Phantom and Lightning - Very, Very Phrightning

[CammNut]

This creation is based on a profile here on Whatifmodellers by member ysi_maniac (Carlos Marin).

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=29716.720#topic-5

So this build is dedicated to his inspirational creativity - the BAC Sea Lightning FAW.1



By the middle of the 1960s, UK combat aircraft procurement plans were in disarray. The Royal Navy had withdrawn from the Hawker P.1154 program in 1964 and in 1965 the new Labour government canceled both the P.1154 and the BAC TSR.2 programs. The Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force were both to receive the McDonnell F-4K/M and the RAF the General Dynamics F-111K, both US designs. The F-111K was cancelled in 1968, leaving just the F-4K/M and depriving UK industry of much-needed work to Anglicise the US design.

UK industry rebelled. A compromise was reached. Hawker Siddeley's Brough plant would support the RAF's F-4Ms while the FAA's F-4Ks were canceled and BAC was awarded a contract to develop a version of the Lightning as a carrier-based interceptor. There was one stipulation by the Royal Navy: BAC had to work with McDonnell and Westinghouse to equip the Sea Lightning with the F-4K's AWG-11 weapon system and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile.

BAC combined the US weapon system with its existing work on a variable-geometry wing for a proposed F.7 version of the Lightning for the RAF. The result was the Sea Lightning FAW.1. To avoid the cost and time for a clean-sheet redesign, the aircraft that emerged was essentially a variable-geometry Lightning with the F-4's forward fuselage grafted on. Not elegant, but functional.

The Lightning's reheated Rolls-Royce Avon engines were modernised and further uprated. The redesign also provided more room for fuel inside the aircraft, somewhat alleviating the Lightning's critical lack of endurance.

The Sea Lightning had a short service life, and was retired at the end of the 1970s when the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers were decommissioned. The RAF did not want to take on the orphan fleet, so the aircraft were scrapped.




The donor kits are Airfix's new-tool 1/72 Lightning and Phantom, combined with Freightdog's Lightning variable-geometry wing set. The decals are from the Phantom and Lightning kits.




Compared with Carlos' original profile, the Phantom forward fuselage was a little shallow, hence the dip where the Lightning's spine fairs into the Phantom's cockpit. But otherwise they fitted quite well together.

[JayBee]

Now that can only be seen as a fantastic build, from a fantastic idea.
    

[dwomby]

Not just impressive modelling but an impressive backstory.  I like it!     

David

[Glenn Gilbertson]

Brutally beautiful!  

[kerick]

Great build! I bet the pilots were happy to hav a little more head room!

[PR19_Kit]

Oh yes! That's one SUPERB cross-kit job! 

Love the whole thing, the idea, the build and the backstory. 

[Captain Canada]

So weird but also so cool ! Then again, anything in that paint scheme would look good lol.

[Rick Lowe]

Nicely done! 

[Wardukw]

I second Rick ...very nicely done 

[63cpe]

Awesome kitbash. What a feat to combine these kits in one. Must have been quite a struggle. But you managed it very good. Congrats!

David aka 63CPE

[TomZ]

Looks absolutely wonderful!

TomZ

[rickshaw]

Nice!   

[DogfighterZen]

I support the words that were here written before mine with a "Wow..."
Great stuff, CammNut!   

[NARSES2]

Tremendous kitbash      I particularly like the underside view for some reason

[Gondor]

I bet you went though a lot of filler with that.

Gondor