Lightning photos

[MadNaddy]

Blooming lovely yet again. Thanks 320 - you put so much time and effort in on here to keep us informed, and these pictures are just astounding!

[Mackrick]

Keep them Coming please Andy ....

[Gully]

Fabulous - thanks Andy. Hope you enjoyed your Christmas compiling that little lot!

Quick couple of q's...

1. How many hours / landings are on each of your two?

2. Did '904 carry a civilian (or alternative non-military) registration when being operated by BAe at Warton? In fact, how did the operating permissions work generally, given the CAA's concerns over all things Lightning?

Thanks,

Gully

[320psi]

Fabulous - thanks Andy. Hope you enjoyed your Christmas compiling that little lot!

Quick couple of q's...

1. How many hours / landings are on each of your two?

2. Did '904 carry a civilian (or alternative non-military) registration when being operated by BAe at Warton? In fact, how did the operating permissions work generally, given the CAA's concerns over all things Lightning?

Thanks,

Gully

Thanks Madnaddy, hope your birthday was a goodun

Gully,

Theres more to come

Answers

1. 728 has 4832 hours out of 4000 total designed limit (a batch of Lightnings including 728 and 904 were given an extra 500hrs in the early 80's to extent their 'time' to 4500) all the last ones left flying in 1988 had this mod, big mods as well.

904 has 4982 hours on the clock

XP693 out in SAfrica was the only one flying at the end which didnt have these mods, as from new shes only done about 1000hrs

Cant answer the landings question, Ive not got the 700's here with me at the mo, but will look it up for you next time Im in them

2, Easy one, the Lightnings were never operated under civil regs, all were still under the MOD's banner, on loan to Bae for 'trials' work

'Simples'

[Saracenman]

1. 728 has 4832 hours out of 4000 total designed limit (a batch of Lightnings including 728 and 904 were given an extra 500hrs in the early 80's to extent their 'time' to 4500) all the last ones left flying in 1988 had this mod, big mods as well.

904 has 4982 hours on the clock

320,

what were the mods to extend the 4,000 to 4,500? leading edge stuff? wing roots?

and where did 728's extra 332 hours, and 904's extra 482 hours come from then?

intrigued!

sm

[320psi]

1. 728 has 4832 hours out of 4000 total designed limit (a batch of Lightnings including 728 and 904 were given an extra 500hrs in the early 80's to extent their 'time' to 4500) all the last ones left flying in 1988 had this mod, big mods as well.

904 has 4982 hours on the clock

320,

what were the mods to extend the 4,000 to 4,500? leading edge stuff? wing roots?

and where did 728's extra 332 hours, and 904's extra 482 hours come from then?

intrigued!

sm

Sm, well spotted, my stupid mistake !!!!! DOH !"

Firstly Ive made a typo,

728 is 4432 and 904 is 4482hrs, sorry Im crap at numbers and spelling

They were basiclly beefed up by adding extra strengthing in the centre wing attachment area,big plates and new bolts, the fin attachment area, the main stress panel (under the wings and usually left ally and not painted to allow easy NDT checks on the rivets) these were replaced with new, along with the No1 engine bearers and the No2 engine bearers

Sorry for my daftness

[Saracenman]

makes sense i guess - basically just beefed up the areas with most stress

were there ever any thoughts, in service, to extend the hours yet further (beyond the 4,500 hours mod), a la 558's next mod - planned in service but Vulcan fleet retirement deemed it unnecessary?

sm

[320psi]

makes sense i guess - basically just beefed up the areas with most stress

were there ever any thoughts, in service, to extend the hours yet further (beyond the 4,500 hours mod), a la 558's next mod - planned in service but Vulcan fleet retirement deemed it unnecessary?

sm

Hey sm, as far as I know there were no plans to extent them any longer, they were getting well past their sell by date by 1988, other aircraft were taking over etc, along with the massive engineering effort and cost to keep them in the air, they had done their 'time' as it were

This is one reason why the ones in SAfrica and the states (422) were chosen as possible flyers, they all have the lowest hours, and all the rest in the UK are up to the limit or have stood out in the UK's 'iffy' climate for way to long to make them viable candidates for flight.

As far as I know there were no designed and tested FI updates past 4500hrs.

[Saracenman]

thanks mate - i kinda guessed that would be your answer

sm

[Pujgnie]

Thank you Andy for all the great pics over the last few months

Loved viewing them all. Lightnings look good from any angle (and yes they leak/vent abysmally) tis the nature of the beast.

[320psi]

Few more for you, feel free to add any you have

JS in JS as it were



A much yonger me strapping Mr Dell in, nice and tight



Ready for his very last lightning 'op' all be it a liitle trundle up Bruntys 2 miles






Some LPG die hards on a bits gathering mission down in Keith Smiths scrap yard



One of 728's many antidet runs







You will all know this date



Covers and tyres





Together again












904s antidet after a pipe pull





728 pipe pull



Ian Wilde ex 92 sdq



Another ATC sponsered pull





The ladies outside their new unfinished home



Inside for a try out, did we get the heights right





Oh look its raining, never



Leak check run after an engine pull/fit



An Avon 302, 1.5 tons of it



No2 bay check



Almost out in 1991



My 'oppo' Jim down the 'ole' where I had just vacated, refitting the No2 starter dome



Ladies in the spring sun shine for a photo day











Few more to come

[Mags]

Brilliant pics

Not too easy to get into the "gubbins"then

[Saracenman]

so 3 tons of a Lightning is just Avons?

holy crap!

sm

[320psi]

Brilliant pics

Not too easy to get into the "gubbins"then

Thanks

Errrrm, not at all, infact I would go as far to say as a total git to get at owt !

sm, yep

Few more for you

JS in BQ this time our 19th annivserary do





FOD run in the Van





Family members gather round







Back home



Tug driver Andy and his mate



Covers back on



You know this one



Sunset



Inside for the first time, brilliant day






Yours truely, just about to launch to 'bag' a Russian Bear



Yet another pipe pull






Cleaning crew





Coming out





In the seat





Another pipe pull, are you getting the picture ?



Feel the force





Ventral off 728



Avon, all snug



Test run



Hope your enjoying

[Mags]

That's some load of kit you need for dismantling all the various parts!

Edit to add - did you get supplied with it when you bought the aircraft?

[320psi]

That's some load of kit you need for dismantling all the various parts!

Oh thats not 1% of the kit you need to keep Lightnings alive, we have tons of special kit and tools, every single item whether large or small has an important part to play in the overall picture.

Without it you dont run a Lightning

Answer, when we bought 728 and 904, we bought the aircraft, didnt even get a chock thrown in with them, nothing.

We spent the first 5 years gradually collecting/finding/buying all the missing pieces to the 'ground kit' jigsaw

I must admit we were quick of the mark though, within a few weeks of taking delivery we were back at Binbrook bidding on every single item of kit we could, before the scrappers had their way, oh the stuff that was going in the skips, makes me wince to think about it now.
Airturbine gearboxes being smashed up, oleos, jet pipes, oh the list goes on.
We were on a very tight budget, having just payed for the aircraft it was more wip rounds to grab as much as we could.
We had a shopping list of the bear bones kit we needed and stuck to it.

Since then, we have come across stuff as we have evovled, when Warton finished in Dec 1992, we got first 'dibs' on the stuff that Barry Pover and Ernie Marshell didnt want (all this stuff ended up in SAfrica)

We got loads of special tools, a ton of special seals, fastners, endless amounts of gear that we are still uncovering today

Then of course there's the 'consumerables' which is a never ending headache

[Mags]

All really interesting stuff

[Gully]

Thanks for your answers, Andy!

Gully

[Gaz]

Love it!

[Mackrick]

Thanks Andy.. love the photos..

[320psi]

Some more for you just before we leave for my sisters late afternoon wedding

Oh look the pipes out again !

Some one is trying to help



Reheat pipe



No1 'interpipe'



One 'ole'



'Jack I dont think you wanna do it like that'



Big (ish) 'ole'












Following 904 back



Back together almost



Two Lightning 'big' names came to visit us this year, Ken Goodwin and Peter Collins



Totally oyut of the blue Ive found this, our Shed at Wattisham with some other aircraft, probably mid 70's



See ya

[Nickolas]

So........... Have the Haynes boys been in touch????
Spitfire, Lancaster, Vulcan (allegedly)......... Now add Lightning............. It would go off the shelves like nobody's business...........

Got to be worth a call to Sparkford.......

[Xplumberlives]

What a CHAMPION idea, would raise some useful funding no doubt!

[Mackrick]

Thanks Andy keep them coming ....

[Gaz]

So........... Have the Haynes boys been in touch????
Spitfire, Lancaster, Vulcan (allegedly)......... Now add Lightning............. It would go off the shelves like nobody's business...........

Got to be worth a call to Sparkford.......

Yep, brilliant idea!

I know I'd buy one!!