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drewe manton
10 articles

Lightning F.1A, Airfix 1/72

January 19, 2014 · in Aviation · · 7 · 1.9K

Here's this weeks model. It's the new F.2A converted back to an F.1A. The tank is from a Trumpeter kit, which was cut out, reshaped, and used to cast a resin replacement. It's still all sorts of wrong really, and I have since sourced an Airfix F.3 which, being over 50 years old now, still has a much better shaped tank to use, so my next conversions will use that instead! The wings and tail were cut back from the new Airfix kit - a simple job just taking time and care, and various intakes and the like were removed.

The kit was primed with Tamiya fine surface primer, and polished with micromesh. Silver is Gaianotes EX-07 silver thinned with Metal Master thinner, two coats again micromeshed between. Various panels in alclads, Mr Colors and Tamiya AS-12 BMF silver. Red is Mr Color Red Madder. Decals are Xtradecal and kit for stencil data. A wash of medium grey oil paint and then two light coats of Vallejo satin varnish, micromeshed between. Stand is my own resin cast. Enjoy.

Reader reactions:
6  Awesome

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7 responses

  1. Drewe,
    Another superb model of the Lightening. You do excellent work.

  2. Very nice! Quite fancy one of these new Airfix kits now you've shown us a few 🙂

  3. Wow! You have done one fantastic job on this one! Why? Because you made a 1:72 scale plane look like it's a large scale one!

  4. So, practice makes perfect, eh? 🙂

    Nice work.

  5. Nice clean build. Great job on the paint finish, really a superior eye catcher.

  6. gorgeous piece of work

  7. Very nice finish on this Lightning, Drewe.

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