Lightning photos

[Xplumberlives]

Nicely put Andy!

[Mackrick]

Andy those last few photos

[320psi]

Some interesting ones

XR725, ended up at Rossington, but was saved by Charles Ross, moved and cosmetically resorted in his back garden in Binbrook village



And some classic 'in bits shots'

In the ASF hanger being deaireated, and look whats in front of her, one of the L Set rigs

All set up and probably 'banging' away giving everyone a headache



XR727 flown to Wildenrath in May 88, scrapped by 1992



WG760 in the back ground





XR770, now at Waddington



'Ole'



XS920, crashed at Heuslingen West Germany, July 84, after hitting power cables during low level combat training, pilot Dave Frost was sadly killed





ASF Check 2 lads having some festive fun with XS899, which ended her day at Cranfield



XV328, cut at Cranfield in 94



XS899 again







No2 engine bay, with dury strut fitted





XR753, flown to Leeming in 88, dismantled and moved to Conningsby for 11sdq not that long ago



Theres our ladys 'tail' sticking out in all her 11sdq glory



XS459, up on jacks for retracts and deaireation



Theres a lot of bits in a Lightning





And that ends all the shots I have from Terry, hope you have enjoyed

Ive got more assorted Binbrook shots as well as indvidual 904 and 728 'history' shots that have been unearthed over the years if you fancy ?

[Mackrick]

Fantastic Andy what more can I say

[Gaz]

Pure indulgence!! I loved it!!


Bring on your own photos now!!

[Gully]

Fabulous - big thanks to you and Terry!

Gully

[Stigish]

I never get bored looking at these........Keep em' coming fella's .

[Molerat]

Nice pics ..... but...... too many photos of Binbrook ASF, makes me break out in a cold sweat

[Xplumberlives]

Nice pics ..... but...... too many photos of Binbrook ASF, makes me break out in a cold sweat

Sit down, let go of the mouse and have a nice cup of tea, you'll soon feel better!

[320psi]

Right these arent as good as Terry's but were taken by a Lightning stuck young chap as 'snaps'

These all take from CG3, where it all began































Thats not a Lightning















More to come

[Mackrick]

Keep them coming Andy

[Tonijh]

I have these of XP693

[Mackrick]

Nice photos Toni ... glad to see your still around and posting...

[Tonijh]

I found this thread and realised that I had some piccies of the Lightnings at Thunder City (taken two days before the crash of XS451). I have some of 451 too, but it just doesn't seem right to post them!

Hope to see you at Lyneham soon Rick!

[Saracenman]

trying to fathom what's going on with the Hunter in the background Tonijh - is it on some kind of pallet, or is it merely a trompe l'oeil?

sm

[320psi]

Lovely pics of 693 Tonijh, very nice, shes probably my favorite after our two, always liked the sliver

Lowest houred Lightning in the 'world' as well.

Be nice to see your shots of 451, sad but................


A few more from me of her in a previous life

Binbrook in Aug 87 at the 'wet wet Lightning show' when she visited for the day





And Wattisham in 1993/94 at the 56sdq phantom disbandment bash, this was the infamous day that one of us noticed the Q shed sat all forgotten and said 'wonder if theres any plans for the old Q shed'







Peter Gordon Johnson climbing out





Push in the Has













More Binbrook stuff to come

[Mackrick]

Keep them coming Andy

[Tonijh]

As requested - not the best but the lighting was difficult and there were just so many aircraft I was like a kid in a sweetshop!















I include the following just because I like them and 451 is just so lovely to look at (taken during display), but will remove if anyone wishes!





I hate to say that I cannot remember what they said was happening to this, SM, but a couple of pics to show the work?

[320psi]

Thanks Tonijh

Nice to see her, your take off and underside flying shots still bear out the fuel/hyd leak reason for the fire.

Though I notice in your hanger shots there isnt a drop of fuel or a drip tray under any of them, 773, 452 or 451, that is strange for any Lightning, specially flying ones.

Nice to see 452, I have had close connection with her many years ago at Cranfield, when we brought her back from the dead, she was the best out of all six.



Looks like shes having some work done, with her No1 pipe out

Super shots anyhow, thanks alot

[Gully]

Great pics Toni - thanks for those.

Personally, I have no objection to the 451 piccies - they show her as I'm sure we all want to remember her. Sadly, many of the airframes Andy has included pictures of also ended up being lost.

Are the other 3 Lightings flying at the moment? Think I read somewhere a couple of months ago that only 3 of their 4 were currently operational. Not sure if I've seen any pictures of 693 flying in SA.

Thanks,

Gully

[Tonijh]

I know they flew all four at the Ysterplaat airshow in 2006 - now that would have been something to see!

There was a lot of work being undertaken on all four of the Lightnings, but I was led to believe that they were all in flying condition (other than some servicing requirements).

[Sad Sam3]

Cracking shots again Toni, particularly like 4 & 6.

That must be the cleanest (and shiniest) hanger floor I've ever seen!

[Mackrick]

Thanks Toni

[320psi]

Hey all, busy of late, work, Xmas stuff at home, LPG stuff you know

Heres a few more Binbrook pics, these were taken in Aug 87 at the Last Last Lightning show (ever since it has been known as the Wet Wet Lightning Show) as it pissed it down all day, Ive never been so wet before or since, but boy was it a day to remember

The practice day 24hrs earlier was perfect, blue skys, lite winds, just perfect, the flying was out of this world, two singletons and a nine ship lead by John Spencer in our very own XR728

The day of the event started dull and wet and it got wetter, roads around the base crammed with people trying to get in, with mixed results.

The flying was very nearly canned, but in ture Binbrook style, everyone pulled it out the bag

The nine ship started together on the ASP, taxied out along that long peri track, and went off in 5 second intervals, one after the other, the noise, oh boy, turning right then promtly vanishing into the clag, then they came in low and fast at 45degrees to the crowd line one after the other, stagggering, simply staggering, I can still see it now


Anyways heres a few pics, before the camera gave up

First thing







XR725 BA, spares recovered and roaded to Rossington, shes now in Charles Ross's back garden, XS903 became the last 11sdq 'Boss bird' BA (Jake Jaron being the last boss)



Poor old XS919 BB, she was cut and spent a nomadic life untill being moved to Wonder Land Kids play park in the late 90's, which near me in Fransfield Notts, cosmetically she was made a mess of and has slowly rotted ever since, and is now for sale, but the asking pirce of £10,000 is in my opion way to steep, anyone looking at moving her wont see much out of £5000 to dismanlte and move her, let alone restore her to some thing near respectable, very sad, I offen go over with the kids and stand looking at her, thinking of the times when she was alive and kicking, and wanting to take a steel saw to her and put her out of her misery

One idiot once came up to me and told me in all seriousness with his all knowing head on that she was a mock up, I ask you !
I didnt reply and waste my breath





Our lady, waiting for JS





11 sdq hanger





XS904 BQ at the head of the line, XR753 BP behind her






Static











The Starfighter had just arrived at realy low level, on a car ferry , she now resides at Brunty and is forsale again






Some flying, weather was not good for taking pictures

Fyne's in the singleton comes in fast a low



And back



Low level in the nine ship pass



And the 'nine'




And heres what it was like only 24hrs earlier













Hey ho, its all a long time ago now

[Xplumberlives]

Lovely Andy, what a wonderful day that was (apart from the weather) we spent the day before watching the practices and went on to the airfield in the late afternoon/early evening to look around the exhibits!