Workbench Edition 397 - English Electric Lightning F.6 – Samlesbury’s supersonic sensation

Welcome to this first edition of our Workbench blog for 2026, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

As we settle into the enjoyable business of introducing all the new 2026 range model kit release to our Workbench audience, we begin by featuring a kit which may have caught a few people by surprise when presenting itself on range launch day, but has underlined its incredible popularity in the days since, our 1/48th scale English Electric Lightning F.6. A kit which is extremely highly regarded within the hobby, this is our scale tribute to one of the most exciting jet aircraft to have ever taken to the skies, and those who were lucky enough to have seen one display at an Airshow or RAF airfield back in the day, will surely never forget the experience.

If we started the year by looking at our latest Airfix Club Kit offering and the Swedish Air Force’s most exciting Cold War jet fighter, the Lightning is perhaps the only aircraft of that era which eclipsed it in terms of speed and performance, and may even have provided inspiration for the aircraft’s designers back then. Whatever that particular case may have been, the Lightning unquestionably stands as one of the finest achievements of the British aviation industry, an aircraft which was such a leap forward in technological terms that it’s history and service heritage still continues to captivate millions of people to this day. Would be get away with calling its Britain’s jet powered Spitfire, even though it was only produced in a tiny fraction of the 20,351 Spitfires built? Many enthusiasts certainly think so.

In this latest edition of Workbench, prepare to strap on a Lightning and shoot towards the heavens like a homesick angel!