Test Pilot TV Series 1986 - The English Electric Lightning

[@chrisst8922]

This is the type of programme the BBC used to broadcast routinely. It would typically go out on BBC 1 at nine pm on a Wednesday evening for an hour and the producer wouldn't feel the need to obscure the words of the pilots or narrator with intrusive music. It might surprise the reader to learn that programmes of such subjects are still broadcast in his country but the Corporation has eschewed them in favour of repetitive cookery, dance and quiz shows

[@MyTROLLEYBUS]

...not forgetting the overwhelming emphasis on diversity & inclusivity that totally eclipses everything else- no longer anything to do with entertainment. .

[@samuelgarrod8327]

Yes. The BBC also used to show racist situation comedies. Those were the days.

[@secretfacekid8920]

If this was done now all the pilots would have to be black gays.

[@iwb316]

At the time this was aired, on BBC 1 at nine pm was the Nine O'Clock News.

[@ConradAinger]

​@samuelgarrod8327 And now almost everything is infected with crude, mindless race-propaganda.

[@edenbreckhouse]

The Lightening could break the sound barrier going up vertically. Even today, there are few aircraft capable of doing this.

[@Tinker1950]

The what?

[@tonkerdog1]

I used to be a First Officer on the 737 with Jim Ludford. He’s retired now and spends most of his time cycling around Northumberland.

[@ianmangham4570]

Very cool 😎 👍

[@francishruszka877]

Nice to know about Jim Ludford! We were in the same class at Gateway Grammar School and 1F ATC Squadron.

[@tonkerdog1]

@@francishruszka877 He’s long since retired now.

[@dmoder1019]

I remember being glued to the television when Test Pilot was first screened. To this day, the EE Lightning remains a firm favourite; echoes of a time when Britain was truly Great!

[@angusmcangus7914]

Nice to see some old mates 35 years later. Hoping to meet up again in 2022.

[@simonbaxter8001]

0:20 The instructor is Tim Allen, later went on to be a test pilot for BAe Systems. Had the pleasure of sharing many a test flight with Tim. Great sense of humour, fabulous pilot.

[@ClassicAviationTV]

Thanks for the info!

[@baskerville304]

I went through the Sound Barrier in a T5 when in Singapore, with 74 Squadron. in 1966.

[@davidwedlock2622]

I recognise Les Evans. Was at university with him. He had money because he was on an RAF scholarship. He flew at weekends at Woodvale with the Manchester University Air squadron.

[@raymondhopkins506]

I watched this on its hot weather trials in the Middle East. Unforgettable, especially in a vertical climb, with the accompanying double boom. Not a pretty aircraft, perhaps, but fuelled on raw testosterone. Superb.

[@bertiewooster3326]

I flew it for 2.5 years ..always left my stomach behind !

[@24bellers20]

Got to ask. Could it take off without reheat?

[@bertiewooster3326]

@@24bellers20 Yes easily Ex F3 pilot

[@philipbrooks402]

You lucky, lucky person.

[@bertiewooster3326]

@@philipbrooks402 Yep I had no sense in those days but loads of excitement!

[@philipbrooks402]

@@bertiewooster3326 Thanks for the reply. If you were flying it in the mid 80s it is quite likely that we talked to each other over the R/T, I was a controller at Staxton Wold.

[@avirti]

The muscle car of jet fighters, basically two massive engines with wings and a seat bolted to it, an amazing aircraft of a bygone era, shame there are so few flying today.

[@davidpeters6536]

Fantastic machine. I first saw the Lightening in the early 60s and have loved them ever since.

[@Yosemite-George-61]

Great airplane indeed, but it does not have a mission in modern days. Today is hard to survive an attack at low level, nobody will attack England commin high... so the Lightning does not have "customers" unless it could be adapted for low level work.

[@barrybigballs6339]

only has wings to keep the nav lights apart.

[@darioyabra1465]

@@barrybigballs6339 Cracking Comment, Mate!!! 👌 LMAO 🥸😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@gazof-the-north1980]

"Jim Ludford Harrier pilot, is introduced to an alternative form of vertical take off!" *I LOVE IT!*

[@lyndadent744]

My now late dad was in 92 squadron (armourer) & these "sang me to sleep" as a kid..

[@tonystephen1513]

A feature of the sky every day as a child

[@elta6241]

Look at the faces of all those pilots when they talk about that plane. That tells you everything.

[@sithering]

"An alternative form of vertical take-off" EPIC!

[@vulcanproject]

The ONLY fighter aircraft operated by NATO in 1985 that achieved a stern intercept of Concorde offered up by BA as a target after it was refitted was a Lightning. Absolute rocket ship.

[@Yosemite-George-61]

it was a set up for the press... with 135 NM range, all the Concorde had to do is turn 5° right or left to avoid interception as the Lightning was balistic and had no fuel for another run...

[@MrBeezumph]

@@Yosemite-George-61 Inflight refuelling would have kept it flying. According to a Lightning pilot they would take off from Lincolnshire, reach height , refuel and be across the Norwegian coast in 6 minutes from scramble.

[@beagle7622]

Yes but couldn’t go far.

[@thetourettesgamer8851]

@@beagle7622 as an interceptor always it didn’t need to though

[@tomrafal3655]

The same one intercepted the U2 at 66,000ft. It actually climbed past the U2, beyond 82,000ft and dived down on it. Until that moment no one knew how high the Lightning could fly.

[@nervo6321]

The Lightning , after watching airshows for nearly 50 years never saw anything more awe inspiring or exciting than this aircraft in full flow...

[@quattro4s]

No music just raw sound of an excellent aircraft. Great scenes

[@alanmccormick3583]

Flew in our T5 as a ground crew member of 29 Sqdn It was in 1971 and I haven't forgotten a single exhilarating moment of it.

[@TheLeadSled]

A beautiful bird, my all time favorite RAF plane, love to see one here stateside.

[@danzervos7606]

Everyone's idea of beauty is different. To me is it similar to the slab sided P-47 which because of all the turbocharger ducting had a fuselage thick top to bottom but more graceful when view from on top or upward at the bottom. Compared to the contemporary F-106 ...

[@Alicatt1]

You can see the one from this video in the US, it is this one that they are restoring to flight lightning422.com

[@66PHILB]

The Lightning excelled in its intended bomber interception role. Nothing else could get up so high so fast. Yes it had short legs but that was all part of the trade-off to achieve its design criteria. Later development and flight refuelling kept it relevant into the 70s and beyond. Also, we must remember this was against a background of very tight defence spending and political chaos in procuremet policy.

[@woooster17]

I remember the Test Pilot series back in the mid 80s.. I recorded the whole series on vhs! At the time I was around 15 years old & in the ATC. I did 2 AEF flights in the De Havilland Chipmunk. My 2nd flight was 55 minutes with plenty of aerobatic manoeuvres! Good days.

[@amess6790]

Magnifique quel décollage impressionnant du pur jus britisch of course

[@Smudgerington]

Limited range and maybe in those early days limited weapons offerings, (i.e red top), but it could sit on its tail and go straight up, very quickly. This aircraft was years ahead of its time and could still out climb many modern fighter jets. One of the last great all British fighters.

[@nervo6321]

Never has there been a more breathtaking aircraft....

[@jfro5867]

Never grow tired of seeing vertical take off. So impressive.

[@andrewwilliams5329]

Lived in Farnborough as a child very near the airfield and they always seemed to have the lightning up. Such a great aircraft.

[@donepearce]

It went supersonic in a vertical climb? I want one now please.

[@scopex2749]

The best aircraft we ever had in the RAF, sadly i never got posted to Binbrook despite many tries 😕 so wanted a chance to fly in one of these!

[@curiouslarry6933]

I was privileged to see the last very tight and low level Diamond 9 formation made by Lightnings at Binbrook - the guy in the tower commented, "Eat your hearts out, Red Arrows!" - :grin:

[@clickbaitfishing7787]

Still a lightning on the concrete at binbrook tho in a bit of a state.

[@exileinderby51]

I loved seeing this aircraft when they tested it out of Warton. They used to fly straight and level till they got out to sea, and then went vertical! Epic

[@ianmangham4570]

Awesome, seen them at raf Finningley air shows early 70s through 80s,best Air Shows ever, promotions giving free stickers/flying ✈ over crowd /access in and through aircraft all parked up close with staff explaining /demonstrations/all very up close and personal before the phoney War on Terror and mass control via surveillance.

[@freddielaker2]

it might have been old but at flt level 66,000 ft at mach 2 to find on a few occasions and overtake a U2 spy plane and Concorde was pretty impressive.

[@mothmagic1]

Must be the only combat aircraft that is short of fuel as soon as you release the brakes

[@djpalindrome]

As an American I was very impressed by the achievements of the postwar UK aircraft industry with comparatively little in the way of resources. It seems as though government interference destroyed it

[@kpnut59]

Seeing a Lightning go vertical just after take off never gets old!

[@GlobeTrotterAlpha]

"It's good fun...type of thing you look forward to" (Said in the most British fashion lol)

[@DepakoteMeister]

***** One of our old colonies.

[@DepakoteMeister]

***** Fair dinkum!

[@MSalt69]

And what a heroic mustache.

[@Rockinroyston57]

One of the highlights of a great series, many thanks!

[@ericdenyer4293]

We've all heard of a "drivers car" well this is a PILOTS plane,the best of its time by far.

[@alanlake5220]

Thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightening indeed, Galileo ! great aerial shots, and a great plane .

[@neomatrix3612]

Incredible aircraft.

[@RJW998]

Lovely plane, great video, particularly the vertical climb, thanks for posting.....

[@seanjoseph8637]

I remember watching this series.

[@Radio478]

Brilliant video

[@StewartNicolasBILLYCONNOLLY]

The Lightning has never been surpassed.

[@Yosemite-George-61]

after 200 km the Lightning run out of fuel... it could be surpassed by a Piper Cub... useless as a weapon when Soviet bombers could release a K-20 400 km from England...

[@Turbomgzt]

No range and no tech. Of course it's been surpassed!

[@chrisburnby62]

@@Yosemite-George-61 old Canberra’s were flying through Russia in the50s taking photographs, could have been bombs instead!

[@Yosemite-George-61]

@@chrisburnby62 I know the stories... one was shot by a Mig but continued on its mission only to find out that the vibrations caused by the shell impacts ruined the photos. Courageous men. But... if they were carrying bombs they would have flown a lot lower...

[@TarnishUK]

Tragic to see what has become of Boscombe Down now, a pale shadow of it's former self. I count myself lucky that I got to see the last of the good years there but it was painful to watch it wither on the vine. And boy was that a young Dave Southwood!

[@stevemcgee99]

Really amazing footage!

[@rayrichards5375]

Greatest ever jet fighter to serve the RAF.

[@jakobole]

I heard one pilot say that you were in control untill you let go off the brakes....

[@davidphilips5543]

You're right, think it was an American pilot who got a chance to try the lightning one day

[@Robbaddoo]

Loving the 'banter'. I just appreciate it for what it was. A glorious interceptor. The aircraft of that era were built with such inherent flaws. Much more romantic than modern computer driven excellence though. How far we've come!

[@davidphilips5543]

Just classic - Jim is introduced into an alternative form of vertical take off! 😁

[@thedustofages]

Interesting to know that in the early days there were no two seat lightnings and every pilots first flight was solo. That must have been quite an experience 😮

[@pgs1796]

The thing I always remember about this doc was the Aussie Herc pilot been told he world be flying a Jaguar light attack jet, given I think one sortie in the back seat and then over to you!

[@allgood6760]

Thanks for this 👍🇳🇿

[@ClassicAviationTV]

No problem 👍

[@HowToGetToHeaven]

Very informative and entertaining. Love it!

[@p80mod]

What a cool machine!

[@sircles-net]

Wow they made good TV back then

[@tomsavage7279WalteroftheSea]

Of all the planes in the world- i want one of these to go to the shops in! Wow! Certain given stats are still classified, but pilots knew the facts. What a blast-rethink em and soup em up cos why on earth would one bother with the toys they use now! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@davidcann6021]

That's not the one at the entrance to Boscome Down now is it? I did my school work experience there in 1997 and remember cycling past one. Was working on the the Hawk and Hunter for the Empire test pilot school. They still had the nimrod there at that time plus harrier, tornado and tuccano. Was almost death by the second week spending my lunchbreaks sat on the apron watching the jets start up.

[@alanchase7329]

I used to work on the Lightning in the clip when I was at Boscombe Down and there was a different one as a gate guard. As far as I know XS422 eventually ended up in the USA after it was retired and the owners intend to get it airborne again.

[@alanmccormick3583]

This is the T5 that is currently being restored to flight in the USA.

[@alanmccormick3583]

"If we have to leave in a hurry, You'll hear me say eject eject,the second time is an echo as I will be gone."

[@dissyduster]

Some leaders in other places shall we say lost sleep at night when we turned up at the table with this beast ,,,

[@ianmangham4570]

Soon as they leave the runway it's already going like hell 😂

[@Twirlyhead]

A little bit Cholmondey Warner at the end there.

[@theaviator3863]

If you are interested, the whole “Test Pilot” series - where this clip comes from - is available in full on my site.

[@ClassicAviationTV]

Actually, I originated this video and stitched the episodes as you will know. I still have the letters from the BBC archives to prove,..but hey! Enjoy.

[@theaviator3863]

@@ClassicAviationTV “Where this clip came from” was a referral to the Test Pilot series, not your channel or mine. I recorded the original series on VHS when it first came out and transposed it on DVD as separate episodes. They are on my channel as separate episodes and with copyright permission.

[@mozzy747]

Damm ! from horizontal to vertical in seconds !!

[@adykay1960]

Ian, went to Binbrook last weekend there is a lightning there with a few spare engine parts kicking about. Was sad to see it almost complete and covered over FLT LT MACLACHLAN was the name on the side. If only it could be made air worthy, saw my first ones at Greenham Common they took off and just went vertical....................never to been seen again.

[@andrewwilkins2667]

Clatchy was, sadly killed in a Red Arrows crash, in 1988 if my memory serves me correctly.

[@cowboybob7093]

Now that there is additive manufacturing (3D printing,) the possibility of making high strength ceramic engine parts for legacy aircraft is growing all the time. It will never be _inexpensive,_ but once the plans are digitized who knows how many generations will be able to see this technology fly. The speed of sound will remain a practical barrier so these craft will be impressive for a long time.

[@UncleSlim64]

@blahblah48856 Fixed Wing course #44 took place in 1985. The BBC recorded "Test Pilot" during that year for transmission the following year.

[@bcaffrey98]

Save the twins, son and go back even further and fly some truly wonderful planes like the Spitfire, Mosquito and the original Typhoon. Those are truly thrilling airplanes to fly.

[@alanmccormick3583]

Humorous quote from a pilot. "I was doing alright until I took the brakes off."

[@alejoquiroga9369]

Hermosa aeronave, cuando era pequeño la primera vez que lo vi (en un libro) pensé que se trataba de un caza ligero similar al MiG-21 tanto prestaciones como tamaño (en especial por su cono en la toma de aire) pero resulta que nada que ver al MiG. Saludos.

[@sichere]

Apparently in 1974 one of these beauty's bounced the SR71 mid Atlantic !

[@sichere]

@@FunnyVideoCollector By guile

[@jerryg53125]

Please explain how an EE Lighting would get to the Mid-Atlantic.

[@sichere]

@@jerryg53125 Victor Tanker.

[@jerryg53125]

@@sichere The Lightings did not have air-to-air refueling.

[@sichere]

@@jerryg53125 Why did they have a fuel probe and even over wing thanks then zzzzzzzzz

[@MrBillybonkers]

Have to agree with Jackyeahwoo - I was at Leuchars last Saturday, for the first time in 30 years, and Typhoon definitely has far superior agility. Still wish there'd been a Lightning flying tho....much louder!!!

[@clickbaitfishing7787]

That’s saying something. The typhoon does a display on Wednesday afternoons at conningsby during the summer months staying within the airfield boundary , it’s mental and will make your ears bleed.

[@crosstimbers2]

The Lightning strikes and strikes and strikes - the ground that is en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_the_English_Electric_Lightning

[@Bartonovich52]

They made a ton more F-104s, they were single engine, they flew low level, and they actually saw combat.

[@Mark_Ocain]

Hopping out of a Harrier into a Lightening would be like hopping out of a Vauxhall Viva into Ferrari LOL

[@the14thearlofgurney84]

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be

[@TerenceCousins]

Amazing jet!

[@danielfedericci3915]

que buena filmacion !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@alanmccormick3583]

The Lightning landing was known as a controlled crash as it touched down at 180 mph.

[@Thornus_______]

It's the wings you have to land at a higher speed but overall a fine aircraft.

[@markwilson9935]

Jolly good old chap..what ho....hilarious..love it

[@ClassicAviationTV]

The Series was called "Test Pilot"

[@asharma9345]

The Real Men. Respect.

[@Kirktalon]

If only all of these fun planes could be just for fun.

[@Radio478]

Never accept standard, we built the best

[@AVMamfortas]

A couple of faces from my past there :)

[@billypilgrim3795]

I need to find this series on disc

[@ClassicAviationTV]

Well I still have it but copyright police make it impossible

[@greggsevern3277]

vulcan gone, Canberra next, VTTST are you paying attention? lightning after the Canberra please, would love to see one of these fly once again. have very slight memories seeing one of these as a kid at raf chivenor in Devon I think it is. I remember the noise most. been hooked on jets ever since.

[@thetourettesgamer8851]

You know that in a sense Canberra’s still fly in a way as NASA still uses b57s (which were basically licensed built versions of the Canberra) for monitoring weather conditions or something

[@MrBeezumph]

As I have said on the other Ligtning clips you post on.Lightning losses over 50 years was less than 25% the last being in 2009

[@mauriceouellette7514]

Bonjour a tous du Canada This is the England we like military guy with testostérone pilot a war bird

[@Radio478]

I worked for Bae EE, best in the world

[@MrBeezumph]

86 lightning crashed ,the last happened in 2009.most were caused by an engine catching fire resulting in the aircraft being "abandend".The loss rate of lightning over 50 years was less than 25%.

[@petercorbally6809]

The official loss tally - 45.58%. So, of the 330 aircraft built, 150 were lost in accidents over the service life of the Lightning. Source : publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm198889/cmhansrd/1989-06-20/Writtens-2.html Scroll down to the sub-heading "Aircraft Losses". I'm ex 5 Sqdn Binbrook & 92 Sqdn Gutersloh, '68 - '73. Happy Days......

[@Radio478]

Just the best

[@bcaffrey98]

The modern Typhoon would eat it for lunch. It's also likely that the American F-15/F-16/F-22 would also use if for target practice. Even the F-4 Phantom "Air Defense Diesel" would likely best it. This is not to slam the Lightning at all. It's just that the advancements in avionics, weapons and capabilities in the last 40 years greatly exceed the abilities of the Lightning. The F-15 climbs between 30,000-50,000 ft/min and is highly agile with advanced radar and BVR missile systems. No contest.

[@Radio478]

Wheels up at 12ft

[@Scoobydcs]

nah i do still need that

[@maddog57ful]

Turns better than an F-4

[@sharongriffin2673]

What's equally as interesting to me, I always wonder, who takes the pictures? Another plane I suppose but wouldn't that be a good subject for a story?

[@ClassicAviationTV]

I think that was revealed in the BBC book of the series, usually available on Amazon or Ebay

[@Radio478]

Vehicle through sound barrier, 88 plus thousand feet, can out accelerate concord and out climb u2

[@bcaffrey98]

The F-15's published climb rate is also 50,000 ft/min. As I said, the Lightning was a very good design and ahead of its time. Whilst it may have had a respectable number of "kills" in ACM, it lacks the stamina to engage in any kind of prolonged dogfight. Add to that the missiles it carried for most of its life were unreliable and in high-G maneuvers prone to "go stupid". The F-15 hasn't had a single air-combat loss in 35 years, even against late model Migs.

[@Galahadfairlight]

Er, it wasn't a dogfighter. Guess what? The Lightning was also a useless troop transport aircraft as well. It was a high speed Interceptor, was built for that one job, and did it exceptionally well, that it didn't see combat is irrelevant, Russian Bears were never going to poke back knowing that within 5 minutes, a flight of Lightnings would be right up next to them to remind them the way home.

[@cpmcintosh1]

sure that series was called the Empire Flying school ??

[@typhoon2827]

4:05 lightning at idle definitely sounds a bit like a four cylinder diesel. 😂