AIRFIX A09178 Manual
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Print Page1/48 SCALE MODEL CONSTRUCTION KIT
A09178
English Electric Lightning F.2A/F.6
Following the first flight of the English Electric P1 in 1954 the production
Lightning F1 was in squadron service with the RAF by the end of 1960; a
rapid pace of development saw the F1A, F2 and F3 in full service by 1964.
Much as the Mach 2+ Lightning was a quantum leap in capability for the
RAF, with its superb rate of climb, high altitude performance and missile armament
all being more than welcomed, it was known from the start that the type would have
some limitations; the main one was its short range and endurance and the air
refuelling capability introduced for the FIAand later variants did partially offset these
problems. Use of the Red Top missile for the F3 had already seen one major change
in the external appearance by way of an enlarged fin; some other external changes
had also been tested on early Lightnings, not only as proposals for RAF aircraft, but
also to assist with selling the type to overseas customers, where long range and
endurance were vital factors if sales were to be successful. It was proposed that F3
airframes be modified to carry a much larger ventral fuel tank, have enlarged wing
surfaces in order to maintain performance and also be capable of carrying specially
designed overwing fuel tanks and pylons. Sixteen such conversions were made to
F3A/lnterim F6 standards and another nine converted to full F6 standards. In
addition, 38 F6s were built, these being the last new production variant for the RAF,
although the final version to enter service was the similar F2A, as referred to below.
The interim Lightning F6s first entered operational service with No 5 Squadron at
Binbrook in November 1965 and from April 1967 they, along with No 11 Squadron
at Leuchars, reequipped with full production standard F6s. From August 1966 No 74
Squadron at Leuchars became the first unit to reequip with full production standard
F6s; it deployed to RAF Tengah, Singapore, in June 1967 and disbanded in August
1971, its F6s going to Akrotiri in Cyprus to reequip No 56 Squadron. The deletion of
the nose guns in the Lightning F3 and F6 had been regretted for some time, as RAF
pilots now lacked the ability to partake in close-in air ccr-:a: :-= - -;
-•-_- ' ~-~"
many F6s had the forward bay of the large ventral fuel tank replaces r> a :-a - "' i :
mm cannons, although F3s were not retrofitted with nose guns. Consideration had
already been given to upgrading the front line capabilities of Nos 19 and 92
Squadrons at Giitersloh in RAF Germany, which were still equipped with Lightning
F2s. From 1968, these were gradually withdrawn to the UK for conversion simi.ar to
F6 standards. Engines were upgraded to Avon 211s and the enlarged fin. wings and
ventral tank were fitted, together with some equipment updates; in-flight refuelling
probes were often carried. Some items were not changed; nose cannons were
retained, as were the Firestreak AAMs. The F2A did not use Red Top AAMs, and the
fuselage cable ducts remained at their original lengths; nor were overwing fuel tanks
carried, or the pair of 30 mm cannons that were later fitted in the forward ventral
tank of the F6. From mid 1972 the F2As received a unique toned-down camouflage
of matt dark green over the upper surfaces. A total of 31 F2s were converted to F2A
standards and these aircraft of Nos 19 and 92 Squadrons continued to provide the
quick reaction defence of RAF Germany until 1977. No 23 Squadron at Leuchars
used Lightning F6sfrom May 1968 until it disbanded at the end of 1975. In May 1974
No 111 Squadron received three F6s for a few weeks before it disbanded as a
Lightning unit in September, which month also saw No 56 Squadron disband. It was
left to Nos 5 and 11 Squadron along with the Lightning Training Flight at Binbrook
to carry on as the sole operators of the type for another ten years before their
retirement in 1988. From the early 1980s several Lightnings (the remaining F3s, T5s
and F6s) had their drab green/grey camouflage replaced by the air defence greys
schemes.
Length: 16.82m Wingspan: 10.61m Speed: Mach 2+
Armament: 2 x Firestreak
or Red Top AAM 2 x 30mm cannons (F2A)
Apres le premier vol de I'English Electric P1 en 1954, le Lightning F1 de
production entra au service des escadrilles de la RAF vers la fin de I'annee
1960 ; grace a un developpement rapide, le F1A, le F2 et le F3 entraient
en plein service des 1964. Meme si le Lightning Mach 2+ representa un
bond prodigieux au niveau des capacites de la RAF, avec sa superbe Vitesse
ascensionnelle, ses excellentes performances en haute altitude et son armement en
missiles (des atouts non negligeables a I'epoque), on sut des le debut que le modele
aurait des limitations, notamment sa faible autonomie et son endurance restreinte ;
a capacite de ravitaillement en vol introduite pour les F1A et les modeles ulterieurs
"e :ompensa que partiellement ces problemes. L'utilisation du missile Red Top pour
•e F3 avail deja introduit un changement important au niveau de I'aspect externe
a.ec une derive agrandie. Quelques autres changements externes avaient
6-:aiement ete testes sur les premiers Lightning, non seulement en tant que
propositions pour I'avion de la RAF mais egalement pour promouvoir la vente du
-odele aux clients etrangers dans le cadre de laquelle une grande autonomie et
e-3urance etaient des facteurs vitaux pour le succes. On suggera la modification de
a cellule F3 pour porter un plus gros reservoir de carburant ventral ainsi que
a g randissement de la voilure pour maintenir les performances et pour que I'appareil
suisse porter des pylones et des reservoirs specialement congus et fixes sur la
sartie superieure de I'aile. Seize de ces conversions furent
construites
ic^-'ormement aux normes F3A/F6 provisoire et neuf autres appareils furent
:crvertis aux normes completes F6. De plus, 38 F6 furent construits, ces appareils
;:a~t ies derniers nouveaux modeles de production pour la RAF, meme si le dernier
-noddle a entrer au service de la RAF fut le similaire F2A, auquel il est fait reference
c-dessous.
Le Lightning F6 provisoire entra en service avec I'escadrille No 5 a Binbrook en
Tovembre 1965 qui, a partir d'avril 1967, fut reequipe de F6 de production, tout
comme I'escadrille No 11 a Leuchars. A partir d'aout 1966, I'escadrille No 74 a
Leuchars devint la premiere unite a etre reequipee de F6 de production ; elle fut
deployee a la RAF Tengah, Singapour en juin 1967 et fut dissoute en aout 1971, ses
F6 expedies a Akrotiri a Chypre pour reequiper I'escadrille No 56. La suppression
des canons dans le nez des Lightning F3 et F6 etait regrettee depuis quelque temps
car les pilotes de la RAF n'avaient desormais plus la possibility de participer a un
entralnement au combat aerien rapproche. A partir de 1971, la bale avant du gros
reservoir de carburant ventral de nombreux F6 fut remplacee par une paire de
canons de 30 mm, tandis que les F3 ne furent pas reequipes de canons de nez. On
avait deja envisage d'ameliorer les capacites de premiere ligne des escadrilles No
19 et No 92 a RAF Gutersloh en Allemagne, qui etaient encore equipees de
Lightning F2. A partir de 1968, ces avions furent progressivement retires au
Royaume-Uni pour etre convertis en appareils similaires aux normes F6. Les
moteurs furent supplantes par des Avon 211 et les appareils furent equipes d'une
derive, d'une voilure et d'un reservoir ventral plus grands ; parmi certaines
modernisations, des sondes de ravitaillement en vol etaient souvent transportees.
Certaines caracteristiques ne furent pas changees ; les canons de nez furent
conserves, tout comme les missiles air-air Firestreak. Le F2A n'etait pas equipe de
missiles air-air Red Top et les gaines de cables du fuselage furent conservees 3 leur
longueur d'origine ; il en fut de meme pour les reservoirs fixes sur les ailes ainsi que
la paire de canons de 30 mm qui fut ulterieurement montee sur le reservoir ventral
avant du F6. A partir de la mi-1972, les surfaces superieures des F2A furent
revetues d'un camouflage attenue vert fonce mat. Au total, 31 F2 furent convertis
aux normes F2A et ces appareils au service des escadrilles No 19 et No 92
continuerent a assurer la defense rapide de la RAF en Allemagne jusqu'en 1977.
L'escadrille No 23 a Leuchars utilisa des Lightning F6 a partir de mai 1968 jusqu'a
sa dissolution vers la fin 1975. En mai 1974, I'escadrille No 111 recut trois F6 qu'elle
utilisa pendant quelques semaines avant sa dissolution en tant qu'unite Lightning en
septembre ; mois qui vit egalement la dissolution de I'escadrille No 56. Seules les
escadrilles No 5 et No 11 et I'escadrille d'entratnement sur Lightning a Binbrook
continuerent a utiliser le modele pendant encore une dizaine d'annees avant sa mise
a la retraite en 1988. A partir du debut des annees 1980, le camouflage vert/gris
terne de plusieurs Lightning (les F3, T5 el F6 restants) fut remplace par les coloris
grises de defense aerienne.
Length: 16.82m Wingspan: 10.61m Speed: Mach 2+
Armament: 2 x Firestreak
or Red Top AAM 2 x 30mm cannons (F2A)
HORNBY-
PLEASE NOTE: Some parts in the kit may not be required to build the model.
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