Taffy Holden's English Electric Lightning

[DamoRC]

Needing a Sketchup fix and surfing Youtube for aviation documentaries, I came across this brilliant story told by The History Guy. I can't tell it as well as he can so....

And of course, now I have my inspiration for the next build...

Need to finish up some scaling work to fit one or two 70mm EDFs but apart from that she's ready to unfold, print, and build.

 

[SlingShot]

2? Is that an over/under configuration?

 

[DamoRC]

2? Is that an over/under configuration?

Yep. At the time the over under was touted as giving double the thrust for only only 1.5 times the drag.

 

[SlingShot]

Sweet. Whether you go for 2 or simulate it, it's gonna look cool.

 

[Antioch]

Wonderful plane...years ago I chatted with a workmate who was in an RAF sqn that had a bit of every plane (including a few beaten up spits)then they got some of the first few lightenings delivered. He told a story of one of there pilots trying it out...he pushed the throttle forward..and then (as he described it) his buddy was left flying 10,000 ft above the Irish Sea still strapped to his ejection seat...holding the stick and no airplane....disintegrated all around him.

 

[CarolineTyler]

Ohhh! One of my favourite early jets. When I was young our family went on holiday Norfolk way and we ended up staying near a RAF base where these jets were still operating out of.
Mmmm that noise, and the vertical climbout..... wonderful!

 

[DamoRC]

Sweet. Whether you go for 2 or simulate it, it's gonna look cool.

After spending some time scaling and re-scaling to fit 2 x 70mm EDFs, I had to give up on that idea. Sure, it can be done but the plane will have a 48 inch span and be about 72 inches long. Although I think I could probably get that to fly, I really don't need another big plane to load into the car. Rather than give up on the twin (its a Lightning - it as to be a twin!) I have decided to go with twin 50mm EDFs instead.

Wonderful plane...years ago I chatted with a workmate who was in an RAF sqn that had a bit of every plane (including a few beaten up spits)then they got some of the first few lightenings delivered. He told a story of one of there pilots trying it out...he pushed the throttle forward..and then (as he described it) his buddy was left flying 10,000 ft above the Irish Sea still strapped to his ejection seat...holding the stick and no airplane....disintegrated all around him.

Seriously? Man - did they have to clean his ejection seat after that?

Ohhh! One of my favourite early jets. When I was young our family went on holiday Norfolk way and we ended up staying near a RAF base where these jets were still operating out of.
Mmmm that noise, and the vertical climbout..... wonderful!

Okay - I'm mad jealous now. That must have been a great experience (and sound!)

 

[JTarmstr]

So cheater holes for the EDFs? The Lightning was definitely fast, personally I prefer the F-104 which is also fast but needs only one engine.

 

[DamoRC]

So cheater holes for the EDFs? The Lightning was definitely fast, personally I prefer the F-104 which is also fast but needs only one engine.

Yep - I think she'll need some cheater holes - probably under the wing towards the rear. I'll not cut them until I see what static thrust I am losing when she's all glued up. Love the F-104 but have always been a bit wary of trying to build one because those wings are tiny. There's a build of one around here somewhere...... here it is. Just bumped the thread to see what the latest is on that build.

 

[IcedStorm777]

Super excited for this i love the electric lightning.