ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING - PICTURES

ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING

PICTURES - GALLERY 3

ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING
PICTURES - GALLERY 3

THE BIG BIRD AVIATION COLLECTION

These pictures have been kindly supplied by the Big Bird Aviation Collection and are for personal use only.

Bit of a treat this, as images of Kuwaiti and Saudi Lightnings are not exactly widespread!

First off, a T.55 of the Royal Kuwaiti Air Force showing off the F.6 style wings fitted to this twin seat variant. Still wearing a UK civilian registration, this is G2-778/A.
Gorgeous side view of the same aircraft.
For comparison, a T.54, this time a Royal Saudi Air Force aircraft - 54-650. Initially the Saudi roundel was to be applied on the rear fuselage like this but they soon changed their mind and had it in the normal position on the nose instead. Compare with...
...a Saudi T.55. The square cut fin, F.6 style wings and large belly tank (in evidence from the just about visible ventral fins) give it a rather different character to the T.54.
Two Saudi F.53s on approach in tight formation. The only Lightnings to fire shots in anger, the Saudis replace them with the F-15, which says a lot about the quality of the Lightning!
As part of the Tornado deal, BAe bought back most of the Saudi Lightnings with the intention of refurbishing them for sale to Austria, but the deal fell through and they sat on the airfield at Warton for some time before being dispersed to collections throughout the UK. Here F.53 ZF588 (53-693) awaits its fate. Nowadays it is waiting again, at East Midlands...