BARRACUDA STUDIOS BR72493 EE-BAC Lightning Landing Gear Set User Manual
- June 12, 2024
- Barracuda Studios
Table of Contents
BARRACUDA STUDIOS BR72493 EE-BAC Lightning Landing Gear Set
Product Information
- Product Name: BR72493 EE/BAC Lightning Landing Gear Set
- Designed for: Airfix 1/72 BAC Lightning F.2a and F.6 kits
- Designed by: Mike O’Hare and Roy Sutherland
Product Description
This landing gear set is specifically designed for the Airfix 1/72 scale Lightning F.2A and F.6 kits. It can also be adapted to fit other kits such as the Sword F.1 and F.3, as well as the two-seaters. The set improves the detail and accuracy of the model.
Material: The set consists solely of parts that were 3D printed. 3D- printed parts from Barracuda are gray, while resin parts are cast in yellow- tan or clear resin.
Usage Tips: 3D printed parts are very strong but can fracture if subjected to a sharp jolt, so it is important to handle them with care. Sanding sponges in various fine grits can be used to remove any stepping from the 3D printing process. Priming is recommended to check for any stepping or minor surface flaws. Plastic cement will not bond 3D-printed parts, so assemble them with Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue or epoxy.
Product Usage Instructions
Removing Supports and Cleaning Parts
- Read the above instructions carefully before removing supports from the gray 3D-printed parts.
- Carefully remove all parts from the supports using appropriate methods.
- Clean up the parts before assembly.
Installing Main Gear Legs
- The main gear legs are designed to slide into the slot in the assembled wing.
- The large flat plate on the top of the gear legs should sit on the same shaped pad molded inside the upper wing.
- Adjust the angle of the gear legs to be vertical when viewed head-on and angled forward 7 degrees in profile.
- Refer to the Airfix instructions for guidance.
Installing Main Gear Doors and Wheels
- Follow the kit instructions to install the main gear doors and wheels.
- Attach the separate parts of the retraction piston and the retraction strut once the gear legs are installed and the angles have been set.
- Use Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue to attach the parts.
- The gear and inside of doors should be painted natural metal or silver.
Installing Nose Gear Doors and Wheel
- Remove the two clamshell nose gear doors by removing the web between the two door hinges with a sharp hobby blade.
- Remove the hinged arms by repeated light scoring.
- Remove the rear door and clean up all three parts.
- Clean up the nose gear leg and wheel before painting and assembly.
Painting and Assembly
- Paint all parts and set them aside to dry.
- Attach the painted nose wheel to the gear leg as shown in the images.
- Follow the kit instructions to attach all parts.
Installation Angles
- Refer to the Airfix kit instructions for guidance on the correct installation angles of all parts. Attach all parts using Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue or epoxy.
Handy Tip for Installing Painted Nose Wheel
- To prevent scraping off the paint while sliding the painted nose wheel between the forks, wrap a small piece of tape over the top of the wheel, just above both axles. The tape will protect the paint. Rotate the wheel, remove the tape, and you’re done.
- For more information, visit www.barracudacals.com
This set was designed specifically for the Airfix 1/72nd scale Lightning F.2A and F.6 kits. May be adapted to fit other kits, such as the very nice Sword F.1 and F.3, as well as the two seaters. Makes a big improvement in detail and accuracy.
Using 3D-printed parts
New to using 3D-printed parts? Here are some useful tips for working with them.
This set consists solely of parts that were 3D printed. If you are used to working with cast resin parts, be aware that 3D printed parts do not have the same properties, and require a little different handling. You can tell 3D printed parts from Barracuda as they will most likely be gray, whereas our resin parts are cast in yellow tan or clear resin. 3D printed parts are very strong; stronger than injected plastic, but they have one caveat. A sharp jolt (such as dropping a them onto a hard floor) may cause parts to fracture. This is not good for models of any kind, so try not to drop parts onto hard surfaces! 🙂
Removing parts from their print supports requires little care. If the supports attach to the thin edge of a part, take care to cut by repeated light passes with a sharp hobby a blade or saw until you have cut through the supports, or by sawing through the part carefully. A hobby saw with a photoetched blade is very useful for this. Breaking off the supports may chip an edge off the actual part. Save yourself some time and frustration and remove supports carefully. After that, cleanup is like with any model parts. Files, sandpaper, grinding burrs (I prefer diamond-coated ball cutters) in motor tools are all good tools for this task. Sanding sponges in various fine grits, such as from Tamiya, are excellent for removing the fine stepping from the 3D printing process, your parts have any. Priming is recommended to check for any stepping or minor surface flaws. Sanding sponges will make quick work of these. 3D printed parts are not made of styrene, and plastic cements (in liquid or tube form) will not bond them to each other or to plastic kit parts. Assemble with Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue or epoxy. Always carefully test fit parts first.
Assembly Instructions for This Set
- Begin by reading the above instruction carefully to prevent damage when removing supports from the gray 3D printed parts. Cast resin parts in this set are vellow tan and handled like any resin parts. Carefully remove all parts from the supports using the above mentioned methods. Once parts are removed, clean them up and you are ready to begin.
- The maingear legs are designed to slide into the slot in the assembled wing. The large flat plate on the top of the gear leg sits on the same shaped pad molded inside the upperwing. The plate will set the gearleg with the proper angle, though there is a little wiggle room to adjust the angles to be exact: Vertical when viewed head-on and angled forward 7 degrees in profile. The Airfix instruction show this to good advantage.
- The main gear doors and wheels are installed per kit instructions. The retraction piston and the retraction strut are molded as separate parts. They should be installed as shown once the gearlegs have been installed and the angles have been set. Attach with CA. Gear and inside of doors are natural metal or silver.
- Remove 2 clamshell nosegear doors by removing the web between the 2 door hinges with repeated light passes with a sharp hobby blade Remove the hinged arms by repeated light scoring. Remove rear door and clean up all 3. Once the nosegear leg and wheel are cleaned up, you are ready to paint and assemble.
- Paint all parts and set aside to dry. Add painted nosewheel to gearleg as shown in images below. Attach all parts as per the kit instructions.
- All parts install as shown in the Airfix kit instructions. Use the kit instructions as a guide to getting the installation angles correct. Attach all parts with CA or epoxy.
- A handy tip for installing the painted nosewheel without scraping off the paint while sliding it between the forks: Wrap a small piece of tape over the top of the wheel, from just above both axles. When you slide the wheel over the tape, it will protect the paint. Then just rotate the wheel, pull off the tape, and you are done.
Happy modeling!