English Electric Lightnings at Brunty in the snow!!

350wedge

350wedge

Messages
877
Name
Tony
Edit My Images
Yes
Right and for my first photographic post on here can I submit for approval a number of shots I took much earlier in the year at Bruntingthorpe at a Lightning Preservation Group open day.

Here are a selection of my photo's from the day. It was a good day out and what with the snow on the ground it made for something a bit special. And that was before the gorgeous sunset!!

Anyways on with the photo's.... Hope you enjoy...

I have a stack more pictures from the day.... SHOUT if you want to see more ;)

C90B7223.jpg


C90B7289.jpg


C90B7291.jpg


C90B7294.jpg


C90B7296.jpg


C90B7307.jpg
 
I'd love to see one of these babies fly again

0 to 50000ft in just over a minute :D

No 5 for me, the close crop on the fuse and the sun make it look lovely. Only pitty is that it's painted, the bare metal finish looked divine.
 
All the sunset ones, particularly no.5.

If you want to see one fly again - Capetown. If you have enough money you can fly in the 2 seater.
 
Believe me if I had the cash I'd be straight over to South Africa and up in the Lightning. You can fly in Buccaneers and Hunters there too :)

I've never seen one fly and its one of the aircraft I would love to see.
 
I presume they are grounded by red tape over here? Something to do with the MOD not wanting a civilian plane that can outfly faster than pretty much anything they have?
 
chameleon said:
I presume they are grounded by red tape over here? Something to do with the MOD not wanting a civilian plane that can outfly faster than pretty much anything they have?
Click to expand...

Its not the MOD its the CAA and there is a very long story behind it! In a nutshell they are very scared of a jet with reheat in civilian hands. The Lightning also had a very bad in service reliability record, numerous examples can be found at the bottom of the north sea!!

The two seater thats in SA was restored to flight condition in the UK and at various points in its restoration the CAA kept moving the goalposts for flight, and in the end even though it was restored properly they still refused a permit to fly.

Hence why it went to SA where their rules are different. Over there the company running the aircraft basically underwrites the aircraft and takes on liability for its running and any incidents that happen.
 
Those are great aircraft, shame like so many others that they are not still where they should be, in the air and wowing us all.

Those shots are awesome fella.
Are you a member of this society to get access like this??
 
doofus said:
Those are great aircraft, shame like so many others that they are not still where they should be, in the air and wowing us all.

Those shots are awesome fella.
Are you a member of this society to get access like this??
Click to expand...

Its not a society as such but the organisation that runs the aircraft are the Lightning Preservation Group. They hold open days at various points in the year as well as running on the Cold War Jets open days at Brunty.

That particular day was a photographic day where the aircraft were posed in various places. There was due to be a full on Afterburner run at twighlight up the runway but due to the snow it was reduced to a static burner run only.

The aircraft are owned and operated by Volunteers who rely very much on these days to raise money to keep them running.

I'm lucky in that I've got to know some of the guys there, its a shame I'm not more local to them as I'd be there helping out.
 
350wedge said:
Believe me if I had the cash I'd be straight over to South Africa and up in the Lightning. You can fly in Buccaneers and Hunters there too :)

I've never seen one fly and its one of the aircraft I would love to see.
Click to expand...

Used to see them regularly in Lincolnshire in the 60s. We used to get taken to the Battle of Britain displays at Finningley every year. The Lightning there would take off and climb vertically (not steeply - vertically) straight off the runway, until out of sight. Boneshaking noise.

Then 4 Vulcans would do the 4 minute warning scramble. Another boneshaker. Although the currently flying Vulcan 558 appears to make a lot of noise, it is still limited to preserve its engine life. They can make a LOT more noise. Enough to loosen any constipation you may be enjoying.

One of, if not the best, was the Hunter, doing a flypast from a shallow dive. Flying the length of the runway at about 50 feet it went past in total silence. Then about 5 secs later the supersonic shockwave hit us. The loudest noise I have memory of. But then the health and safety people closed off that little avenue of enjoyment.
 
Its a nice thought but it'll never happen, the Pilots that take the Lightnings up the strip have 1000's of hours on the type and know exactly what they are doing.

I was at Brunty when Tina got off the ground but didnt see it due to the Canberra being parked in the way! :bang:

chameleon said:
No chance of a little "stuck throttle" accident like happened recently :)
Click to expand...
 
I had the pleasure of controlling a lighting once at Yeovilton. He requested clearance for a "Zoom" climb to 36,000. I contacted London, they agreed and off he went. Quite the most spectacular thing I have ever seen. He leapt off the runway at about what seemed like 10 feet and the gear went up and then he went vertical, Truly vertical.

90 seconds later 20,000 feet, 36,000ft in 2:30.
 
350wedge said:
Its not the MOD its the CAA and there is a very long story behind it! In a nutshell they are very scared of a jet with reheat in civilian hands. The Lightning also had a very bad in service reliability record, numerous examples can be found at the bottom of the north sea!!
Click to expand...

Weird, the one at Boscombe was always serviceable, the pilots used to fight over who'd fly it. The last flight was pretty special too. Equal numbers of people phoning to complain and people asking when it was going to do that again so they could watch :D
 
You only have to chat to the guys that run the aircraft at Brunty and you realise just how unreliable they are. All of the guys working on them maintained and serviced Lightnings when they were actually in service. All the aircraft is a a seat sat on two dirty great engines and a couple of wings to give it lift.

The internals are so tightly packed around the engines that any form or fluid leak or other problem could well result in a fire or worse.

Byker28i said:
Weird, the one at Boscombe was always serviceable, the pilots used to fight over who'd fly it. The last flight was pretty special too. Equal numbers of people phoning to complain and people asking when it was going to do that again so they could watch :D
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top