1/48 Scratch-Built EE Lightning

by Chris Salvo

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This 1/48th scale EE Lightning is built from scratch using household materials: cardboard tubing (fuselage core), card stock (engines, airfoils), heavy card board (bulkheads, wheels), toothpicks (oleos), plastic coffee stirrers (struts), paper clips (door actuators, brake lines, ejection handles, flight controls, strap buckles), molten clear polystyrene (landing light lenses), various threads and strings (hydro lines and wiring), and clear acetate (canopy). 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

 

The model is painted with tempera and acrylics.  Markings were drawn on a computer using MSPaint and printed on a laser printer.  They denote the No. 74 Squadron RAF and include the tiger and motto "I Fear No Man".  The same technique was used to simulate grilles and wheel well linings.  The instrument panel  is an actual photo of the Lightning's IP, shrunken down and printed out in full color (too bad the photo isn't better).  Weathering was done using pastels and sealed with Krylon Workable Fixatiff.  Landing light lenses were made by warming chips of clear polystyrene over a candle until they softened into convex little bubbles (again, wish the photos were better - the effect is really nice).

I have completed dozens of beautiful aircraft and automobile kits, but translating two-dimensional line drawings into shapes that could be replicated using common materials was a huge challenge.  That's why I chose to make this my first submission to ARC out of everything I could have shared.  Although there are some noticeable inaccuracies in the fuselage shape, the overall appearance is sleek and rugged, and makes an impressive tribute to this unique airplane.  Thanks, ARC!

Chris

Photos and text © by Chris Salvo