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Scott Nelson
130 articles

A Lightning Build

October 26, 2014 · in Aviation · · 15 · 1.8K

The eighth model I've finished this year, this is the old F Mk. 6 in scale. The kit parts fit together quite well but, detail is lacking by today's standards. The intake has almost no depth, the cockpit not much more than a plain seat and the exhaust area is one large opening. I built the kit out of the box in about two weeks (which is exceptionally fast for me) and was quite pleased with the outcome.

Originally, I painted the plane with no shading using Tamiya colors. But, when I was finished it looked quite boring. To improve the look I post shaded with weathering powders along the raised panel lines. I think the effect looks better in the photos than it does in person.

Now if I could just get my hands on the Airfix 1/72 Lightning...

Reader reactions:
2  Awesome

5 additional images. Click to enlarge.


15 responses

  1. Good work Scott. The weathering turned out very well. Great rescue of an old kit!

  2. I don't think you can go wrong with a Lightning on this site, Scott, and you've certainly not gone wrong with this one! Nice pictures.

  3. Very nice Scott. The Lightning always looks good in any scheme. Well done!

  4. Great work on this old kit Scott, looking very nice. It is good to see, that old kits still have friends and they can be done with a very good result.
    Thumbs up.

    • Thanks Bernd. I like those old kits every now and then. I'm working on an old Heller Bf 108 at the moment. And I just picked up a UCP (FROG) Barracuda I'm looking forward to making as well.

      • Good luck on these kits, i had the Bf 108 build nearly 20 years ago. The older Heller kits are very nice for their age. Got a Frog Hornet and a Beaufort as well.
        I guess you will produce another stunner 🙂

  5. Good effort, Scott. Painting nicely rendered.

  6. I concur with the masses, Scott...well done build. I was (and still am) always curious as to why the external fuel tanks were mounted on top of the wing rather than under it as is the case with conventional designs.

    • Thanks Craig. I think the fuel tanks were put on top because the landing gear take up most of the underwing space. A hard point outboard of the landing struts was probably impractical.

  7. Nice Scott, as above comments.
    8 builds this year, better than I .
    Well done mate.

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