This is my attempt at the great lightning kit from Airfix, (it is also my first attempt at a natural metal finish).  All in all I am quite pleased with this effort though I must confess this model was built many years ago!  My technique has improved a great deal since then!!  On to the model then.  Many reviews have been written about this kit so I can really add nothing new except that I used the Reheat cockpit set (highly recommended) and replaced the intake ring with a metal one (Aeroclub I think). 

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Decals are all custom made and from various other kits.  The aircraft depicted here was one that holds many powerful memories for me as it was the machine that I was given a thorough tour of at RAF wattisham in early 1971 as an air cadet.  It made a huge impression on this 14 year old particularly as 3 of us were given a private demonstration of this deafening monster by a Flt Lt Mason (God bless you).  Nothing like standing 30 ft away from the runway at the point of rotation of one of these beasts as it blasts into a full reheat ear shattering 'lightning climb'.  Sadly the aircraft was written off a few months later on the 7/10/71 when it failed to get airborne on take off for a routine CAP  and was crash landed back onto the runway.  (pilot uninjured).

The finish I tried was SnJ and various shades of Alclad.  Metal finishes are a labour of love and time intensive but the end results are usually worth it.  My real interest is Soviet heavy metal so you can imagine the amount of metal finishing that I do!!!! (I am in the middle of doing the Amodel 3M bison ,GOTT IN HIMMEL.... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!)  This is my first submission on this great site and I hope this is of interest to some of you.

Thanks for looking.....

Andy

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