One of the landmarks which I used to like to see was the old lightning in a salvage yard just past Newark going south
When I 1st saw this, it was still in good condition, and maybe a little graffiti, but over the years, it just got worse and worse, and in the last month or so, It has gone completely
This used to mark my 1 hour to home, Also reminded me of my days with dad watching these old aircraft, Tbh I cant even think if any are flying anymore, just the old favs of the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster, which Im fortunate enough for now to see over my home, will miss these old war planes when I finally move up to Sherburn
Anyone know what happened to the Lightning? Did anyone else like to see this when they drove up and down the A1
I’m quite fond of fast jets & Lightnings in particular. I’ve seen the one you’re on about quite a few times & often promised myself that I’d stop there for a short while ‘one day’ & look her over.
Chas:
I’m quite fond of fast jets & Lightnings in particular. I’ve seen the one you’re on about quite a few times & often promised myself that I’d stop there for a short while ‘one day’ & look her over.
Whoever, with probably the best intentions, had parked it there in the first place, had only let Newark Air Museum have it.
I didnt realise it actually was from RAF Gutersloh, Germany, Dad was based at the Army camp at Gutersloh and we went to the RAF base often.
I did a search on this probably the day I noticed it gone, but couldnt find anything, Its a shame such a beautiful aircraft went to such a demise, Vandals and the owner need to be shot, and in Hindsight maybe the Air museum should of fought harder, esp since it was a RARE example
I remember watching a lightening take off once, 0 to 60,000 feet in 2 minutes! now that is fast! it was the fastest climbing aircraft of its time, it could shoot up and ■■■■■■ soviet bombers away before they realised they had been detected.
I believe that it never actually was used in anger, could be wrong, but i’m sure it was never used in any conflict.
We have a battle of britain flight, with the spitfire, hurricane and Lancaster bomber, I was fortunate that my brother was flight engineer on the Lancaster bomber, and i got a ride in the rear turret.was one of the best moments of my life.w
Why not a “cold war” flight of vulcan, Lightening and victor?
And if anyone is interested, try this link saveconcordegroup@groups.facebook.com
Someone nicked the engine several years ago, when it tipped up, if the bloke was trying to sell it, I reckon he was too expensive as he used to have an old Mitchell Cotts lorry that I tried to buy, it rotted away too.
The Lightening was an iconic aircraft and to see it gradually falling apart and being taken for scrap was very sad, it should have been donated to the enthusiasts, or sold to them for the original scrap value rather than just left to the vandals.
I remember seeing a Lightening doing a display at RAF Church Fenton in 1966, it skimmed the full length of the runway at almost stall speed then suddenly kicked in the afterburners and went vertical like a rocket, the noise was frightening and it was out of sight in seconds. At the end of the display we crossed the runway and there was still remains of burnt fuel and signs that the tarmac had melted!
Martin:
I remember seeing a Lightening doing a display at RAF Church Fenton in 1966, it skimmed the full length of the runway at almost stall speed then suddenly kicked in the afterburners and went vertical like a rocket, the noise was frightening and it was out of sight in seconds.
Much like it’s later bretheren the Tornado and latterly, the Eurofighter.
truckerjon:
We have a battle of britain flight, with the spitfire, hurricane and Lancaster bomber, I was fortunate that my brother was flight engineer on the Lancaster bomber, and i got a ride in the rear turret.was one of the best moments of my life.w
Not a nice place to be in war time. A sitting duck. My Dad used to wash them out after the remains of the gunners had been removed.
Sometimes the rear turret wasn’t there anymore when the aircraft got home, as in this case.
i went past there earlier on in the week and did,nt even notice it had gone:shock:
back in 1987 i took two tornado engines up to bae warton for rebuilds and there on the taxiway was a load of chrome lightnings parked up with protectice covers on. cant rememeber there story but im sure it had something to do with a cancelled order and the saudis.
Martin:
I remember seeing a Lightening doing a display at RAF Church Fenton in 1966, it skimmed the full length of the runway at almost stall speed then suddenly kicked in the afterburners and went vertical like a rocket, the noise was frightening and it was out of sight in seconds.
Much like it’s later bretheren the Tornado and latterly, the Eurofighter.
Ken.
Yeah, with no disrespect meant to the older craft, the Eurofighter did a little display of it’s power a few years ago over Southport, where it came to a complete stall in a vertical position, then put it’s burners on and took off like a shuttle or rocket, it was fricken awesome.
truckerjon:
We have a battle of britain flight, with the spitfire, hurricane and Lancaster bomber, I was fortunate that my brother was flight engineer on the Lancaster bomber, and i got a ride in the rear turret.was one of the best moments of my life.w
We do.
And tomorrow, I and 2 thousand other ticket holders, will see the entire flight of 5 Spits, 2 Hurricanes 1 Lanc and the Dakota, up for our annual airshow at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, at the LLA members day.
I was fortunate enough 3 years ago, on my daughters 13th birthday, to be able to get inside the Lanc, and have a picture of my daughter in the tail end charlie gun. Now the public aren’t allowed inside for 'elf and safety reasons.
It was some piece of kit the lighting , believe it was capable of flying at mack 2 ,I was at RAF Coltishall in 1969/70 where the lightning was based and just missed out on a flight in the two twin seater trainers that they had there ,one was broken down, so the senior nco,s got the chance to crap themselves,i did sit in the broken down one and as the seats were side by side with a bulge in the fuselage there was not much room. i would not fit now
And as someone said strait up at the end of the runway to 10,000 ft, the landing looked even scarier touching the runway at 400 mph them deploying the tail chutes to stop the thing, the brakes and the tyres did not last long either.
Klunk
After Coltishall i was at Bassingbourne which had Canberra,s
Much like it’s later bretheren the Tornado and latterly, the Eurofighter.
and the Phantoms.
Phantoms were a crock of s*** american junk sold to us cheap so that the british aircraft industry couldn’t compete, and went under.
Why did they decommision the Harrier? they were the most versitile aircraft around and could out fly most american so called fighters.
We have a history of fantastic world beating aircraft, but now all we have is a small percentage of Airbus and Eurofighter.
to name a few,
Vickers Viscount, Bristol Brittanna, DH Comet, TSR2, Concorde, the 3 V bombers, buccaneer, Harrier, lightening.
The Lightning’s cockpit section has been saved - it was obtained from the scrapyard at Newark, where the airframe had been offloaded after removal from Balderton. It will be restored with parts from other scrap airframes. Someone even made a model of it.
