Lightning takes to the roads

[Pujgnie]

Something you don't see everyday... complete with some entertaining moments.

Saudis' F53 - ZF584 being delivered to GEC Marconi factory (BAE Systems) in South Gyle, Edinburgh in 1990.



Now residing at the Museum of Flight - Dumfries

[MadNaddy]

Brilliant find Pujgnie!

Wait til 320 sees this - he'll be taking the girls home next weekend

[Pujgnie]

Just edited some info into the post - regarding that clip

[Hihonyr8811]

That's a brilliant bit of footage
Loved the bit where the policeman broke into the car and the bus stop lol

Shame when she came down off her plinth that the had to take the tail and wings of her
But I hear she has them back now, dont know how true that is, but someone on the comments says they saw her a couple of months ago and she has wings.

[Mags]

LOL - lovely bit of footage and interesting that it's a Ferranti film. The location makes sense now - little narrow roads around Edinburgh.

Agree with Naddy - 320'll be taking the birds home to tuck them up. Reminds of an eccentric gliding club member who used to keep his glider in his livingroom during the winter

[Pujgnie]

Bl**dy typical !!!

The only aircraft that does not have a link to a pic on thier website

http://www.dumfriesaviationmuseum.com/

[Vulcan Bomber]

Andy, when you get to watch the vid.

Are the yellow frames a normal way of lifting a lighning AND what to they do to the belly tank to take the weight while its in that plinth.



Cheers, David.

[Pujgnie]

I'm guessing the Bus Stop sign was uprooted... and put aside - in order for her to continue .... or was a hacksaw used on the offending lamp post t'other side of road ?

.... and why are the cars in the way - Fords ?

[Mackrick]

Lovely vid thanks for sharing

[Mayfly]

Thanks Mr Knees

[Saracenman]

superb vid - thanks Mr. Knees

question though - the fact that she was presented by BAE, does that mean she was flown back from Saudi?

i assume her wings weren't removed, or they would've kept them off for that mammoth move wouldn't they?

sm

[Pujgnie]

question though - the fact that she was presented by BAE, does that mean she was flown back from Saudi?

i assume her wings weren't removed, or they would've kept them off for that mammoth move wouldn't they?

sm

Andy has posted regarding the Saudi Lightnings in the - Lightning Photo thread. (Yes they were flown back)

[Jigsaw]

Great clip, cheers for that

I thought 6 mins 44 secs was pretty quick considering the distance they pulled her

[320psi]

Andy, when you get to watch the vid.

Are the yellow frames a normal way of lifting a lighning AND what to they do to the belly tank to take the weight while its in that plinth.



Cheers, David.

Brilliant, seen it before,

Dont think Im gonna be taking our two home though, theres a few mods to be done before they did that, and 50 miles up the M1 might be a tat difficult, oh and the good lady wife might just leave me or get me locked up

Shes no longer there as it happens, she was cut (wings and fin) and moved to Dumfries and Galloway aviation musuem in about 2006/07, they have fitted another ventral tank to her and are looking for an aft tank section

Here she is http://www.abpic.co.uk/results.php?q=ZF ... t&limit=10

She was one of the Saudi ones that got away from cutting and scrapping

David, yes those aircraft lifting beams are RAF/Bae issue kit, specially designed and made for aircraft that went off runways (it happened alot), so that they could be lifted back on, not just pulled out of the grass.

We have a set ourselves which we got hold of out of a massive skip full of them at Binbrook in 88, which is a story in its self, if you want to hear it

Aircraft like ZF584 that have been placed on plinths, have had a big steel framework manufactured and fitted inside the No1 engine bay that locates on the No1 engine bearers either side of the airframe, this large frame then protrudes slightly out the bottom of the Ventral tank, whch has a square hole neatly cut into it, then its bolted to the lower base plinth that you can see in the video.
If you look carefully you can see a big off set square thing sticking out the belly as they lift her over the fence and onto the lorry and vise versa

I can think of a few that had this done to them, the Binbrook gate guard (long since scrapped) the Lightning outside Castle Motors down in Cornwall, XS936 and XM172 when it guarded Cotts gate, she now sits safely in Neil Aireys back garden

Lovely Vid

Sm, as Pujgnie says ive mentioned the Saudi aircraft over on the photos thread, 25 were flown back to Warton in 1986 as part of the contract that was origianlly concived by EE to sell Lightnings, which tunred into one of the biggest miltatry export contracts of all time, not just aircraft but personel and support, which lead onto Tornado and now Typhoon contracts.

[Saracenman]

and lots of political arguments

sm

[Thumper]

That was a great find, it all seemed very majestic with the music too

[Molerat]

Sm, as Pujgnie says ive mentioned the Saudi aircraft over on the photos thread, 25 were flown back to Warton in 1986 as part of the contract that was origianlly concived by EE to sell Lightnings, which tunred into one of the biggest miltatry export contracts of all time, not just aircraft but personel and support, which lead onto Tornado and now Typhoon contracts.

I remember to going to Warton from Marham to recover a Tornado and there was this long line of Lightnings parked on one of the disused runways. We also went into the EAP shed, very hush hush, during fuel tests and watched the panic as it poured fuel all over the floor . That was the same week as the space shuttle crash, Jan 1986.

[320psi]

Sm, as Pujgnie says ive mentioned the Saudi aircraft over on the photos thread, 25 were flown back to Warton in 1986 as part of the contract that was origianlly concived by EE to sell Lightnings, which tunred into one of the biggest miltatry export contracts of all time, not just aircraft but personel and support, which lead onto Tornado and now Typhoon contracts.

I remember to going to Warton from Marham to recover a Tornado and there was this long line of Lightnings parked on one of the disused runways. We also went into the EAP shed, very hush hush, during fuel tests and watched the panic as it poured fuel all over the floor . That was the same week as the space shuttle crash, Jan 1986.

Yep that would be the Saudi Lightnings, all sat rotting, shame

Not all had sad endings though

[Spitfire]

the Lightning outside Castle Motors down in Cornwall, XS936

The castle Motors one down here looks the BIZ

[Mags]

That's a real neat one!

[Xplumberlives]

the Lightning outside Castle Motors down in Cornwall, XS936

The castle Motors one down here looks the BIZ

No, more like the Dogs B*ll*cks!

[Gaz]

Does look good.

Can't stand the red nose though, makes it look like a comic relief aircraft

[Pujgnie]

I think I am correct.. but early Lightnings had the red nose. (No doubt Andy will correct me if wrong )

Nice pic.. but spoilt by the Flat grey colour, and that red is a bit too garish for my liking. Prefers the shiny aluminium look personally

[Mayfly]

I don't like the red/grey colour scheme. It's similar to XR 770 at 5Sqn Waddington - I don't like that one either. Camo or Sniny looks much better

[Pujgnie]

Camo or Sniny looks much better

Sniny... never heard it called that before !

Agree... Camo wrapped Lightnings looked the part.