Cranfield 12th Dec

[Cluny]

Lightning T5 XS458 taxi runs
http://www.lightningt5.com/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=icalrepeat.detail&evid=22&Itemid=3&year=2009&month=12&day=12&uid=9aad6b0939c8af334a4b893e3e270225
Are you still going Thumper ?
I should be there [outside the airfield] but i wont be staying long after the last run as i have a wedding reception to go to in Chipping Norton [so any of my footage wont be on here till Sunday afternoon at the earliest]

[Xplumberlives]

Do the Bride and Groom not want good weather?

[Cluny]

Thats why im not invited to the wedding itself

[Xplumberlives]

Thats why im not invited to the wedding itself

Good Point

[Thumper]

Yep, I'm still planning on going Cluny, same as you, outside the airfield. I did a scout around Monday and found 3 possible locations, what do you think?



It says on the website it runs from 12-5, I really dont want to stand around ffffffreezing cold for hours on end though, any idea what time the runs would be?

2 other people from my bike forum going and possibly a friend of mine too but he's as reliable as British Rail

I think I will stick the video on the tripod to leave running and take photos too, I am also out to a party Saturday night so depending on tiredness/sobriety you may also have to wait till Sunday for the media

[Gully]

Ooo - might pop along too. Only just up the road for me, but usually find out after the event! Loitering outside the airfield with intent to photograph, of course!

Cluny - I'll liaise via text if Gill and I make it!

Gully

[Xplumberlives]

Thumps


What is British rail?

[Cluny]

I dont know what actual times the runs are unfortunatly but i know im going to be [if i can find a spot to park] by the left circle [if that makes sense]
I should be there from about 12ish as im a geek

[Mags]

Psssst - piccy request again??

[Thumper]

British Rail, National Rail, same difference, such a pedant (pain in the arse)

[Xplumberlives]

British Rail, National Rail, same difference, such a pedant (pain in the arse)

Why thank you oh completely un pedantic person who just happens to be on the list!!!!!!!!!

[Thumper]

Miserable weather out there, hope it cheers up soon!

<edit for update>



Putting 20 of the above icons will still not describe how tremendously COLD I am!

But it was very much worth it. Not only did the Lightning do a lovely high speed run, there was also a little surprise too! Thanks to Cluny and his scanner we were both (sort of) prepared for what was about to buzz us at a rather low height!

I have video only of the high speed run as I was too cold to hang around for the second run so came home. Cluny has some excellent footage and he was braver (has a car with a heater) so he hung around for run 2 (if it happened).

The parachute did not deploy on the first run so there was some work to do before the 2nd run, I had already been there 3 hours so decided to return home as I had (as usual) gone the colour of a Smurf from the cold.

It was an amazing experience having never seen or heard the Lightning before, the ground shook, I got a blast of hot air in my face and I went deaf, it was absolutely amazing and I can't wait till next year to see more of these awesome aircraft!

Thanks to Cluny for having some company, storing me crash helmet and giving me some cardboard so my bike didn't sink into the grass!

At the present time youtube is still processing the video so the quality is a little pixelly



Photos:

[Xplumberlives]

You must feel like such an INTERLOPER!


Good work Lady!

[Thumper]

Guilty as charged your honour

The silly thing is, you got MUCH closer and a MUCH better view of the run OUTSIDE of the airfield, the poor buggers that paid £30 where <cough> a lot further away than us

The Hurricane really made my day though, that was fantastic!

[Xplumberlives]

That looks like Peter Teichmans Hurri-Bomber from North Weald!

[Thumper]

Cluny thought it was one from Shuttleworth, wish I had time to get my camera but it turned up out of the blue and seemed to be in a Hurri.....

<I'll get me coat>

[Xplumberlives]

Cluny thought it was one from Shuttleworth, wish I had time to get my camera but it turned up out of the blue and seemed to be in a Hurri.....

<I'll get me coat>

The Shuttleworth Collection example from Old Warden is a Sea Hurricane and doesn't have the pylons under the wings!

[320psi]

Looks like you had a good day, nice to see 458 run, looks like she has the old 'LIGHTNING sickness', no No1 burner

Assume 'our' Dennis Brooks was P1 ?


Good luck to Russel and his team in fixing the burner, I know from bitter experience how difficult, time consuming and costly reheat sangs are to fix

Thanks for posting the vid

See you at Brunty next year some time

[Thumper]

Really looking forward to a trip to see you and your Lightnings 320!

No.1 wasn't working and the parachute didn't deploy. His Frightning does get sick quite often though which is a shame.

Whats P1, I have no idea? I was outside the airfield so can't tell you much!

Something to ask you Andy, on the video, at around the 3:03 and 3:06 mark whats coming out of the bulge at the bottom of the aircraft?

[Mags]

Great video and pics Thumper

[Jigsaw]

Quality stuff Thumper . Thanks for that

[Saracenman]

superb Thumps - thanks!

sm

[Hihonyr8811]

Brilliant

I feel for you, we were going to Waddington to see off the AN-124 and chickened out because of the cold lol

[Stigish]

Nice pics/Vid Thumper
It was well worth getting cold by the look of it?

[320psi]

Really looking forward to a trip to see you and your Lightnings 320!

No.1 wasn't working and the parachute didn't deploy. His Frightning does get sick quite often though which is a shame.

Whats P1, I have no idea? I was outside the airfield so can't tell you much!

Something to ask you Andy, on the video, at around the 3:03 and 3:06 mark whats coming out of the bulge at the bottom of the aircraft?

Your welcome any time

P1 = Pilot in command

Dennis Brooks usually does their runs for them, cracking guy, one of the best

Ummmm, cant answer your question, If I did I would be speculating, looks like fuel to me, there is a vent back there on the T5, ummmmm, Im gonna have to have a few more closer looks at your video, its not easy to see to be honest

The bulge by the way is the ventral tank

The Chute did deploy, well the drouge did anyway, looks like someone has either not packed it right, or is was damp, the drouge has a bloody big spring inside it, and its sprung out of the pack as soon as the doors fly open, which should in turn pull the rest of the canopy out of its bag and the 'can', then pulling the steel cables from around the jet pipes.

I bet Dennis had a few seconds of 'here we go' when he didnt feel the tug of the chute, that runway is very short for 16 tons of Lightning at 70 - 100knts, he would have to be straight on the brakes but being very gentle with them, must ask him next time I see him.

See ya