English Electric Lightning F53 (53-671) Engine Run - 5th May 2018 - Gatwick Aviation Museum

Gatwick Aviation Museum's run of the English Electric Lightning on 5th May 2018. Experimenting with some new camera angles for this one, hope you enjoy!

[@chrishay8385]

The best jet ever! The most impressive take off and vertical climb I've ever seen gotta love a lightning!

[@Kev5565]

I remember as a kid visiting the Finningley Air display with my dad how the noise scared me lol, I'd love to see one fly now though.

[@colinward51]

The first time I saw the Lightning was in the sixties at the North Weald air show and was so stunned at this amazing Aircraft and what it could do in the air.

[@thestig8133]

It's so sad that this AWESOME & FANTASTIC aircraft doesn't fly in the UK anymore not even at airshows.

[@rooramblingon895]

Got me all sentimental and excited! Used to watch them plat around the Lincolnshire coast every year on holiday. Nothing else like them anywhere...🥰

[@IanLanc]

We used to watch the Lightning do free air shows over the sands at Mablethorpe, great times.

[@crushingvanessa3277]

It's nice that it's kept in running condition even if it's not certified to fly. Probably the best way to preserve a plane.

[@mreuropa88]

Great to see one fired up! Impressive even on one engine and no reheat. Dad was an airframe fitter on both 5 and 92 Squadron and I got to sit in one on occasional weekends at RAF Gutersloh.

[@alexairconditioning1581]

My favourite aircraft ever, such a unique amazing thing

[@ianmangham4570]

I've been Gatwick, missed this beast

[@1tonyboat]

That brings back memories being ground crew on 111 SQD RAF WATTISHAM in the early 70`s could almost smell the exhaust !!!!

[@anthonyrobinson5694]

I often used to cycle from Grimsby to RAF Binbrook to watch the take offs as a 14/15 yr old. Love the sound of it.

[@CanadairCL44]

Nice to see a Frightening with two serviceable engines!

[@and7barton]

Stupendous ! - I was waiting for it to leap out of its chocks. Hopefully, the now-grounded Vulcan can show off its engines in this way too.

[@mike_skinner]

As a techie I was allowed to run 2 engines together but only one at re-heat with the aircraft chained and chocked in front of a sound muffler. It was quite exciting putting the throttle through the gate and forward into an explosion.

[@mig21pilot]

Nice job Dave and Milt!

[@furballkimfpv9365]

Awesome test run. Fantastic restoring her and saving her from scrap part of history and should be saved left a like

[@orwellboy1958]

An absolute beauty

[@verdeboyo]

Awesome stuff! I'll be visiting this place next year for sure

[@davidcann6021]

That's the one jet I'd go out of my way to see fly. Amazing :)

[@paulaland2574]

I’d love to see this fly

[@barryf1966]

Great to see and hear

[@skidmark1970]

Live in Gy. Miss the sound of these flying over every half an hour or so. Their flight path for their return to Binbrook was over my house and school. A couple of our school windows gave a perfect view of them coming in. Many many different types used to come in to Binbrook, especially when NATO exercises were going on. No wonder i didn’t too well in history. Also remember them going up on alert and the sonic booms. Watching them take off at night from he end of the runway. Fastest fighter plane in the world

[@robertboykin1828]

What I find interesting is the cut of the leading edge wings. Saw 1 in bitburg, Germany.

[@jmanhuntley]

stunning machine!

[@barrytaylor760]

Used to watch these take off from raf binbrook, sometimes 4 at once , the old mini would vibrate as we would be at crash gate 3 and pretty close to the runway

[@bigAnt2020]

I was waiting for reheat.

[@MrAvant123]

Very cool !

[@IanLanc]

Never knew this was still a running/breathing/alive aircraft.

[@50Postie]

An amazing aircraft and a versatile weapons platform even by today's standards.

[@bchdsailor]

Amazing aircraft

[@AlexLancashirePersonalView]

I used to watch the Lightenings on test from Salmesbury whe I was a kid. 1950s.

[@RabbitSQN]

Epic!!!

[@ianmangham4570]

Stunning pic quality

[@TheClareybrown61170]

THE BIZ

[@thestig8133]

Even by todays standards as engines go. The electric P.1 is still the GREATEST!!! engine ever built & used in a jet fighter.

[@georgehardy4149]

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!!

[@888ssss]

People used to ask me about the cockpit heater, but even at 40,000 feet and -50c air temp, the friction on the skin make the pilot more than comfortable.

[@mustangj0hn]

Very nice! This bird wants to go. What are the plans for this aircraft?

[@neilanyon4792]

Question for anyone who knows. AVPIN is a monopropellant and can burn without atmospheric oxygen, so how does sticking a glove/pad/beret over the port put out any residual flame?

[@richardfroud8970]

What a fantastic aircraft she was. Just brute power. 0 to 30,000 feet in 2 minutes 😎🇬🇧

[@simonhanlon7518]

Actually from runway to 40,000 ft in 30 seconds when competing with an F15-A

[@GHOST5663]

I bet there are a few RAF A Mech E 's tearing up at this. Shame they probably cannot hear it as well as I can!

[@glennpowell3444]

No Keroscene fuel was injured during the making of this short video.Just a few gallons per minute complained afterwards.

[@neilanyon4792]

Is that a custom AVPIN putter outer?

[@markblackman2542]

Will this ever move from Gatwick ,so it may do fast taxi runs ?

[@stephenmcqueen4029]

Must have good brakes

[@ianmangham4570]

5:11 Turning Two 🤟

[@TonVerkleijT3]

Why not make it fly? A monumental heritage of British Aviation!

[@nickjones6127]

Does 53-671 actually fly?

[@Spookieham]

Lovely. Pity they can't move the throttles through the gate into reheat.

[@blxtothis]

It ought to be named Orville: “I wish I could fly………”

[@mikesalt8248]

Worked on them in Saudi after I left 111 SDN RAF Leuchars

[@markdenison9568]

I used to referd

[@alexandermccarthy]

Is she airworthy?

[@MrVulcanbomber]

😱😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍👍

[@keithhow5901]

Thor !

[@madbadger85]

I can’t see why they wont let these planes fly.

[@AndrewNeilBaird]

If you just let the brakes of , i assume this plane could just fly of into the distance...

[@MultiPorkpie]

Rolls Royce Avon

[@markthompson4478]

Seems a waste not flying

[@24865943]

When we made real planes......

[@grahamjordan1040]

Sad that due to our pathetic rules it will never fly again, used to see and hear them in the 60s back when people didn’t wet themselves when a sonic boom occurred.