Yet again, extreme thanks to Ross at SAC for providing one more of his new metal gear for improving our kits; The IPMS USA reviewer corps appreciates your continuing to provide us review items… Thanks also to the IPMS leadership for sending it my way to review!

Once again, SAC improves an already great kit’s gear; it is essentially a “form/fit/function” replacement, with just a small tweak which shall improve the basic kit parts….Review switch on.

This set is for Trumpeter’s English Electric Lightning kit. The basic aircraft uses the same gear on all marks, F1 through F6, and all the “T” (trainers)… and this is where the SAC gear shines.

I have included a photo of the basic kit landing gear. Out of the box you get plastic gear for the whole aircraft, or you can opt to use metal struts for strength. This is one of Trumpeters’ best kits out of the box…. It can be improved on, but it’s a great kit.

SAC also provides a shimmy damper, two retraction and support struts for the main gear, and replacement oleo scissors. The pictures show these in place…

One more thing: SAC does some of our homework for us. For one, the basic kit main gear is a bit too long, making the model “sit” high in the rear. Look at the minor difference in the length (SAC gear on the far left, kit metal and plastic gear to the right). Ross and crew have fixed the aft “sit” by shortening the main gear struts. Everything else is basically the same. No scorpion tail here…

The nose gear is metal, which is good because of weight. Why? Well, there are correction/upgrade sets for this jet, and if you include a resin cockpit, nose and main gear wells, nose weight, and new exhaust tubes/Afterburner assemblies, you have a heavy model. A REALLY heavy model.

Then, if you do a trainer (like I am doing using the Whirlybits two seat upgrade), you have an even more serious weight issue. That nose is a huge chunk of resin… including ejection seats and all the detail parts. This is where the SAC gear shines; it takes the weight in stride!

I was very impressed with the detail and improvement on this gear; the struts have no flash or mold lines, and have increased my confidence that the model will not suddenly end up on it’s belly.

Once again, full marks to SAC. I’m a convert; have said it before, make the outlay if you are building larger or heavier models… it’s worth it!

Thanks again to SAC and IPMS USA for this review item!