English Electric Lightning – Britain’s First and Last Supersonic Interceptor

Author: Tim McLelland
Publisher: Classic – Ian Allan Publishing (www.ianallanpublishing.com)
Price: £35.00 ($56.95)
Stats: Hardback, 224 pages, full colour throughout with some black & white drawings and line diagrams. Includes colour profiles, full colour walk around images

Just when you thought that you may have had all the references on the planet regarding one of Britain’s finest, Ian Allan Publishing release this stunning volume under the Classic label. There are many aspects of this new volume that are impressive:

• Full colour throughout
• Close up all-round images of the cockpit of both trainer and fighter versions
• Colour profiles for the squadrons that flew the EE Lightning
• Line drawings illustration the internal construction of the aircraft
• Individual aircraft histories for all Lightning aircraft
• 1:72nd scale plans

This is simply a stunning reference work that for once completely addresses the needs of scale modellers, including all the features that we need, and, all in one volume. I think it is this latter point that probably sets the book apart from many others. I am an avid fan of the Lightning, I can’t hide that fact, but I am being truly objective when making these comments. It really is that good!

With the recent release of long-awaited scale models of the type from Trumpeter (1:72 and 1:32 scales) and re-issues of the excellent Airfix kit in 1:48th (Grand Phoenix, Eduard), this reference is well worth investigation and if you are looking for everything in one place, you can do a lot worse that buy this book. Whilst some of the images are well known to me, many more are clearly unique and being brought to us for the first time. A superb addition to my ever-growing reference library of the famous English Electric Lightning.

Click on an image below to see sample pages from the book: