The Lightning Experience

The installation of the Lightning Aircraft at the GEC Marconi Factory at South Gyle in Edinburgh (laterally BAE SYSTEMS) in 1990. The video shows the last trip of the plane from Turnhouse (Edinburgh Airport) to South Gyle.
The plane is no longer at the roundabout and has now been relocated to the Museum of Flight at Dumfries.....I don't have a video of that move!!

[@MrDiamond1965]

I worked at South Gyle when this was there and visited the Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum whilst on holiday. I was pleasantly surprised to find this aircraft there.

[@eugenebratton]

i worked for a guy who is a member and the electrician for the lightning association, who still have a lightning jet up at the binbrook air field where they where based and he invited me up there a few years ago to give the jet an engine run at full power and it was something i will never forget. the noise is unreal when your stood 30 meters away from it. i took a dive up there 2 days ago and its still there along with a huge amount of other RAF stuff. ( like an open air museum )

[@1903chrisholden]

shame 724 will never run again

[@DalgetyBayHypnotherapy]

I was working here when the Lightning was installed. My memory is that this was actually a Saudi Arabian aircraft, but I can't remember if they changed the tail number to make it look like an RAF one. This site was exclusively for the Product Support department. You can see glimpses of the Displays building, with the reddish roof, over the road. It was nicknamed the Pizza Hut.

[@matthewmaggs1972]

I remember these aircraft flying out from A&AEE Boscombe Down as a kid and stopping what I was doing to marvel at this great plane. Such a shame we dont have them flying regularly in the UK anymore. It was good to see on TV a couple of months ago that they still fly in South Africa, a great piece of British engineering thats still going..

[@deckelpc]

And the "museum" in question was a the Ferranti unit at south gyle.I worked at their crewe toll factory but stayed near the south gyle factory so used to see this as i drove past.

[@bolar500]

Great vid. Here in Malta a BAC 1-11 was hauled over the fence and towed on the road to it's final resting place at a private fire and evacuation training facility. I watched the whole thing. Sadly don't have a vid. I only took pics, one of which was published on Airliner World.

[@katalloy123]

just seen it yesterday at dumfries complete with wings

[@jameslindsay7006]

I remember the first time I drove up to the roundabout after it was installed. I absolutely 💩 my pants! Had no idea that they were doing this, drive up to the roundabout as normal and there is a Jet Fighter there 😲

[@saintmirrenmalky]

I wish I had seen one fly. My father remembers seeing 2 Lightnings on patrol at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. He says that the sight and sound will live with him forever, as will the sight of hundreds of passers-by waving and cheering.

[@gunner678]

The last time I saw lightening in action was in Rhodes October 1987. The Greek army was mobilised. I past by an artillery column in convoy just as a flight of 4 lightening shot over us, low and fast. Very very impressive. They were from RAF Akratiri Cyprus part of the NATO exercise.

[@gunner678]

A much over used word in modern parlance but it applies here.....Awesome!

[@stevemiona]

Last year I was on a train heading south, posibly in Yorkshire or Lincolnshire and couldn't believe there was a lightning in a field which had been covered in grafiti and allowed to rust, I hope the one in the video has been looked after better

[@GTichriz]

S Morrison ,that lightning has moved now,it has been scrapped but the cockpit saved and now under restoration,

[@chizz32]

Great video

[@nervo6321]

Cant believe they went to all this trouble then moved the bugger again !!

[@KeithJRennie]

No it's recently been moved to the museum of flight near Dumfries

[@trainfan5]

There's 4 flying. But all in South Africa at Thunder City, Cape Town.

[@AndyJay15]

Wow I love this video. 5stars!

[@KeithJRennie]

Scottish City Streets......to sit in front of Ferranti, Edinburgh, presented by British Aerospace, in recognition of their work on the Lightning radar (the Ferranti AIRPASS AI.23).

[@handyboy5332]

Helen M and 1975 buddha - Obviously, to see one flying in the U.K. again would be beyond just "superb". However, the cost would be prohibitive but more to the point is that the C.A.A. have stated that they would find it difficult to be persuaded to grant certification to a privately owned jet fighter.

[@nervo6321]

Not everyday a supersonic jet fighter comes down your avenue is it ?

[@feralferret]

That a crafty copper breaking into a car @ 3:28?

[@KeithJRennie]

Sadly no longer...the plane and the factory are now gone. Demolished to make way for new office blocks

[@ColinAllen-i2y]

Bugger me In them days I had Hair I did that move one of many

[@ninetails7]

not really, since its insanely difficult for a civvie group to keep one airworthy to CAA standards...taxiing is one thing...flying is another matter, thought I'd love to se these flying again in the UK...even if forced to use one engine X3

[@sdm107]

what is this music!?

[@arbitar222]

would you like a solution lol theres a harrier in queens bury westyorkshire england or uk 49000 for it the boys in blue did a swap for a brand new truck no lie cus i found inn the auto trader i was gunna go to there auction for it and see if i could get the price down lol

[@CinnoSquid]

Edinburgh Scotland not English country roads

[@anonb4632]

Hopefully one day there will be no need for these, but there are those on both sides trying to start a new Cold War right now.

[@handyboy5332]

How utterly humiliating.

[@arbitar222]

ihave a look on bbc news serch fpr harrier for sale its no shit m8 i aint lieng sirouisly lol its got no engines like but its got every thing els