English Electric Lightning advice needed!

[Guest]

I've been handed a box of bits by my daughter's boyfriend, containing a half built 1/72 Airfix E E Lighting F2A, asking if I can finish it and paint it! I'm happy to give it a go, but a little wary, as it is out of my comfort zone really, but hey, nothing ventured etc...
 Below is a shot of the 'planes that his grandfather used to work on, and he is looking to make it as close to this as possible. What I need is info as to where I can get a decal sheet that will do for this. The supplied ones are quite different, as His Grandfather worked on these in the very early days. I'm already bricking it at the thought of a metal finish, let alone finding a display stand for it. Can anyone please point me to a place where I can get a decal sheet for this??





Cheers!

[Guest]

Maybe try Hannants John.


My dad used to work on building the Lightning.

[Guest]

Just type in ee lightning in the search section then scroll down and on the left side is product type,just click aircraft decals.

[yak face]

Im by no means a lightning expert john but if your daughters boyfriend wants it to look like the ones in the pic then the kit hes given you is totally different . The pics look like mk1 or 2 lightnings , with ghe triangular fin and straight wing leading edge. The kit is an f2a , a much later mark with a flat topped fin and cambered wing. Your only options for a mk 1 in 1/72 is the ancient airfix kit . If its just a silver f mk2a he wants then as ralph says hannants should have some aftermarket decals. Hope this helps cheers tony

[Guest]

Sure, I appreciate its the wrong model, in principle, but its for a birthday on 30th July, and I'm off to a festival on thursday, so it's just gonna have to be this kit, in Silver with the older markings! I have already built a vampire this weekend, to practice the silver coating on, so I'll have a look at Hannants and see what I can find!


Thanks to both of you for your swift input!

[Guest]

Just type in ee lightning in the search section then scroll down and on the left side is product type,just click aircraft decals.

Brilliant - xtradecal sheet ordered! (though half the cost of the kit !).

[yak face]

Glad you got it sorted john, what are you using for the nat metal finish?

[Guest]

well, having trawled through YouTube for demos of various stuff, and reading papa695's Sabre build log, I am hedging my bets, have ordered some AK True Metal colour, as it looks very interesting, AND some Vallejo Metal colour, on the basis of Ian's beautiful Sabre build. As said before, I have built a Vampire as a test piece, and will try both. Clean pants? Let's hope so...

[rickoshea52]

I used Vallejo Metal colours on my Lightning, they're good and easy to use but from my limited experience they are not as good as Alclad.

[yak face]

I really like the vallejo metal color paints, ive tried all sorts and found these to suit me best. I had good looking results from model air metallics but found they werent very resistant to handling until they had had a coat of Klear - which dulled down the finish. The new metal colors are extremely hardwearing , even before the clear varnish , which doesnt really affect the shine. 

[Guest]

I really like the vallejo metal color paints, ive tried all sorts and found these to suit me best. I had good looking results from model air metallics but found they werent very resistant to handling until they had had a coat of Klear - which dulled down the finish. The new metal colors are extremely hardwearing , even before the clear varnish , which doesnt really affect the shine. 

Well, I'm intrigued to try it, and, incidentally, in my impatience I decided to see what sort of finish I could get hand brushing Vallejo aluminium model air! I brushed the first coat, 5 drops of paint to two drops of flow-enhancer, let it dry for a couple of hours (told you I was impatient) and gave it a second coat, same as the first but with two drops of water. To say I was pleasantly surprised, would be an understatement!

[eddiesolo]

Just missed out by been late  I am just in the middle of creating some decals using decal sheet for someone else, I could have a go for you.


Glad you got it sorted though John.

[Guest]

Am very interested in this Si, how well do they work, compared, say, to commercial ones (whose quality diversity never ceases to surprise me!). I'm a dab hand with Illustrator and Photoshop, so if it reall works, there's a world of fun to be had!

[eddiesolo]

Am very interested in this Si, how well do they work, compared, say, to commercial ones (whose quality diversity never ceases to surprise me!). I'm a dab hand with Illustrator and Photoshop, so if it reall works, there's a world of fun to be had!

I am just doing doing a first run in 1/16 scale for someones tanks, including German helmet decals-I will be using these if...and it is a big if, they come out okay. 


Ones printed on the paper I shall leave for 30 mins and then give three coats of thin matt lacquer to seal the surface, once these have dried I shall cut out and have a try...fingers crossed they will work okay. Will keep you informed John. 

[Guest]

Brilliant. I'll keep an ear open!