ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING - PICTURES

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ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING

PICTURES - GALLERY 1

ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING
PICTURES - GALLERY 1

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This page last updated on 17th March 2004

[Survivors 1] [Survivors 2] [Survivors 3] [Survivors 4] [Survivors 5] [Survivors 6] [Survivors 7] [Survivors 8] [Survivors 9]
[Gallery 1] [Gallery 2] [Gallery 3] [Gallery 4] [Gallery 5] [Cockpit] [Fuselage] [Wings] [Undercarriage] [Weapons]

LIGHTNINGS AND BUMPH!

A really rather nice early advert for the P.1; a skyscape combined with the shock wave patterns generated by a wind-tunnel model of the P.1.
A Rolls-Royce advert from the 1950s; these were the days when aircraft were described not only by their name but also by their powerplant. As the engine makes or breaks an aircraft, it's strange that this practice has now fallen by the wayside...
Another RR advert, this one from 1957.
Later on with the P.1B now named the Lightning, this advert depicts XA847 in the initial configuration with no belly tank and the small tail. This advert may give rise to some mirth about the 'economy' angle...
...especially with reheat lit like this! Another Rolls Royce advert, and even now the Lightning is the only all-British mach 2 aircraft to ever operate in RAF service.
Late 1966, and a BAC advert blowing their righteous trumpet.

LIGHTNINGS AND HAGGIS!

Hidden away at Scotland's National Museum of Flight at East Fortune in East Lothian is XN776, an F.2A of 92 squadron. No haggis evident, no tatties, no neeps, no deep-fried pizza or anything. And that exhausts my stereotypical Scottish references so I'll stop right there.
Not quite visible here are the two blue diamonds on the tail fin that give a hint of one of 92 squadron's past roles - providing the Blue Diamonds Lightning display team.
This one is XR713/C, an F.3 of 111 squadron. I was most surprised to find it in the static at RAF Leuchars during the 1995 Battle of Britain airshow - but most pleased! This Lightning was delivered to Leuchars during April 1985 coded DC of the Lightning Training Flight, for Battle Damage Repair Training duties. It sat on the airfield along with several other Lightnings, until 1987. It was 111 squadron's 70th anniversary, and to mark the occasion XR713 was restored and repainted in the scheme it appears in here.
It is planned to keep the aircraft permanently on display at 111 squadron's base of RAF Leuchars. Good old 111 squadron, bunch of fine chaps obviously!

LIGHTNINGS AND BALTI!

Now, living in Brum for a good while means I can make all the balti or curry references I want, so no hassle please. This is the Midland Air Museum's XR771/BM, an F.6 in 11 squadron markings. Of course, this is in Coventry, so I may be stretching the balti link a bit... once a marvellously preserved example, it also shows the problems with storing old aircraft without cover from the elements - the main undercarriage bays were beginning to show signs of rust when I visited in summer 1996 and now in early 1998 she's looking rather tatty all over. As ever, ongoing care is a must. Good news - she's now scheduled for a full repaint.
This is ZF598, a T.55 which is ex-Royal Saudi Air Force and currently at the Midlands Air Museum too. This aircraft is an on-going restoration project there; this picture was taken days after a full respray. She's shortly to have Saudi markings applied. ZF598 was one of the Lightnings brought back from Saudi by BAe, intended to be sold on to a European air force. Unfortunately the deal fell through and they ended up sold to collectors and museums instead.
Moving into the East Midlands and stretching the balti reference even further, this is one of the Lightning Preservation Group's babies - F.6 XS904/BQ. She makes that lovely crackling and screaming that all Lightning fans recognise at regular fast taxi runs at Bruntingthorpe throughout the summer...
...as does her sister ship, XS928/JS. There's nothing quite like a Lightning with reheat blazing!
Er, this one ain't in the Midlands at all and my balti reference has now completely fallen over. Ah well... this is the RAF Museum's example, XS925, an F.6 which got there despite some official opposition (the RAF's only 100% British supersonic fighter and some people did not believe it deserved a place at Hendon - just the sort of crap the Lightning had to put up with throughout its life, but at least this final battle was won).

GET YER LIGHTNING-ON-A-STICK!

Another Lightning in Scotland (in fact the only other one apart from XR713 and XN776) is ZF584, an ex-Saudi F.53 presented by British Aerospace to Ferranti (now GEC/Marconi) in recognition of their work on the Lightning radar (the Ferranti AIRPASS AI.23).
Spectacularly positioned, it's located at the GEC/Marconi plant in the South Gyle, on the edge of Edinburgh.
F.6 XS936 is another Lightning positioned nicely; at the Castle Air/Castle Motors garage on the A38 near Liskeard in Cornwall. Lights are mounted under the wings to illuminate the carpark below at night!

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