manalishi:
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.
There seems to be a sort of engineering ‘D’ Notice placed on the any of the fast 20th Century designed jets ( probably to avoid embarrassing questions related to cost cutting and resulting going backwards in terms of performance ).It’s been applied to everything from Lightning to Phantom and even Concorde in a deliberate attempt to stop private enthusiasts keeping them flying.Having said that Tornado probably fits more into the less than able multi role heap than a half decent fighter.As for the Pegasus sure that’s the even slower Harrier’s hair dryer.While the Tornado was fitted with joint Rolls/MTU aero division made RB199 motors.Ironically the Germans obviously not being so keen on their own heap preferring to keep their Phantoms flying as long as possible.
As for the Lightning no such issues with South African Civil Aviation authority requirements in private hands.But unfortunately the crash of the Thunder City example seems to have been the end of even that promising option for its enthusiasts.
Thinking more on this has got me thinking about other military stuff seen at the side of the road.
Lots of people will have seen the jaguar aircraft at the side of the northbound M6 next to the 6 wheel amphibious army truck at the paintball place around j2, but how many have seen the jaguar set in the trees next to the m42 westbound just as it bends onto the m40?
The Lightning sat there for approx 30 years in a scrapyard in Balderton. Theres a couple of pics of it in my book. I’m not at home so I can’t give you a page number.
peirre:
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
The current Wittering gate guard is a Sea Harrier (SHAR) its predecessor was a GR1 and stood there for many years.
I spotted the tailfin of an aircraft when passing Fort Paull, Hull (coming back from Belgie on the ferry) so a after a bit of Googling it turned out to be the only surviving Blackburn Beverley.
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).
Merely a boyhood throwback fetish i suspect,we had a family friend who was a then, tornado jockey who did a sideline as a de-havilland-Vampire ‘vintage pair’ display duo,alongside a Gloucester Meteor.I got to sit in the thing at Blackpool air show as a kid,a high point.The Meteor sadly crashed years later at another show.Pilot bought the farm alas
Ste46:
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
Yep, was in an old disused scrap yard. I’m only 34 and can remember it clearly. I was told it got scrapped, must have been 15-20 years ago.
have to say slightly off topic
I do miss all the airshows
had many a good time at milldenhall farnbrough and the likes
remember seeing the Vulcan and concorde doing a flypast together someware in the days before mobiles and digital cameras.
have a very grainy picture of it someware.
was a sight which will never be seen or heard again
and im sure I watched some programme once heavy truckers or similar and Jeremey Clarkson bought some aircraft and had it in his grounds .
edd1974:
have to say slightly off topic
I do miss all the airshows
had many a good time at milldenhall farnbrough and the likes
remember seeing the Vulcan and concorde doing a flypast together someware in the days before mobiles and digital cameras.
have a very grainy picture of it someware.
was a sight which will never be seen or heard again
and im sure I watched some programme once heavy truckers or similar and Jeremey Clarkson bought some aircraft and had it in his grounds .
Sunderland Aircraft Museum has a Lightning, a Vulcan Bomber,and a Rapier Guided Missile system on show in the grounds. A great value venue! As well as lots more aircraft it also has a military vehicle display. Regards Kev.
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.
Many years ago I took the family to IWM Duxford, where there’s more historic aircraft etc than you could shake a stick at.
There were 2 (foreign) trucks parked there, weekended. It struck me that was a good bit of planning for a weekend rest. A reasonable cafe, loos, historic aircraft taking off all day, and a massive museum to wander around.
Don’t know if truck parking is still allowed there.
Tangmere in Sussex is a superb little museum if you find youself round there.It has an immaculate Lightning on show with several Hunters and a whole lot more.Hope it’s still up and running.Only happened on it when tipping at nearby Phillips factory.Leaves good memories f sure.
GasGas:
Many years ago I took the family to IWM Duxford, where there’s more historic aircraft etc than you could shake a stick at.
There were 2 (foreign) trucks parked there, weekended. It struck me that was a good bit of planning for a weekend rest. A reasonable cafe, loos, historic aircraft taking off all day, and a massive museum to wander around.
Don’t know if truck parking is still allowed there.
recall a cool anti aircraft gun there with a small perspex cab to one side it was the last gun to use line of sight to shoot down planes,was like something from a 1960 cartoon
There’s all sorts of stuff there…fascinating, horrific and shocking too.
One of the most worrying things for me was an army nurse’s issue luminous watch, which said nurse had to wear pinned to her uniform over her left breast.
Half a century later it was deemed to still be so highly radioactive that it was in a lead box with a thick glass screen to view it through!
EEEK…how many people (nurses and patients) contracted cancer through contact with that?
