History

The Lightning was a high performance supersonic interceptor designed to defend Britain against nuclear armed bombers. They began entering service in 1960 and were phased out between 1974 and June 1988.

The first operational version of the Lightning was the F.1. Only 28 were produced before production moved on to more advanced versions.

Most served with 74 Squadron in the early 1960s before being dispersed to smaller units for other uses.

In the 1960s RAF Leuchars in Scotland became a base for operational Lightning squadrons flying patrols to intercept Russian aircraft entering Brith airspace.

The Leuchars Target Facilities Flight used older Lightnings in training as controlled air targets for the resident fighter squadrons.

This model represents Lightning F.1 XM139 when it was operated by the Leuchars Target Facilities Flight in 1967.

Trumpeter 1/72 kit with Modeldecal decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in June 2009.

Data

MODEL: BAC Lightning F.1 (XM139, Leuchars Target Facilities Flight, RAF, 1967)

ROLE: supersonic all-weather interceptor

TIME PERIOD: 1957-1988

ENGINES: two Rolls Royce Avon 200R turbojet engines of 6559kg reheat thrust each

WING SPAN: 10.62m

LENGTH: 16.84m

MAXIMUM TAKE OFF WEIGHT: 18,182kg

MAXIMUM SPEED: 18,182kg

CREW: 1

ARMAMENT: two 30mm Aden cannon and two Firestreak missiles

SCALE: 1/72

KIT:

GALLERIES:

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