See completed build of Trumpeter English Electric Lightning FMk.1A-FMk.3 1:32 in Finished Now
So what’s in the box?
Plenty of grey sprues containing surprisingly few parts – the English Electric Lightning is not a complicated aircraft in terms of numbers of parts and this is reflected in the relatively small parts-count and simple instruction booklet featuring ten straightforward stages.
I thought that this would be a different and useful approach? To give you a comprehensive ‘at-a-glance’ assessment of Trumpeter’s release. As you’ll see, there are many good features, but also some serious shortcomings that can be overcome – your only real decision is whether you want to put in a bit of detail and corrective work to get a lovely result? Personally… I think it’s well worth the effort, so read to find out exactly what you can do to achieve a very rewarding result.
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What’s good?
- Subject matter – we actually now have an injection-moulded 1:32nd scale EE Lightning! Who’d have thought it?
- Inclusion of white metal main gear units (plastic nose gear) and this works very well when assembled – sturdy and spot on in terms of angle and look. However, do see later comments
- Rounded or larger square fin options to make F.1A and F.Mk.3 respectively
- Red Top or Firestreak missiles
- Delicately moulded Intake ring with a thin leading edge
- Decals – No.56 Squadron’s red ‘Firebirds’ scheme shown on the box top is bound to be popular amongst F.Mk1.A modellers. For me though, an F.Mk.3 of 111 Sqn aircraft was too attractive and a somewhat altered scheme from that provided was going to be the subject of this project.
What’s not so good?
- Undercarriage legs for the main gear look to be too long by approximately 4-5mm – not easy to shorten, but could be worth the effort? (not done on my kit)
- Intake trunking leading edge about 1cm too short – fails to butt up to the rear of the intake ring
- Decal sheet – 111 Sqn lightning nose flash and roundels look like 1:48 scale, red missed from fin red/white/blue marking. Typos on small stencils. Trumpeter have failed to rectify the under scale lightning flash / nose roundels on their re-released ‘corrected’ sheet.
black walk-way lines are incorrect shape and need cutting to fit - Canopy – shape and lack of detail – rear opening section looks too flat without characteristic ‘hump’ just aft of top forward edge (looks ok if displayed open though). Complete absence of detail on inner face (lots of detail here on real aircraft) and the framing is much too narrow, especially along the lower edge; this framing is much broader and heavier on the Lightning
- Cockpit accuracy and detail – main instrument panel sits too far forward; upper side wall instrument panels missing; instrument details inside windscreen and shroud missing. The shape of the main instrument coaming is far too angular – having a much more rounded edge that bends down towards the sill. These are serious errors by Trumpeter and almost unforgivable in an expensive 1:32nd scale kit and availability of real aircraft airframes. The Martin Baker Mk.4BSC seat is ok as far as it goes but you could be forgiven for expecting more for your money
- Trunking for cabling on forward fuselage sides. This stops way too short for an F.3, not extending far enough forward. Even a cursory glance at an F3 will show the trunking, so this omission is poor by any standards
- Vents and ducts – the rear fuselage and spine are littered with these small ducts and outlets / scoops and hardly any have been provided. It isn’t until these are added that the model really begins to come to life
- Price – simply too expensive for a model that although eagerly awaited bears many hallmarks of a product that has been rushed out with careless omissions
- Access ladder not included, nor in-flight refuelling probe (typical on many F.3s).
Accuracy – a general comment
There’s been plenty of criticism of the back end and the reheat cans on internet forums but to be honest, they’re not bad at all. The surface detail is in fact pretty restrained, being light and not too overdone. Panel detail is generally quite accurate although some of the hinge detail on the dorsal panels that run along the spine isn’t truly accurate, but that’s not too much of a problem.
The inner reheat petals are a little basic, but they slot inside their outer sleeve and the trunking is well detailed. You could always try and add a bit of extra detail if you want – after all, this is all about scale modelling. Or wait for the inevitable resin accessories?
I’ve now had an opportunity to compare the kit fuselage profile with that given in the excellent (and accurate) Echelon Lightning kit. The match is very good indeed, with maybe the only difference with the Trumpeter being a couple of mm short – nothing in a kit of this size and scale. So, again no need to worry there…
In summary
Very difficult this one. Far too expensive in the UK for what you get, that’s for sure. Despite the inaccuracies though, the fact that this is a 1:32nd scale EE Lightning and it’s available as an injection moulded kit is worth a lot.
