T2B Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 When Airfix originally released the new TSR.2 there was spectualtion that during flight testing the Lightning F.1A was used as a 'chase plane' and the TSR.2 was able to keep up on only 1 engine which was depicted on the box artwork of the 1st release of the TSR.2. However my recent research would indicate this is probably mythe. However having completed a couple of the new tool Lightnings in F.2A & F.6 guise I decided to do an F.1A conversion and then recreate the TSR.2 box artwork. Fortunately I had all the kits needed in my loft stash.The first task was to cut down the squared fin of my new tool F.2A to replicate the curved shape of the earlier F.1A. This was relatively easy as the new tool plastic is soft and easy to work with and using the fin part from a 1980's F.1A as a template (fig.1).The next task was to complete the interior by simply following the standard intstructions but anyone who has completed a new tool lightning will known you have to spend several minutes trimming and sanding on the air intake tunnels to allow the fuselage halves around the cockpit to close correctly.Prior to fixing the fuselage halves together the larger ventral fuel tank was cut from the later version F.2A (figs 2 & 3/media/tinymce_upload/388a1af971135854028c0463256cb7fd.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/507a78265b1b214456a63de1df852a38.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/7b9b6ca213cce59bbb6d96b55626c82b.JPG) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 I was a touch confused here, until I realised that you're working in 1/72 scale and not 1/48th!Now looking forward to the next update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 9, 2016 Author Share Posted November 9, 2016 Yes sorry its in 1:72nd scale which I what I concentrate on especially with my aircraft & AFV's, in fact I only have 1 completed 1:48th scale model (Hawker Fury) and a Me109E in 1:24th scale. And if you hadn't guessed I'm new to this forum and this is the first project I have posted.Now to continue the build I cemented the old tool F.1A fuselage halves together and when dry I removed the ventral fuel tank bulge which was easier than I expected. Yes I too had second thoughts about destroying an original tool kit (stamped AIRFIX PRODUCT 1980 inside the fuselage half) but I decided that hopefully the end result would be worth it. (figs.4 & 5)I then made rapid progress in making 4/5 bulheads in order to place a length of plastic card over the now open lower fuselage of the new tool kit, and replicate the correct panel curve. I used the kit bulhead from the rear of the air intakes as a template and cut several new ones from plastic card. (fig. 6)These new bulheads were placed and cemented at roughly equal spaces along the void (figs 7 & 8) and left to dry/media/tinymce_upload/f7dfec56f9952beaec22694f5b68148e.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/a2a4fe5cee039843c35b4be1f4a9c9e1.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/3f6676d3d7d1e99f45914f839dd2e822.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/02299246bf233a7f3a35bf87208756f1.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/0196c65246d13f1bcd6dfc33aa784bfa.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rael Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Wow, very inventive! Ilook forward to seeing further posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 10, 2016 Author Share Posted November 10, 2016 The next stage was to cut a thin sheet of plastic card in the shape of the lower fuselage and bend it over the additional bulheads I had fitted. After the cuts were made the plastic sheet was glued along on long edge and allowed to dry before it was bent over the bulheads and held in place with masking tape and elastic bands.The only major issue I had was now, with using such a thin sheet of card which would bend easily it had melted in small areas due to the glue (possibly a little to much) and distorted between the bulheads to look like buckled deck plates. Therefore, once the smaller F.1A ventral fuel tank was glued in place, I had to use alot more filler than I had really wanted or expected to.The runway arrester hook recess was also filled as my research suggested this item wasn't fitted until the later F.6 variant. The fuselage was protected with masking tape other than the areas to be sanded to protect the recessed panel lines as I didn't want to ruin them. I was so keen to get on with the build I forgot to photograph some of these stages until the sanding was basically complete (fig. 9)/media/tinymce_upload/022326ad479615e80abb7ffda6c51d6d.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 10, 2016 Author Share Posted November 10, 2016 I have a spare belly plate from a new tool Folland Gnat kit which makes an ideal template to create the two stand holes (fig. 10) /media/tinymce_upload/e0caccd87b7b666a4b305566f6a982d5.JPGwhich I then made in the ventral tank in order to display the model when finished (with the TSR.2) as I thought the new fuselage plate/card would be too weak to support the weight of the finished model.The rest of the build is really 'straight from the box' so I won't bore you with the details until near completion (err which won't be long as I have been concentrating on the build rather than doing this post) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Mediocre Modeller Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Good work so far T2B, don't forget the wings are different aswell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 Thank you PMM but I decided that in trying to remove the 'kink' from the wing I could ruin it so its an inaccurracy I'll have to live with, but compared to the totally different fin or ventral fuel tanks, the difference in the wings is comparatively slight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 The build is nearing completion with the paint and panel wash working out well. I used the stensils from the Airfix decal sheet but the RAF & Squadron markings were provided by XTRADECAL but it still reprented a 111 Sqdn aircraft just like the original Airfix F.1A issue. The dozens of small stensils are tedious to apply but WOW with patience they make a much more professional and authentic model when completed. The conversion is almost complete now just waiting to put it all together and apply the finishing touches, missiles etc. I think the new fuselage panel and smaller ventral fuel tank have blended in well (fig.11).Hopefully I can post images of the completed model within the next day or two/media/tinymce_upload/6a8aa001767416647de3c3ff814bd38c.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Mediocre Modeller Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 In the 80's I did a similar conversion as you, using the Airfix F1A and the Matchbox T55 to get a T5, cutting the whole tank and lower fuselage off the F1A and grafting onto the T55. I to left the kinked wings and it's bugged me ever since, especially as I left the overwing tanks on and I had a set of straight wings in the spares box from the same scraped F1A. I still have the wings and Lightning so I might get round to putting it right one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 I have the orginal F.1A straight wings from the Airfix kit but they appear out of scale and the moulds are truely awful compared to the new tool items so using these wasn't an option. I have also found some images on the net (whatever did we do without it lol) and the difference between the two wings appears negligible so hopefully this issue wont detract from the finished model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Leeman Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Great work on that conversion! I did a similar thing with a Matchbox kit and an Airfix F1a ventral tank!I always thought the TSR2 chase plane on the box artwork was a two seater T4? You live and learn eh? . . . Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Paul B Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 An interesting project. The TSR2 test flight story I have read is that when the afterburners were first lit on TSR2 only one of them fired up. This was still enough to leave the Lightning struggling to keep up. Looking forward to seeing the finished build as I love both of these planes and have built TSR2 and an F6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 Thank you DPB and I hope I do the aircraft justice. And yes DL you do learn something new everyday and I just have. After your post I had another look at the box artwork and having previously believed the chase plane was an F.1A, I noticed the spine behind the cockpit seemed a little 'fat' like a 2 seater! The serial on the box art shows XM968 and putting this into Google shows a Lightning T.4 Oh well I can only continue lol 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 You do know that the Lightning throttle quadrant was blanked with quarter inch square steel bar to stop pilots selecting full throttle and over-stressing the airframes? It makes the story "more probable" but explains it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 21, 2016 Author Share Posted November 21, 2016 Thanks Paws4thot I didn't know that but is an interesting 'tid-bit'. And for those wondering the Lightning F.1A is now completed and I did post my pictures of the finished conversion over the weekend but they don't seem to have loaded yet so might have to try again tonight. When they are loaded I hope you all like it cos I'm quite pleased with the finished model Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 21, 2016 Author Share Posted November 21, 2016 In case anyone is waiting I did upload the finished photos over the weekend, just waiting for Airfix to 'approve' them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 22, 2016 Author Share Posted November 22, 2016 Well the conversion is now finished and just about ready for display once the TSR is done ready to fly alongside. I have done a separate post dealing with a couple of minor issues on the TSR build.Hope my pictures of the Lightning /media/tinymce_upload/ee3e2a6e3c575f8de226d260d1246b71.JPGdo it justice./media/tinymce_upload/c2c2a7b1775af3dfcdf884cc3faf43a4.JPG /media/tinymce_upload/6c5bbc784857cd7c319987117c5ecc45.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/e69e7e0459723b63c2458f025e2ea4ea.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/392a3131094808b5271b4011c58fdfc5.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/1f59e323b625e081acbcfab39ae9eefd.JPGI would be pleased to hear what do think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Can't see the joins, and the conical camber wing doesn't show up much either.Also I like how you've correctly added a pair of drill Firestreaks (all Lightnings from F1 on should carry missiles at all times because the missiles and pylons have aerodynamic benedfits). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 22, 2016 Author Share Posted November 22, 2016 Yes thanks I was pleased how the join for the ventral tank on the new curved lower fuselage plate worked out and I decided not to worry about the slightly incorrect wing structure because as you say its hardly noticable and I thought I could probably ruin the wings for so little return. And the Firestreak missiles are straight out of the box so I can't take the credit for that and decided to include them in the build should I wish to display this F.1A alongside the F.2A & F.6 I have already completed.Now this has worked out well (I think anyway) I'm temped to do an F.3 soon as I've got an aftermarket decal set with a red/white chequed tail which looks impressive. But I'll have to purchase another Lightning first as I've now used all 3 from my stash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 I did post my pictures of the finished conversion over the weekend but they don't seem to have loaded yet so might have to try again tonight.Images have to be appoved by the Administrator and therefore it takes longer over a weekend or holiday periods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 22, 2016 Author Share Posted November 22, 2016 Yeah I guessed that Ratch but they didn't appear at all yesterday (poss my fault cos I messed about alittle when doing the post) when others did so I posted them again last night and there up there now for all to see. So what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted November 28, 2016 Author Share Posted November 28, 2016 Well after a small delay to finish of the TSR.2 model and issues with the stand due to the weight of the TSR, thye project is now finished and ready for display/media/tinymce_upload/8fde41a5dd7c4864190472799dd0b9a6.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/103221a8eda827cb913dc3c40e77725a.JPG Now what Next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 Technically O/T, but Airfix supplied a "large aircraft stand" with the Stratus 4 release of the TSR2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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