Does anyone remember the Lightning jet fighter aircraft that used to sit in a small compound just to the left of the A1 as you were southbound, somewhere (I think) south of Newark? It was quite a while ago,so I may have misremembered it. It was covered in graffiti and I recall seeing it sat with its nose in the air so it obviously didnt have any engines in.
And does anyone know what happened to it or any other information?
It was cut up and scrapped.
youtu.be/eK25k5VAs5E
Lightning scrapped | Newark Advertiser
legacy.newarkadvertiser.co.uk › view
Back in the day it was well known in cb parlance “what’s yer 20?” “Just passing the frightening Lightening breaker”.
jakethesnake:
You are probably aware but there is a new one!
But will it be able to do this.
‘‘In 1984 Flt Lt Mike Hale intercepted a U2 at a height which they’d previously considered safe’’.
‘‘Lightning Chief examiner Brian Carrol reported taking a ‘Lightning’ up to 87,000 feet where the curvature of the Earth was clearly visible’’.
‘‘Carroll compared the Lightning and the F15C Eagle,having flown both aircraft,stating that acceleration in both was impressive’’.‘‘The Eagle was ‘almost’ as good’’.
‘‘Concorde was offered as a target to NATO Fighters including F15 Eagles,F16’s,Tomcats,Mirages and Starfighters.But only Lightning XR749 managed to overtake Concorde on a stern conversion intercept’’.
Twoninety88:
Not all of it was scrapped…
The Cockpit remains in private hands under restoration.0
Might as well let it go.It belongs in the air.Spitfire and Lightning Brit engineering at its best. 
Thanks for the replies guys.
I watched the video, and it confirmed my memory of it sat on its arse, but the graffiti ridden state of it saddened me. Difficult to think that it once flew through the skies at an incredible speed and height. Probably the little zhits who sprayed it never gave a thought to what a piece of engineering it was.
I know about the ‘new’ lightning, and leaving aside any opinion of the aircraft itself, it seems bloody silly to re use the name. I mean, can anyone seriously imagine a brand new all weather high performance multi role combat aircraft called the spitfire? It’s bad enough having a zillion types of fiestas or corollas on the road.
But I asked because I saw one on the idiot box last week, and thought back to the last time I saw one flying, which was nearly 40 years ago at an airshow. Crowd was gathered at side of runway milling around between events when the tannoy announced everyone to keep quiet and look out over the other side of the airfield. There was a lightning heading right towards us (no one flies directly towards crowds now) in complete silence about 150ft up. Until he passed right over us, and the sound caught up, and it was a wonder our ears didnt fall off, it was that noisy! The guys who dove those things had a serious set of stones on them, no messin!
Similar topic, but a different plane - can any of the oldies on here remember the Fairey Gannet which stood, up to about 30+ years ago, in the back garden of a house alongside the Cirencester by-pass?
Steve
Slightly off topic, was there ever a predecessor to the harrier at the gate of RAF Wittering? As it did cross my mind that the lightening might have stood in that spot
WhiteTruckMan:
Thanks for the replies guys.I watched the video, and it confirmed my memory of it sat on its arse, but the graffiti ridden state of it saddened me. Difficult to think that it once flew through the skies at an incredible speed and height. Probably the little zhits who sprayed it never gave a thought to what a piece of engineering it was.
I know about the ‘new’ lightning, and leaving aside my opinion of the aircraft itself, it seems bloody silly to re use the name. I mean, can anyone seriously imagine a brand new all weather high performance multi role combat aircraft called the spitfire? It’s bad enough having a zillion types of fiestas or corollas on the road.
But I asked because I saw one on the idiot box last week, and thought back to the last time I saw one flying, which was nearly 40 years ago at an airshow. Crowd was gathered at side of runway milling around between events when the tannoy announced everyone to keep quiet and look out over the other side of the airfield. There was a lightning heading right towards us (no one flies directly towards crowds now) in complete silence about 150ft up. Until he passed right over us, and the sound caught up, and it was a wonder our ears didnt fall off, it was that noisy! The guys who dove those things had a serious set of stones on them, no messin!
With the exception of the Tempest and less so Thunderbolt and now Mig 35,which were designed as fighters first and foremost,the idea of the multi role aircraft is usually just a cheap cost saving death trap for its crews.As we’d probably see if the thing ever gets into serious combat with a well equipped opponent along Mig or SU 35 lines.
They’ve obviously deliberately tried to play down the obvious inferiority of the single engined piece of junk and the superiority of the Eurofighter over it,firstly by laughably designating it ‘F’ 35.Let alone calling the Eurofighter the ‘Typhoon’ instead of Lightning 2.When it’s clearly the F35 which deserves the lame duck Typhoon’s name and vice versa in the case of the Eurofighter.
On that note it would probably take more suicidal bravery to fly the F35 into battle than the Eurofighter or the old school Lightning.Perhaps they are just hoping that new generation pilots will think that lots of bs technology rather than power will make them invincible.
robroy:
There’s one on a plinth at a Car sales at Liskeard beside the A38.0
But is it real? There are a number of very convincing looking replicas out there. A good pair can be found at the main entrance to BAE Systems at salmesbury, Lancashire, near Preston. One is a lightning and I think the other might be an F22. Been past quite a lot, and there’s a convenient set of traffic lights to stop you and study them.
Another slightly off topic but one worth seeing is the Spitfire on the roundabout in Thornaby Teeside (Site of the old RAF airfield ) at the side of the A19 .
Take the A174 /A1045 towards Thornaby centre and it comes up in front of of you , it looks fantastic and gives you the impression of what the enemy saw …
probably their last .
I do remember the Lightning back when I used to live on that side of the country.
“With the exception of the Tempest and less so Thunderbolt and now Mig 35,which were designed as fighters first and foremost,the idea of the multi role aircraft is usually just a cheap cost saving death trap for its crews”
And…never forget…the DeHaviland Mosquito, designed as a ‘hobby project’ and made out of bits of wood in piano factories. Fighter, bomber, PR, ground attack, ship sinker, sub sinker, and anything else you care to mention.
Two engines, crew of 2, and could carry the same bomb load to Berlin as the B17 Flying Fortress, with four engines and 10 crew.
The Mosquito stood a better chance of coming back, too. And it was very, very cheap to build.
Herman Goering’s review at the bottom of this page
If you want to see a couple of Lightnings, get along to Bruntingthorpe airfield where you can at least experience the raw power of afterburner runs down the long runway. Nope, not as good as seeing them fly, but nostalgic none the less.
I too remember seeing it for years slowly being subject to vandalism.
I remember seeing two Lightnings flying in their penultimate air show at RAF Mildenhall.
Me and my mate went as far down the end of the runway as we could to witness them coming down the runway then almost doing a 90 degree turn towards the sky, it was the end of an era I am glad I witnessed.
GasGas:
“With the exception of the Tempest and less so Thunderbolt and now Mig 35,which were designed as fighters first and foremost,the idea of the multi role aircraft is usually just a cheap cost saving death trap for its crews”And…never forget…the DeHaviland Mosquito, designed as a ‘hobby project’ and made out of bits of wood in piano factories. Fighter, bomber, PR, ground attack, ship sinker, sub sinker, and anything else you care to mention.
Two engines, crew of 2, and could carry the same bomb load to Berlin as the B17 Flying Fortress, with four engines and 10 crew.
The Mosquito stood a better chance of coming back, too. And it was very, very cheap to build.
Herman Goering’s review at the bottom of this page
Like the Tempest another exception proving a rule.The key in all cases being power and it was the cost of each Mozzie needing two engines outweighing its cheaper wooden construction which upset the ministry.Obviously nothing changes regarding the choice of F35 v F15/F18/Raphael/Eurofighter.It’s also what made the Lightning superior to Mig 21/Starfighter/SAAB/Mirage in the day.
popularmechanics.com/militar … -new-f-15/
It’s obvious that the US air force has effectively admitted that the ‘F’ 35 can’t handle the Fighter role making its ‘F’ designation a fraud.
Had a chat last week with a chap carrying one of R.A.F Marhams defunct tornados due for the knackers yard,the MOD are being ruthless with the project,maybe the odd tail-fin being preserved apparently.Very impressive sight despite being sans-wings etc,peering through those exhaust nozzles into the smooth blast chamber that once housed those might pegasus powerplants,quite chastening tbh.It’s a fascination i can never transcend,to be in awe of a machine that doesn’t exactly spread peace and harmony.A peturbing paradox. 
manalishi:
.It’s a fascination i can never transcend,to be in awe of a machine that doesn’t exactly spread peace and harmony.A peturbing paradox.
Awe is perfectly understandable when being up close and personal with any apex predator whether alive or inanimate, from a nuclear powered sub to a fully grown Lion, something that exists so singlemindedly has to be admired (not necessarily liked, but admired nonetheless).
