Joe's 1/72 Lightning F2A Airfix 1/72

[Dave W]

Im surprised this newish kit has fit issues. The older Airfix 1/48 kit I built a few years ago went together very well.

[flyjoe180]

Im surprised this newish kit has fit issues. The older Airfix 1/48 kit I built a few years ago went together very well.

The kit's issues are well documented. Nothing that can't be solved but undesirable in a new-gen kit.

[flyjoe180]

I bashed and sanded and filed and filled. With not a little cursing, I've got the fuselage buttoned up, the nose ring flush and the belly inserts sorted.

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Next mission will be the cockpit IP coaming. Dry fitting shows a large gap and it doesn't sit flush with the cockpit sides. Careful dry fitting of the canopy will be required to ensure no further issues.

The wings will require some packing at the roots. One wing wants to droop and the other won't sit flush with the fuselage side.

Apart from those items it looks a good or so far!

[papa 695]

Nice work so far Joe on a surprisingly troublesome kit.

[flyjoe180]

Cheers Ian. The IP coaming fits okay after testing with the canopy. It seems to sit atop the IP panel rather than aside it.

I've since installed the air brake panels and the gun nose gun panels. The air brakes required a very small thin base (I used tape) to elevate them flush with the fuselage. Wings next.

[flyjoe180]

Keeping the ball rolling slowly... No further build issues thus far, I'm keeping out of trouble.

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Landing gear components sprayed aluminium. I'm going to have to replace the long nose probe. Will look at some thin brass tube or something of that nature.
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[yak face]

Coming on great joe , i really must start mine.Love the (now mandatory )vertical shot ! Cheers tony

[dave]

looking good. I managed to break the nose probe on my Mig-21R and replaced it with brass tube and it worked fine, i just cleaned up the mount, drilled into the fuselage for a firm mount and then used a little filler to recreate the fairing.

[flyjoe180]

, i just cleaned up the mount, drilled into the fuselage for a firm mount and th

I think this is how I'll go about it too on this one Dave. Thanks for the advice, appreciate it.

[papa 695]

Looking good Joe

[flyjoe180]

Not much to add, waiting for brass tubing to replace the pitot. Wheels-up landing gear doors are temporarily tacked on ready for priming and painting, to protect the aluminium finish in the wheel wells.
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[flyjoe180]

Attempt at 'black basing', very thin matt black sprayed over the primer. Also replaced the pitot with brass tube.
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[flyjoe180]

Humbrol Metalcote Polished Aluminium applied over three light coats, there is some variation but not apparent in photos. After polishing the nose ring I noticed a weird defect (caused by me without doubt) and so I am back to a light repair. AFter this is dealt with I'll need to spray some more polished aluminium around the front of the aircraft, then mask off for the blue spine/tail and black canopy/nose area.

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Public service announcement: anyone building this scheme, note that Airfix has an error in depicting the black nose area. Photos show the black extends to the end of the polished intake ring in a curve, not a squared off per the instructions.

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[colin m]

Oh yes, it does. Too late for me.

[yak face]

Looking very shiny joe , good luck with the repair, cheers tony