was not deemed necessary anymore since the Lightnings would exclusively operate within neutral Austria's borders. The probes could, however, be re-installed, even though the Austrian pilots would not receive on-flight refueling training. The Lightnings' optional 260 imp gal overwing tanks were retained, since they were considered to be sufficient for extended subsonic air patrols or eventual ferry flights.

The refurbished Lightnings were re-designated F.56 and delivered in batches of four between 1987 and 1989 to the Austrian Air Force's 1st and then 2nd Fighter Squadrons, carrying a grey air superiority paint scheme. At that time, the aircraft had between 1,550 and 2,800 flight hours and all had a general overhaul behind them. In 1991, the Lightnings were joined by eighteen German ex-NVA-LSK MiG-23s, which were transferred to Austrian Air Force's "Fliegerwerft B" at Nittner Air Base, where they'd be overhauled and updated with NATO-compatible equipment. As MiG-23Ö they were exclusively used as interceptors, too.

Shortly after their introduction, the Austrian Lightnings saw their first major use in airspace interdiction starting 1991 during the Yugoslav Wars, when Yugoslav MiG-21 fighters frequently crossed the Austrian border without permission. In one incident on 28 June a MiG-21 penetrated as far as Graz, causing widespread demands for action. Following repeated border crossings by armed aircraft of the Yugoslav People's Army, changes were suggested to the standing orders for aircraft armament.

With more and more practice and frequent interceptions one of the Lightning's basic flaws became apparent: its low range. Even though the Lightning had a phenomenal acceleration and rate of climb, this was only achieved in a relatively clean configuration - intercepting intruders was one thing, but escorting them back to the Austrian border or an assigned airfield, as well as standing air patrols, were a different thing. With more tactical experience, the overwing tanks were taken back into service, even though they were so draggy that their range benefit was ultimately zero when the aircraft would use its afterburners during a typical interception mission. Therefore, the Austrian QRA Lightnings were typically operated in pairs: one clean and only lightly armed (typically with the guns and a pair of AIM-9s), to make a quick approach for visual intruder identification and contact, while a second aircraft with extra fuel would follow at high subsonic speed and eventually take over and escort the intruder. Airspace patrol was primarily executed with the MiG-23Ö, because it had a much better endurance, thanks to its VG wings, even though the Floggers had a poor service record and their maintenance became ever more complicated.

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

After more experience, the Austrian Lightnings received in 1992 new ALR-45 radar detectors in a fairing on the fin top as well as chaff and flare dispenser systems, and the communication systems were upgraded, too. In 2004 the installation of Garmin 295 moving map navigation devices followed, even though this turned out to be a negligible update: on December 22, 2005, the active service life and thus military use of the Lightnings in general ended, and Austria was the last country to decommission the type, more than 50 years after the first flight of the prototype on August 4, 1954.
The Austrian Lightnings' planned service period of 10 years was almost doubled, though, due to massive delays with the Eurofighter's development: In 2002, Austria had already selected the Typhoon as its new "Phase II" air defense aircraft, having beaten the F-16 and the Saab Gripen in competition, and its introduction had been expected to occur from early 2005 on, so that the Lightnings could be gradually phased out. The purchase of 18 Typhoons was agreed on 1 July 2003, but it would take until 12 July 2007 that the first Typhoon would eventually be delivered to Zeltweg Air Base and formally enter service with the Austrian Air Force. This operational gap had to be bridged with twelve F-5E leased from Switzerland for EUR 75 mio., so that Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties for the Austrian airspace could be continued.

General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 55 ft 3 in (16.84 m)
Wingspan: 34 ft 10 in (10.62 m)
Height: 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m)
Wing area: 474.5 sq ft (44.08 m²)
Empty weight: 31,068 lb (14,092 kg) with armament and no fuel
Gross weight: 41,076 lb (18,632 kg) with two AIM-9B, cannon, ammunition, and internal fuel
Max takeoff weight: 45,750 lb (20,752 kg)

Powerplant:
2× Rolls-Royce Avon 301R afterburning turbojet engines,
12,690 lbf (56.4 kN) thrust each dry, 16,360 lbf (72.8 kN) with afterburner

Performance:
Maximum speed: Mach 2.27 (1,500 mph+ at 40,000 ft)
Range: 738 nmi (849 mi, 1,367 km)
Combat range: 135 nmi (155 mi, 250 km) supersonic intercept radius
Range: 800 nmi (920 mi, 1,500 km) with internal fuel
1,100 nmi (1,300 mi; 2,000 km) with external overwing tanks
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)
Zoom ceiling: 70,000 ft (21,000 m)
Rate of climb: 20,000 ft/min (100 m/s) sustained to 30,000 ft (9,100 m)
Zoom climb: 50,000 ft/min
Time to altitude: 2.8 min to 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
Wing loading: 76 lb/sq ft (370 kg/m²) with two AIM-9 and 1/2 fuel
Thrust/weight: 0.78 (1.03 empty)

Armament:
2× 30 mm (1.181 in) ADEN cannon with 120 RPG in the lower fuselage
2× forward fuselage hardpoints for a single AIM-9 Sidewinder AAM each
2× underwing hardpoints for 1.000 lb (454 kg) each
2× overwing pylon stations for 2.000 lb (907 kg each),
typically occupied with 260 imp gal (310 US gal; 1,200 l) ferry tanks

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 BAC 'Lightning' F.Mk.56; ,06' of the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) Fliegerregiment 2, 1. Staffel; Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser (Zeltweg, Austria), 1999 (What-if/modified Hasegawa kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

A "What-if" model in the purest sense, since this model depicts what could really have been: ex Saudi-Arabian export BAC Lightnings over the Austrian Alps! However, refurbished Saab J 35D Draken made the race (and later followed by the Eurofighter Typhoon at "Stage 2"), so that this Lightning remains fictional. It does not look bad in the "Egypt One" paint scheme, though, better than expected!