ENGLISH ELECTRIC FRIGHTNING!

[rob ellis]

Hi guys.,,.heres my sons latest toy,.,.,.,ex mick reeves lightning,.,.,,.i will be re painting it in 74 sq markings,.,poss the one at duxford,.,,.,.anyone had some stick time on one of these??? ,.., i remember reading a quote from a usaf pilot that test flew one of the full size being asked after he landed .,."how was it?",..,,.,. yeh fine he said,,.i had full control untill i released the brakes!!!,,.,,.,. that made me smile!!!,.,.,..,.,other pilots simply called it the frightning!,.,,.,,.

[Sverrir Gunnlaugsson]

You might want to get in touch with Harry, he built one and is currently flying it
http://www.rcmf.co.uk/4um/index.php/topic,68816.0.html

[rob ellis]

ive started to repaint the lightning in my spare time.,,.here it is so far.,.ive found a 1/7th pilot bust in my parts bin so now will make a top half ejector seat & dash to fill the big cockpit area up.,,.,.i did climb into the one beside the A1 near newark some time ago when i was still there & remember how tight it was.,,.

[Philip Goff]

Dear Rob
You might like to take a look at this, it is the preparations for the 1961 Battle of Britain day at RAF Coltishall.
Stay with it you will be rewarded with an excellent Lightning. We have been operating a MR Lightning for the last eight or so years,
you need not fear this model. Once you get used to the massive pitch changes which is associated with throttle change.

http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/110556

Regards Phil G.

[Ken Bones]

Fantastic video Phil.
Big thanks

Bonzey

[rob ellis]

Heres a few more....great vid thanks....ive used a mix of different silvers with some of the access panels in foil which I went over with a grey scotch pad......also thanks for the info on the way they fly...im sure its not a lot differnt to some of the large edf stuff ive had over the years......

[Peter Budd]

There is a static model here at RAF Akrotiri if you want any photos of it.
Pete

[rob ellis]

Thanks for that,,, I will have a look,, although the one at duxford has everthing I needed to see,,,, the one at duxford is the one that was accidentally flown by taff holden who had untill that time only flown a RAF trainer,,,,, he somehow put it into afterburner doing taxing trials & had to take off,,,, less canopy,,,!,,, after a few circuits trying to get his approach right he landed safely, ,,,, pretty cool hah!

[rob ellis]

There is a static model here at RAF Akrotiri if you want any photos of it.
Pete

Pete is it a model or full size,,,,, any pics plzz

[Peter Budd]

Its full size mounted in a flying postion on a pedestal. I'll see what I can do. See bottom of the page here for a small picture of it.

http://www.rafakrotiri.co.uk/

[Peter Budd]

Photos too big for here. PM me your email and I will send them as zipped folder.
Pete

[rob ellis]

Dear Rob
You might like to take a look at this, it is the preparations for the 1961 Battle of Britain day at RAF Coltishall.
Stay with it you will be rewarded with numerous Lightnings. We have been operating a MR Lightning for the last eight or so years,
you need not fear this model. Once you get used to the massive pitch changes which is associated with throttle change.

http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/110556

Regards Phil G.

hi phill,...just watched this again.,,,superb,.,.looking to start another EE lightning soon,,bit bigger this time,.,,.rob,

[Philip Goff]

Dear Rob
Excellent, you can never have too many Lightnings.

Regards Phil G.

[rob ellis]

thanks phill.,.,a quarter scale one is on the cards.,although theres one flying at the mo.,,.I remember going to stapleford airfield in Essex when spencer flack put his red seafury GFURY up on its nose as it was raining & the ground was soft,.,there was a flight of five EE LIGHTNINGS doing some fast low flypasts,.,.although only a kid at the time,,maybe 7 yrs old.,.,these things came past so fast that they left their pattern in the rain which stuck in my mind ever since,,.theres lots of nice fast jets about now days but the lightning has got that "something special" about it,.,.,.the fleet that the U.K operated never fired a shot in anger in all the yrs we had it in front line service,i guess that's a good thing..,apart from shooting down a runaway harrier after its pilot bailed out,.,i think one even overtook concord in flight.,everything else inc f15.,f104 ect couldn't do it.,what an awesome bit of kit,..,.,simply love em.,.,

[Steve Ogden]

I too have fond memories of the lightening. I attended the "Last ever Lightening Show" at Binbrook. They flew a diamond 9 formation with 2 soloists. The noise was amazing. It was a damp day and I have some very atmospheric shots of some of the aircraft producing double cone vapour patterns on the fuz as they flew by. The take off was also somthing to behold. As the first aircraft took off it described a large circle to the right and just as it passed back over the crowd/runway the secound plane rotated beneath it. This went on until all the planes were airborne. I will never ever forget it.

[DAVE JOHNSON]

Steve---I was also at that Binbrook show---the weather was awfull ,but it was worthwhile going to see that display ,something you will always remember

[stuart knowles 1611]

. It was a damp day

A classic bit of understatement there Mr Ogden.

Stu K (also an attendee at 'the last last lightning show' )