Best 1/72 scale EE Lightning

[SimonR]

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been done before, can anybody advise which is the best/most accurate EE Lightning kit in 1/72 scale. I have done the Airfix kit some time ago and it was pretty average, how do the Hase, Revell, Matchbox kits stack up?

Cheers

Simon

[Windy]

The most accurate EE Lightning kit I have come across is the Heritage Aviation Models resin kit. It is under £20 and makes a decent model with some care and attention.

[Giorgio N]

Personally, shapewise I quite like the matchbox kit. The fuselage is too slim and the detail is, well... matchbox, but is not bad considering the age of the kit. And is way better than the detail in the airfix kit ! There's no trench on this kit but all the panel lines are raised. With some work can be made into a good representation of the type.

I consider the matchbox much better than the hasegawa kit. Revell does not have their own lightning, the most recent box is a repop of the hasegawa. Revell might have also reboxed the matchbox kit in the past.

Trumpeter's Lightning is miles ahead of all in terms of panel lines and detail, but I don't think the accuracy issues make it worth the asking price for me. If I have to spend £20 on a 1/72 lightning I'd rather buy the heritage kit. That however is resin, and not all modellers are happy with resin kits.

[SimonR]

Thanks guys, very helpful. I'm watching a Matchbox kit on ebay at the moment and was wondering whether to go for it or not!

Cheers

Simon

[canberra kid]

Hi Simon

I agree with all that Giorgio says, If it's an injection kit you're after I'd go for the Matchbox too.

John

[XL929]

I quite liked the Trumpeter 1/72nd Lightning. The accuracy issues didn't really bother me and it made up into a rather nice kit OOB.

Price is rather high but I did see Modelzone selling the F1/F2 version off a while ago for £12-odd.

[SimonR]

Thanks for the feedback, just missed out on the Matchbox one - i'm sure another will come around!

Si

[Dave Fleming]

A shim of plastic card along the lower fuselage joint on the MB kit improves it a lot.

There is still the Academy kit to come, and I still live in hope of a 'new Airfix one someday!

[Daniel]

I think the best answer is there is no 'great one'.

I can live with the Trumpeter one, you can get them for £12 now and again (I've paid as little as £10), and for that you do get a lot of detail and a model that goes together well. However it really does benefit from a tail correction, of which the Aires one is probably the best (I have tried two 'correction' pieces).

I also like building the Revell one, becuase you can get it for a few £'s, but it is one of the least perfect ones, although still fun.

Hopefully the Academy one will be good, and I also would love an Airfix one.

Dan