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
|
|