English Electric - BAC Lightning British Interceptor 1/100 Scale Diecast Metal Model by Amercom

1:100 Scale Diecast Metal - BAC Lightning - Length: 6" Wingspan: 4.25"

This Lightning model is a single seat model and does include a pilot figure. The cockpit can not open. The landing gear is nicely detailed and is fixed in the extended position. Attached to the fuselage are a pair of medium range AA missiles. A stand where the model can be attached for display is included. The display stand has the model's info such as country, flag and scale.

The maker of the model, Amercom, really did a good job with the model, the panel lines and details are very clear and crisp.What really caught my attention, however, is the way the markings and coloring are done.

At 1/100 scale, these models are in the range of 5.5 to 7 inches long, and although not as big as their 1/72 cousins, the details in the markings is very impressive. I looked at them under a magnifying glass (just out of curiosity) and one could actually read the text in the markings.

These models come in what could be described as a disposable blister pack (sandwiched between two transparent plastic shells and then glued/attached to a piece of cardboard with the branding info. There is really nothing spectacular about the packaging, but at the end, the packaging is supposed to be disposable and with the sole function protecting the model, which it does very well. Unlike bigger models, there is nothing to assemble for these models. All weapons and fuel tanks are already attached to the model. One just needs to open the pack and display it (or play with it). The packaging labels these model as "Collectible Product" and "Not suitable for children under 14 years".

The English Electric Lightning is a supersonic fighter aircraft of the Cold War era. It was designed, developed, and manufactured by English Electric, which was subsequently absorbed by the newly formed British Aircraft Corporation. It was then marketed as the BAC Lightning. The Lightning was the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The Lightning was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). Although it was the RAF's primary interceptor for more than two decades it was never required to attack another aircraft.

The Lightning is powered by two Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines in a unique staggered stacked installation in the fuselage. The Lightning was developed to intercept increasingly capable bomber aircraft (Tupolev Tu-16, Tupolev Tu-22, Tupolev Tu-95), and thus has exceptional rate of climb, ceiling, and speed; pilots have described flying it as "being saddled to a skyrocket".^[1] This performance made the Lightning a 'fuel critical' aircraft meaning that its missions are dictated to a high degree by its limited range. Later developments provided greater range and speed along with aerial reconnaissance and ground-attack capability.