Lightning F.2A 92Sqdn, new Airfix kit

sneaking in under thew wire as my last build of 2013. Airfix's new Lightning F.2A in the markings of 92Sqdn at RAF Gutersloh in the early 70's. Apart from a needle for a pitot, what you see here is straight from the box, decals and all. The finish is Gaianotes EX-07 Silver thinned with Gaia Metal Master thinner, and then panels picked out in Gaia mixes, Mr Color, Alclad and some Tamiya AS-12 bare metal decanted into the airbrush. Rest of paints are Mr Color and some Vallejo for detail work, all applied over a base of well micromeshed Tamiya fine surface primer sprayed straight from the can after warming slightly in warm water.

Decals are from the kit, and are printed by Cartograph so you know they're good - I tried to apply every single stencil and more or less managed it, but it was a three-evening job! Looking at pics the aircraft were very well maintained in this scheme, so there's barely any weathering and no panel wash - the reflections off the metal highlight the panels just fine I reckon. It had a couple light coats of Vallejo satin varnish after decals, polished in between.

I wanted to represent an aircraft tucking up the U/C immediately after take off and before the pull into the vertical, when it's still accelerating hard - this always look like the most powerful pose for an aircraft like this to me. I had to extend the main oleos to show the weight off, but the nose wheel didn't look too far away from reality so I left it. There's a touch of artistic licence here - the main U/C on the Lightning tucks away before the nose begins cycling, but I've shown the nose starting to retract a second or two early just for effect. I'll spend more time on the missiles next time as well - the nose doesn't fit all that well, so more work will be needed for a good looking Firestreak, but it's not too shabby. The base is one from the Hasegawa Typhoon kit, modified and deepened with 2mm plastic sheet, with all the holes filled and polished and used as a master for an RTV mould to cast the base in resin. Now I have an endless supply of bases whenever I want them! The pole is 4mm brass tube.

7 additional images. Click to enlarge.