75ZT Community

The EE Lightning. AN amazing aircraft. This video brings back happy memories of the earliest day of my RAF service

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TqyLe5U8ac

I did some production engineering work on the missile system for the Lightning in the early 60s. Ah! Those were the days!

Awesome aircraft!!! Loved the vid Paul. My first memories of the Lightning were at Halfpenny Green Airshow and it was close on supersonic in the display. SOOOOO loud it made all the kids cry and the guy stood it on its tail with full afterburner and disappeared int a clear blue sky. Still gives me goose bumps to this day If I win the Euro Millions tonight, me and the lad are off to South Africa to have a flight in a Lightning (plus other classic jets)

Dave

My memories of the lightning was being one of those kids. Well I didn't cry, but I hated the noise of the afterburners. An engine like that on full reheat is a scary noise indeed. Couldn't tell you where the show was, but we used to go to a few.

My family were aviation nuts. My great uncle (jeez what a character!) had flown Hurricanes in the battle of Britain. He used to take us to all sorts of airshows and knew many of the folk at various shows. He finished as a squadron leader and went into th e Police force and ended his days as a chief constable. He used to tell us kids about all the things he had done and he had really seen some life. He knew Lightning pilots and they were Gods to us kids. Its just not the same these days. Airshows without Uncle Jack are just metal flying to and fro........

Happy days....

We went to airshows, because my Dad started at A V Roe in Manchester as an apprentice. Going to airshows was just what our family did. He knew (knows I guess) about the aircraft as it was his job. After that he did research into fatigue behaviour of aircraft alloys (remember the DH Comet?) but then moved away from aircraft. I still remember sitting in a simulator cockpit for a Hawker Hunter.

DaveyC wrote:the guy stood it on its tail with full afterburner and disappeared into a clear blue sky.

I remember something similar at the 1982 RAF Waddington Air Show, the Pilot flew it at about 50 feet along the runway, when he got to the end, stood it on it's tail, lit both afterburners and went straight up!

Bloody awesome plane when you consider when it was designed in the early 1950's and an absolute travesty, that one hasn't been saved for the Memorial Flight!

DaveyC wrote:Awesome aircraft!!! Loved the vid Paul. My first memories of the Lightning were at Halfpenny Green Airshow and it was close on supersonic in the display. SOOOOO loud it made all the kids cry and the guy stood it on its tail with full afterburner and disappeared int a clear blue sky. Still gives me goose bumps to this day If I win the Euro Millions tonight, me and the lad are off to South Africa to have a flight in a Lightning (plus other classic jets)

Dave

Think you would be wasting your time, I believe the Thunder City operation closed down, partly due to the loss of a Lightning piloted by one of their key people. Aircraft were put up for sale but not sure what has happened recently.

Should have gone myself when I had the money in the bank and it was still operating, £8000 I think it was for a flight in a Hunter, Buccaneer followed by the awesome Lightning.

Cheers

Mike

Mike, I think you may be right. I remember seeing the Thunder City aircraft for sale a couple of years ago, though didn't know why.

Yes. Thunder City is no more

Well, unsurprisingly I didn't win the Euro Millions last night, so I wont be able to put one back in the air....... (Ticket bought for next week, so fingers crossed again)

DaveyC wrote:Well, unsurprisingly I didn't win the Euro Millions last night, so I wont be able to put one back in the air....... (Ticket bought for next week, so fingers crossed again)

If you do, and want an engineer experienced on Lightning avionics, just let me know

DaveyC wrote:Well, unsurprisingly I didn't win the Euro Millions last night, so I wont be able to put one back in the air....... (Ticket bought for next week, so fingers crossed again)

Awesome aircraft I will join you if I win we could get one of thunder city,s machines back home only problem the. ( CAA) in GB would not allow it.

woolleysox wrote:

DaveyC wrote:Well, unsurprisingly I didn't win the Euro Millions last night, so I wont be able to put one back in the air....... (Ticket bought for next week, so fingers crossed again)

Awesome aircraft I will join you if I win we could get one of thunder city,s machines back home only problem the. ( CAA) in GB would not allow it.

Bunch of spoil sports! Oh well, we'll have to keep it in SA and fly it from there........ (when we win)

I went to a talk by a former pilot a few months back. Interesting stuff, especially explainging the maths he hd to do with the missile guidence system. Can't remember many specifics though

I believe they had to be able to do geometry or something in their heads to use the system, now that was mental arithmetic !

Cheers

Mike

My memory may be imperfect here but as I recall, the Firestreak and subsequent Redtop needed no such calculations.

They are trying to get one airworthy in the States.Regards the Thunder City operation,it closed after one suffered hydraulic failure and crashed killing the pilot.If you dig deep enough you can find the Air Crash report,it does not make inspiring reading.I have many fond memories of the Lightnings at Farnborough,nothing has ever come close...........except a stunning white airliner with a pointy nose (then I am a little biased ).

The report I read said the aircraft was having problems the day before with a bad fuel leak. Still a sad end to a great pilot and a fantastic aircraft .

On a brighter note...............one for my Christmas List...........dream on !!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx_Vgkc1pC8