Matchbox 1/72 English Electric Lightning F6

A good modelling buddy of mine has just completed a 40 year old 1/72 Matchbox kit of a Vickers Wellesley and has made a SUPERB job of it. During a conversation with him via his Facebook post we got talking about Matchbox kits and how some of them were not THAT bad (Except their H.P Victor which was truly awful, trust me AND It was reboxed by Revell so beware).
Gerry mentioned about revisiting the Victor seeing that I had built it years ago but there was absolutely NO chance of doing that one again due to the bad fit of parts, weird double-spaced panel lines and big empty voids where the air intakes are in the wing root (plus Airfix released one not long ago). However it did get me thinking about revisiting a kit from my modelling youth when I remembered the Matchbox E.E Lightning F6 in the stash.
I built this kit about the same time as the Victor and finished it in a two-tone grey scheme from the early 80’s found on Modeldecal sheet number 65. At the time I was quite pleased with it but over time it eventually degraded with bits falling off then ended up in a landfill site.
Feeling all nostalgic I got the kit out of the stash to have a look and here is what you got in the 1980’s;

Typical Matchbox with the multi-coloured parts;

The bang seat needs a bit of work;

The raised ‘bricks’ on the tail end are actually painted stripes on the real aircraft;

Just looking at the kit reminds me of the build I did in the 80’s! This time however there will be a LOT of rescribing as those panel lines have to go. Also this will be done without the aid of any aftermarket parts apart from a decal sheet as basically there is none available for this kit. There is stuff for the old Frog/ Hasegawa/ Revell Lightning via Flightpath but lets see what I can do without all that, it should be a giggle anyway and something to do in between the Takom Bergepanther. How accurate it is I don’t know and don’t really care as this will just be a trip down Memory Lane. Stay tuned!