crobinsonh Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Hi, This is an overview of a WIP I have over on Britmodeller. This is using a Whirlybird Lightning T5 Conversion with a Trumpy F1a/F3 Lightning. I am actually converting it to a Lighting T4 as I really want to build this one: http://www.lpgestore.com/english-electric-lightnings.asp?prdid=103 http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1056932/ Quick shot of the conversion. New scratched IP as the T4 was very different to the T5. Side consoles. Placed alongside the modified F1a/F3 Trumpy fuselage - extension piece fitted, area at the rear been smoothed out by the engines and the top spine removed and sanded to the correct shape and is ready for re-fixing at a later date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crobinsonh Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 Work on the inside on the intakes and fitting the Aires bullet and front U/C bay The conversion provides a correctly shaped intake as the Trumpy one is to circular And with additional details fitted to the side consoles and work started on the seats (these need a lot of love). BIG ASK - Does anyone have photographs of the cockpit rear bulkhead as I need to scratch build this as the one in the conversion is a little to crude as can be seen here: NukerDan and Starfighter 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony in NZ Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Wow, fantastic work, now thats modeeling. I love your cockpit. You are a master at scratchbuilding!! Awesome job Cheers Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 (edited) Very nice Colin - Being an ex-5 Sqn Lightning man myself, I am going to be very biased and say that I like this aircraft - a lot!I was lucky enough to get a flight in one of these back in early 1982 before I left RAF Binbrook (5 Sqn Lightning T.5 XS457 'AT'). I have a few (not fantastic) photographs somewhere - one of which shows a little of the area behind the seat that you are looking for (I took it as I was climbing into the aircraft), so I shall scan them for you when I can find them.Your build looks brilliant so far (and pretty quickly by the looks of it too). I do recall that there really is very little room in that cockpit and to say that it is 'cosy' is an understatement (the canopy touched the top of my helmet when it closed, and I am a relatively short person!)...You were definately rubbing shoulders with the pilot in that aircraft.Anyhow, sorry for the 'sand bag' stories already; keep up the brilliant work. CheersDerek Edited February 20, 2014 by Derek B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 I posted this on Britmodeller sometime back in 2007, so it will give you an idea of what I mean - if you need anything else, let me know. Best regards Derek There seems to be no shortage of EE Lightning posts on these forums, so, as it's Christmas, I thought that I'd 'pull up a sandbag' tale for you all. Back in '81, whilst I was serving as a Survival Equipment Fitter at RAF Binbrook, I was attached to 5 Sqn (Lightnings) as a Flying Clothing specialist. After badgering the aircrew for sometime for a 'trip' in a Lightning, they finally relented and put me on the list for one. In due course, my name came to the top of the list, and I carried out everything required to undertake such a trip (medical, safety briefings, etc). This was about November '81 at this stage. On the day, I was strapped into the aircraft (a Ligtning T.5 of 5 Sqn), and awaited the pilot (Flt Lt Dick 'Chatts' Chatterton). He promptly jumped in, tried to start the aircraft about five times (I think that you were officially only allowed about three attempts), but it wouldn't start. He then just as promptly vacated the aircraft and jumped into another single seat Lightning and took off, leaving me still strapped into the T-Bird! Anyhow, the flight was rescheduled, and once more, I found myself strapped into a 5 Sqn Lightning T.5 (XS457, 'T') during late Feb/early March 1982 - it had snowed at Binbrook, but the runway had been cleared. This time, everything went well (I'm not particularly tall, and I remember the canopy closing on top of my helmet - and the warning from the pilot to keep my knee clear of the r/t switch on the throttle due to the bulkiness of the immersion suits we had to wear - that's how small a Lightning cockpit is!), and a pairs take off with another 5 Sqn F.3 ensued (the Lightnings accelerate very quickly with full reheat - it is very similar to the feeling you have in a high performance sports car or motorcycle). We carried out a 45 minute radar acquisition sortie at medium and low levels over the North Sea before returning to Binbrook. It was a flight of a lifetime for me. The weather was murky and overcast, with occasional hazy sunshine trying to break through (pretty typical Binbrook weather really), but I still loved every minute of it. One thing I do recall is how it felt when the 'burners' were lit. We were about 150ft above sea level, and we needed to climb to about 15,000ft to carry out the medium altitude phase of the radar run (basically, 'head in' the scope, looking for the other Lightning). Chatts said 'we'll just plug in the reheat and in not too many seconds, we should be at 15,000ft!'. I braced myself for a 'kick in the pants'...nothing more seemed to happen other than a high pitch up angle and all of the cockpit dials really whizzing around fast!. The acceleration was very smooth and linier (it took about 10 seconds). I also recall, as we passed over the fish docks in Grimsby, that the undercarriage was lowered, and when it locks, it locks with a real thump and trim change. The landing was firm, but controlled (no worse than on of the heavier landings experienced in a normal airliner), and the drag produced by the braking parachute was very noticeable. Not long afterwards (that Summer), I was posted onto the Red Arrows (RAFAT) at RAF Kemble - but that's another story. So, below is a montage of pictures from that day (my apologies for the small size and quality of these pictures). The bottom picture of a LTF Lightning T.5 on it's belly was not my aircraft flight! - it was a training flight in which the QFI inadvertantly caught the cokpit undercarriage up selection lever in the cuff of his immersion suit when he selected the flaps up. He tried to 'fly it off the ground' in reheat when he realised what was hppening, but it was too late by then. Enjoy Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big matt Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Your scratching is fantastic! I really like it and the cockpit is awesome. I am very much looking forward to seeing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F16 Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 On 5/19/2011 at 6:26 PM, crobinsonh said: Work on the inside on the intakes and fitting the Aires bullet and front U/C bay The conversion provides a correctly shaped intake as the Trumpy one is to circular And with additional details fitted to the side consoles and work started on the seats (these need a lot of love). BIG ASK - Does anyone have photographs of the cockpit rear bulkhead as I need to scratch build this as the one in the conversion is a little to crude as can be seen here: Try at http://www.scottbouch.com/English-Electric-Lightning-T5-cockpit.html F16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crobinsonh Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 Wow - great find. Not seen that resource before. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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