Trumpeter 1/32 BAC Lightning,Sprue shots. - Aircraft of World War II

ian lanc · 01-13-2009, 06:58 PM

Well Gang,

My new Trumpeter 1/32nd BAC lightning arrived today and couldn't wait to have a look at the kit

This kit can be made as either a F.1A or a F.3 it can't be made into a F6 as it has only a small under belly fuel tank, the F6 is a double fuel tank.

Vesion A - Lightning F.1A, XM174, N'56 sqd RAF Wattisham 1963 [red fin]
Version B - Lightning F3, XR711, N'111 sqd, RAF Wattesham 1965 [black/yellow fin] isn't it strange how trumpeter have copied decal versions from Airfix, surely they could have been more original.

At first glance i thought wow WOW this is going to be a big one, so i did like any ony normal or insane modeller would do and rip all of the plastic bags to have a look at this monster. You get 11 complete sprues which contain all the goods, All the panel lines are recessed and detail is quite good.

First of all i'd like say that for £90 there seems to be a lack of PE in this kit and for a scale of this size i would have expected to see some, no evidence of seat belts neither, so some belts are to be sourced, anyone know if there are PE belts for the Revell 1/32nd Hunter ?if so they will do as i think both have the same M/Baker seat.

The seat is made up of 17 components so anyone who gets this model will love making up the seat.

In the cockpit which looks very detailed indeed there are no Decals for any of the cockpit details, you do get a black film part which goes behind a clear dash part, even airfix's 1/48th Lightning has nice cockpit decals come on Trumpeter i did pay £90, call me bone but i think you can do a nice job with cockpit decals, i'll have to find my fine brushes out LOL

Had a look at the rear exhaust rings in which every body is saying there completely the wrong ! To me the don't look that bad so it won't bother me at all.

The rear exhaust tubes are moulded as one whole round unit so painting these neatly will be a pain, Airfix's Lightning are split down the middle so they can be painted with ease, just looking at the sprues i'm begining to think some parts are copied from the Airfix jobbie.

Most large Trumpeter kits i've seen have all steel undercarriage to take the weight of the finished model, well this kit has only the main undercarriage legs in steel, THE FRONT IS PLASTIC so i think this may well be a serious weak spot, seeing as there will be a ton of lead above it

Tyres are black rubber type and theres no option for flattened bulged tyres.

The Main Wings where they attach to the fusalage are very tiny indeed and don't look that strong at all and look to me that they will move like a pair of birds wings when you pick it up. Maybe they could have made 'interlocking' points like the ones fitted on 1/48th B17 Main Wings or even a main angled spar could have been added, infact i've put the two halves together and taped it all up securely and you can press the sides in

Flaps can move up/down but the aelrons are in a fixed position.

*NOTE* Trumpeter have now stopped sending out this model as a fault has been spotted on the fin flash and needs to be rectified by a new set of decals.

Box Art

Fuselage halfs, which really doesn't have any internal bracing in the middle so i think stiffeners will have to be added here !

The ''dodgy'' rear exhausts.

Weak plastc legs are supplied but i'm not using them

Very nicely detailed Fire streak/Redtop missiles, i'll still be making up the unused missiles and mounting them on a plinth.

F1 and F3 fin types are supplied.

wheel well/panel detail.

Spot the fault on the decals ??

Just to give you an idea just how big this is the other unfinished Lightning is the Airfix 1/48th kit.

Thanks for looking.

Wurger · 01-13-2009, 07:18 PM

He he he a big model , big fun, a lot of work.

Airframes · 01-13-2009, 07:50 PM

Thanks for taking the time to sort and post this review Ian.
From what you've described, it looks like a bit of a mixed bag. At £90, it's rather expensive for what you get, even discounting any PE, which, personally, I'm not that bothered about - at half that price, I MIGHT have considered it, but I think I'll give it a miss. I got the weekly update e-mail from Hannant's, and they mention the incorrect decal sheet which, judging by the shot you posted, is not just the wrong colours on the fin flash. Apparently, those Hannant's customers who pre-ordered, can either wait for the kit, or take it now, and have the new decal sheet despatched when it arrives. So, if you got it from Hannant's, you should be able to get the new sheet.
BTW, I'm not sure, but I think the seat was a MB. Mk6A, I'd have to check, but I do have some colour pics of one somewhere. It's probably just as easy, if not easier, to make your own harnesses and restraints in that scale, using either metal foil, or thin vinyl for the belt-work, and thin metal/plastic and stretched sprue for the 'furniture'. If you'd like a copy of the pic, let me know, and I'll try to find it in the Black Hole that is my 'other' reference store!
Terry.

BombTaxi · 01-13-2009, 08:26 PM

Would I be right in thinking that one of the XR711's flashes will come out with the swords 'wrong way round?'

I must admit, I am unwilling as yet to spend over 20 quid on a kit. This is partly because I am still a novice - 90 notes is a lot of money to screw up. But I also believe that there is plenty of quality stuff about in the sub 20 quid bracket to keep me entertained for a life time

I was looking at a few websites earlier today (when I should have been building the Dornier

) and was amazed what even a tenner will buy you in 1/72nd and 1/48th. I am very much looking forward to trying the larger scale when the Do217 is done.

Having said all that, that Lightning looks like a bloody nice kit and I can't wait to see some pics mate

Heinz · 01-13-2009, 11:04 PM

Thanks for the review Ian!

I love the Lightning!

Venganza · 01-14-2009, 12:24 AM

Looks great! I just wish the Trumpeter kits were a little (lot) cheaper. I don't know why they cost so much (I do know - profits) when the production costs in China can't be that much. It's just that they keep coming out with such interesting, well-done kits that people, including myself, buy them, even though we know they're overpriced. Recent Revell kits, for my tastes, are much better buys - like the He-177, the Bv-222 and the Ju-290 - all for less than $40USD when I bought them, all first-class kits and all big, especially the Bv-222. I think people need to let the folks at Trumpeter know that they would sell more kits if they just sold them a little cheaper (I plan on dropping them a line about this very kit). I'd love to have a 1/32 Lightning, as well as a 1/32 A-10 or Avenger, but I'm not willing to shell out over $100 for a kit anymore (with very rare exceptions) even if I had the money.

Venganza

Wayne Little · 01-14-2009, 06:49 AM

That's a big b*tch!...thanks for the review Ian...

badbear · 01-14-2009, 07:38 AM

I like i like but i may get the F6 when it arrives thats if i can sneak it past the wife heh heh .

Lucky13 · 01-14-2009, 08:34 AM

Good luck BD...!

ian lanc · 01-14-2009, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airframes

Thanks for taking the time to sort and post this review Ian.
From what you've described, it looks like a bit of a mixed bag. At £90, it's rather expensive for what you get, even discounting any PE, which, personally, I'm not that bothered about - at half that price, I MIGHT have considered it, but I think I'll give it a miss. I got the weekly update e-mail from Hannant's, and they mention the incorrect decal sheet which, judging by the shot you posted, is not just the wrong colours on the fin flash. Apparently, those Hannant's customers who pre-ordered, can either wait for the kit, or take it now, and have the new decal sheet despatched when it arrives. So, if you got it from Hannant's, you should be able to get the new sheet.
BTW, I'm not sure, but I think the seat was a MB. Mk6A, I'd have to check, but I do have some colour pics of one somewhere. It's probably just as easy, if not easier, to make your own harnesses and restraints in that scale, using either metal foil, or thin vinyl for the belt-work, and thin metal/plastic and stretched sprue for the 'furniture'. If you'd like a copy of the pic, let me know, and I'll try to find it in the Black Hole that is my 'other' reference store!
Terry.

Hi Terry,

I wouldn't mind seeing any colour pictures of the MB seat

The model was not from Hannants but from ''Relish models'' and graham the shop owner is to forward replacement decals as soon as they arrive, it worked out at £82.98p for the model and £6.92p 1st class recorded delivery = £89.90p.

Trumpeter 1/32 BAC Lightning F.1A/F.3

Now see how much Hannants wants !..............

Hannants - Trumpeter TU02280 - 1:32

Then theres the postage..............£6 and takes weeks to deliver.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BombTaxi

Would I be right in thinking that one of the XR711's flashes will come out with the swords 'wrong way round?'

Looking at the decals i think your right

Glad i'm doing the firebirds version.

ian.

badbear · 01-14-2009, 08:56 AM

got any pics of the vulcan .............

ian lanc · 01-14-2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badbear

got any pics of the vulcan .............

Me !

if so do you mean the 1/48th job

the Vulcan.....

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/sta...ber-16011.html (Another 'commission build' a 1/48th Avro Vulcan Bomber)

ian.

ian lanc · 01-14-2009, 10:16 AM

So what do you reckon to this for a harness !.......

Hannants - Airwaves AEC32002 - 1:32

badbear · 01-14-2009, 01:57 PM

Oh yes the 48th please ta thanks!

Airframes · 01-14-2009, 05:39 PM

Hi Ian, give me a few days and I'll dig out the pics. Should have some cockpit and detail shots of the Duxford bird too. I've got some of my own, but 95% of my stuffis on tranny, so I can't scan them!

01-13-2009, 06:58 PM	#1
ian lanc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: mansfield, nottinghamshire Posts: 445	Trumpeter 1/32 BAC Lightning,Sprue shots. Well Gang, My new Trumpeter 1/32nd BAC lightning arrived today and couldn't wait to have a look at the kit This kit can be made as either a F.1A or a F.3 it can't be made into a F6 as it has only a small under belly fuel tank, the F6 is a double fuel tank. Vesion A - Lightning F.1A, XM174, N'56 sqd RAF Wattisham 1963 [red fin] Version B - Lightning F3, XR711, N'111 sqd, RAF Wattesham 1965 [black/yellow fin] isn't it strange how trumpeter have copied decal versions from Airfix, surely they could have been more original. At first glance i thought wow WOW this is going to be a big one, so i did like any ony normal or insane modeller would do and rip all of the plastic bags to have a look at this monster. You get 11 complete sprues which contain all the goods, All the panel lines are recessed and detail is quite good. First of all i'd like say that for £90 there seems to be a lack of PE in this kit and for a scale of this size i would have expected to see some, no evidence of seat belts neither, so some belts are to be sourced, anyone know if there are PE belts for the Revell 1/32nd Hunter ?if so they will do as i think both have the same M/Baker seat. The seat is made up of 17 components so anyone who gets this model will love making up the seat. In the cockpit which looks very detailed indeed there are no Decals for any of the cockpit details, you do get a black film part which goes behind a clear dash part, even airfix's 1/48th Lightning has nice cockpit decals come on Trumpeter i did pay £90, call me bone but i think you can do a nice job with cockpit decals, i'll have to find my fine brushes out LOL Had a look at the rear exhaust rings in which every body is saying there completely the wrong ! To me the don't look that bad so it won't bother me at all. The rear exhaust tubes are moulded as one whole round unit so painting these neatly will be a pain, Airfix's Lightning are split down the middle so they can be painted with ease, just looking at the sprues i'm begining to think some parts are copied from the Airfix jobbie. Most large Trumpeter kits i've seen have all steel undercarriage to take the weight of the finished model, well this kit has only the main undercarriage legs in steel, THE FRONT IS PLASTIC so i think this may well be a serious weak spot, seeing as there will be a ton of lead above it Tyres are black rubber type and theres no option for flattened bulged tyres. The Main Wings where they attach to the fusalage are very tiny indeed and don't look that strong at all and look to me that they will move like a pair of birds wings when you pick it up. Maybe they could have made 'interlocking' points like the ones fitted on 1/48th B17 Main Wings or even a main angled spar could have been added, infact i've put the two halves together and taped it all up securely and you can press the sides in Flaps can move up/down but the aelrons are in a fixed position. NOTE Trumpeter have now stopped sending out this model as a fault has been spotted on the fin flash and needs to be rectified by a new set of decals. Box Art Fuselage halfs, which really doesn't have any internal bracing in the middle so i think stiffeners will have to be added here ! The ''dodgy'' rear exhausts. Weak plastc legs are supplied but i'm not using them Very nicely detailed Fire streak/Redtop missiles, i'll still be making up the unused missiles and mounting them on a plinth. F1 and F3 fin types are supplied. wheel well/panel detail. Spot the fault on the decals ?? Just to give you an idea just how big this is the other unfinished Lightning is the Airfix 1/48th kit. Thanks for looking. __________________ Me likey this forum, full of nice humans Last edited by ian lanc; 01-13-2009 at 07:00 PM. Reason: i'm dumb !

01-13-2009, 07:18 PM	#2
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,972	He he he a big model , big fun, a lot of work. __________________

01-13-2009, 08:26 PM	#4
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	Would I be right in thinking that one of the XR711's flashes will come out with the swords 'wrong way round?' I must admit, I am unwilling as yet to spend over 20 quid on a kit. This is partly because I am still a novice - 90 notes is a lot of money to screw up. But I also believe that there is plenty of quality stuff about in the sub 20 quid bracket to keep me entertained for a life time I was looking at a few websites earlier today (when I should have been building the Dornier ) and was amazed what even a tenner will buy you in 1/72nd and 1/48th. I am very much looking forward to trying the larger scale when the Do217 is done. Having said all that, that Lightning looks like a bloody nice kit and I can't wait to see some pics mate __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

01-13-2009, 11:04 PM	#5
Heinz Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Posts: 6,742	Thanks for the review Ian! I love the Lightning! __________________

01-14-2009, 12:24 AM	#6
Venganza Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Earth Posts: 386	Looks great! I just wish the Trumpeter kits were a little (lot) cheaper. I don't know why they cost so much (I do know - profits) when the production costs in China can't be that much. It's just that they keep coming out with such interesting, well-done kits that people, including myself, buy them, even though we know they're overpriced. Recent Revell kits, for my tastes, are much better buys - like the He-177, the Bv-222 and the Ju-290 - all for less than $40USD when I bought them, all first-class kits and all big, especially the Bv-222. I think people need to let the folks at Trumpeter know that they would sell more kits if they just sold them a little cheaper (I plan on dropping them a line about this very kit). I'd love to have a 1/32 Lightning, as well as a 1/32 A-10 or Avenger, but I'm not willing to shell out over $100 for a kit anymore (with very rare exceptions) even if I had the money. Venganza __________________ "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever." -Spinal Tap

01-13-2009, 07:50 PM	#3
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Thanks for taking the time to sort and post this review Ian. From what you've described, it looks like a bit of a mixed bag. At £90, it's rather expensive for what you get, even discounting any PE, which, personally, I'm not that bothered about - at half that price, I MIGHT have considered it, but I think I'll give it a miss. I got the weekly update e-mail from Hannant's, and they mention the incorrect decal sheet which, judging by the shot you posted, is not just the wrong colours on the fin flash. Apparently, those Hannant's customers who pre-ordered, can either wait for the kit, or take it now, and have the new decal sheet despatched when it arrives. So, if you got it from Hannant's, you should be able to get the new sheet. BTW, I'm not sure, but I think the seat was a MB. Mk6A, I'd have to check, but I do have some colour pics of one somewhere. It's probably just as easy, if not easier, to make your own harnesses and restraints in that scale, using either metal foil, or thin vinyl for the belt-work, and thin metal/plastic and stretched sprue for the 'furniture'. If you'd like a copy of the pic, let me know, and I'll try to find it in the Black Hole that is my 'other' reference store! Terry.

01-14-2009, 06:49 AM	#7
Wayne Little Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Adelaide Sth. Aust. Posts: 12,511	That's a big b*tch!...thanks for the review Ian... __________________

01-14-2009, 07:38 AM	#8
badbear Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 358	I like i like but i may get the F6 when it arrives thats if i can sneak it past the wife heh heh .

01-14-2009, 08:34 AM	#9
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,144	Good luck BD...! __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

01-14-2009, 08:56 AM	#11
badbear Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 358	got any pics of the vulcan .............

01-14-2009, 10:16 AM	#13
ian lanc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: mansfield, nottinghamshire Posts: 445	So what do you reckon to this for a harness !....... Hannants - Airwaves AEC32002 - 1:32 __________________ Me likey this forum, full of nice humans Last edited by ian lanc; 01-14-2009 at 10:25 AM.

01-14-2009, 01:57 PM	#14
badbear Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 358	Oh yes the 48th please ta thanks!

01-14-2009, 05:39 PM	#15
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Hi Ian, give me a few days and I'll dig out the pics. Should have some cockpit and detail shots of the Duxford bird too. I've got some of my own, but 95% of my stuffis on tranny, so I can't scan them!

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