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Share your memories of the English Electric Lightning

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From the lens English Electric Lightning - the Cold War fighter intercepter.

Do you remember this aircraft in flight? Any fond anecdotes and hair-raising stories? Please share them here.

  • kierangee Mar 13, 2012 @ 1:04 pm | delete
    On 56 Squadron in Cyprus in the early seventies I was lucky enough to fly a few times in Lightnings - only the two-seat T5 but, even so, it had spectacular performance. I once flew at Mach 1.0 straight UP! On another occasion, at something like 56,000 feet and with the sky above distinctly midnight blue, we looked up and saw another aircraft several thousand feet above us! At the time the Russians were supplying Mig-23s (I think, memory is a bit cloudy now) to the Egyptians, so we decided that it must have been one of those en route.
  • Phim Mar 10, 2012 @ 4:33 pm | delete
    I was on Station Flight at Wattisham early 60's, we had 3 T7 hunters and 2 metiors (or was it the other way round). The Sqdn's were 111 and 56 with Lightning's and 41 with the Javelin. To see 56 & 111 (12 aircraft) do a stream take off was fantastic. The ace solo display pilot was Buggs Bendall who wrote a book ?Never in Anger'. This tells of a certain incident I witnessed when he was doing a display for the Americans and went through the sound barrier as he passed the tower. To find out what happened read the book. I also flew from Wattisham to Abbots Inch (now Glasgow Airport) in a metior piloted by Geoffe Hawke also worked on the ME 109. Good days!
  • lawrence01 Feb 19, 2012 @ 4:33 am | delete
    It was an incredible machine. An RAF Pilot I once knew told me that it's nickname was "The Frightening" because of some of the stuff they could do (A thirty year old Lightening could outrun a Tomcat!) another name it was known by was "20 thousand bolts in formation"

    Loved the lens, but was disappointed that the first two video clips have been disabled
  • Iain Sep 16, 2011 @ 9:24 pm | delete
    I dont have a personal exp except being on Camp at Wattisham with, at that time 56, 74, 111.
    The weapons Instructor on 74 was one Geoffe Hawke who I flew with in the station Chippie. He went on to both fly the camera a/c - and direct the air scenes for the Battle Of Britain Film - amongst many other exploits. EG at the time, at Wattis' he was rebuilding an ME109 - went to Germany in the end I believe . An incredible pilot and allround Airperson! BTW When we flew - He was the first to get airsick - I'm still very proud of that!
    However - bit of heads up - on 56 at time was W/Cmdr now retd Richard Pike - who I see has now written a book where he's has gathered together 22 of his old Lightning pals to tell of their own personal 'oops moments on the Lightning. Called the Lightning Boys - frm Amazon prob. Richards own claim to fame - he not only flew it - he actually came up with the name Lightning! Mod; not plugging; mod if necessry of course!
    Great little site Btw.
  • Dave Darney Oct 21, 2010 @ 12:39 pm | delete
    I am ex 29 sqdn groundcrew. As Al McCormick pointed out the Frightning had short legs.However,when I had my trip in the T5 it was in Cyprus and was jammy enough to get a Victor tanker slot which extended the duration of my incredible experience. Iwonder if this was the same time as Al McCormicks trip?
  • tfosh Sep 14, 2009 @ 11:59 am | delete
    I was posted to 226 OCU (145 Sqn) at 'Colt' in 1965 We had one F1 on charge, XM 144, our 'Christmas tree'. All the rest of our aircraft were F1A's and T4's. The Lighting has been critized for only carrying 2 firestreak missile, Our F1As also carried, 4x30mm cannon and the T4s carried 2x firestreaks and 2x30mm cannon, with I believe, 750 rounds of ammo per gun. A formidable aircraft. The cannon from our aircraft are still in service today as the Rarden cannon in the Scorpion light tank. All Lightning Sqns had 'paint jobs' with the Sqn badge on the fin. Ours was Red and White down the fin. with a red and white cross under the cockpit. Our saftey record was good, we lost only 3 aircraft while I was there, with no fatalitys. I flew in XM 996. We did a pairs take off, and soon entered cloud, scarey or what! The G on take off was impressive! We did pracise interceptions over the N sea. I was suprised the the radar was of the time base type as opposed to the 360 degree sweep type.
  • PTL Jan 5, 2010 @ 11:10 am | delete
    Considering that you were " posted to 226 OCU (145 Sqn) at 'Colt' in 1965" you seem to know bugger all about Lighnings. No lightning ever carried four cannon. The cannon used in lightnings were ADENs - a totally different weapon firing a totally different round to the RARDEN cannon. The scorpion, by the way, was armed with a 76mm gun and not a Rarden anyway . . . You're a walt!
  • KEA Sep 19, 2011 @ 10:58 am | delete
    I was posted to Coltishall in '66'. Would agree early F1 / F1.a were only designed for two Aden Cannons. HOWEVER by '66' all guns were removed and blanked over (probably long before I arrived).
  • tfosh Sep 14, 2009 @ 11:58 am | delete
    I was posted to 226 OCU (145 Sqn) at 'Colt' in 1965 We had one F1 on charge, XM 144, our 'Christmas tree'. All the rest of our aircraft were F1A's and T4's. The Lighting has been critized for only carrying 2 firestreak missile, Our F1As also carried, 4x30mm cannon and the T4s carried 2x firestreaks and 2x30mm cannon, with I believe, 750 rounds of ammo per gun. A formidable aircraft. The cannon from our aircraft are still in service today as the Rarden cannon in the Scorpion light tank. All Lightning Sqns had 'paint jobs' with the Sqn badge on the fin. Ours was Red and White down the fin. with a red and white cross under the cockpit. Our saftey record was good, we lost only 3 aircraft while I was there, with no fatalitys. I flew in XM 996. We did a pairs take off, and soon entered cloud, scarey or what! The G on take off was impressive! We did pracise interceptions over the N sea. I was suprised the the radar was of the time base type as opposed to the 360 degree sweep type.
  • Alan McCormick Apr 28, 2009 @ 1:09 pm | delete
    I am ex 29 Sqdn groundcrew and flew in our T5. Although it was nearly 40 years ago, and lasted a mere 40 minutes, it is totally unforgettable. when I firat arrived on 29 the first thing I aske was "How do I fly in the T5?"

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Aviation, IT, History, Gaming, I'm interested in just about anything! I made the Squidoo Top 100 Club in June 2009. I have three fiction books in print... more »

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