Twilight Lightning Run Bruntingthorpe 2019

Lightnings twilight event at Bruntingthorpe 16th November 2019 sees both XS904 and XR728 give a simultaneous display of reheat before heading down the runway one after the other, both burners on full !

[@namron46]

I was a young acting corporal stationed at RAF Leuchars, Scotland 1966. It was quite something to witness the Lightnings on QRA take off out into the North Sea in full reheat. Tracking down the Russian Bombers (Bears) in minutes from take off. Occasionaly they had demo's for visiting polititions and overseas ministers. The show they put on was spectacular. The sheer speed and grunt of the lightning made your hair stand up. Nevr forget it.

[@kevinbaird7277]

I was born in 1966 in St.Andrews, special part of the world, these aircraft are awesome, British engineering at it's best.

[@1tonyboat]

I agree, having served on 111 Sqd in the early 70`s

[@neilhobson3624]

I find it hard to put into words how awesome this plane is. By far my favourite. 🇬🇧

[@josemoreno3334]

Me Too.

[@coyote8427]

it looks fast and does exactly that

[@matthewirvine1361]

@@coyote8427 it looks like somebody just stretched a thin sheet of metal over the engines. And then needed a bit more space at the bottom so extended it a bit more. like there is as little excess weight as possible and ended up being about 85% engine 10% wing and 5% seat

[@johndavid5618]

Jip."The best of british. 🇬🇧

[@neilhobson3624]

@@johndavid5618 Certainly is John. Brilliant engineering for it’s time mate👍👍.

[@TheDoosh79]

80s airshows as a kid, the noise from two lightnings and a vulcan taking off on full reheat was enough to make you think the ground was about to crack open.

[@airbrush740]

We just don't make aircraft like this anymore :( and Airshows are not the same

[@nelsonwhaley6348]

That must have been incredible...ear splitting I should think! My 2 favourite aircraft, plus Concorde. British and enduring images.

[@dp-sr1fd]

In 1963 I was at RAF Coltishall as an air cadet which at the time was a Lightning interceptor station. I saw them take off and once airborne a few feet they would pull up and climb almost vertical and disappear through the cloud base in a few seconds. At air shows you do not see anything like what the are capable of.

[@brothercaptainprice]

Very nice capture - steady, no heads in the way and no messing about with the focus. Had the pleasure of watching these get airborne in an airshow at Mildenhall in the early 8os - the vertical climb was jaw dropping.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Many thanks Andy. I wish I'd seen that!

[@54PIRATE]

When I was as a kid we used to watch them fly out of RAF Manston along with Vulcan, Valiant and the handley Paige Victor made the hairs on the neck stand up and still can

[@captainbuggernut9565]

One of the finest fighters ever built. Unmodified it could get 80k ft to intercept a U2 and find itself in the afternoon dashing to intercept a Bear.

[@pilarmorin4405]

Perhaps it's range would be constricting, but otherwise a nice piece of kit...

[@The_BIG_salad]

Why would it need to intercept a U2...?

[@petergordon4525]

@@The_BIG_salad done during interception trials, no other reason except to show how good this aircraft was, 36000 ft in under 3 minutes.

[@owensmith7530]

It also intercepted a BA Concorde at 60K ft doing Mach 2, again as a trial. Admittedly a number of Lightnings failed that intercept, but some succeeded proving it was possible if ever needed. Nobody was entirely sure what the Soviets might be developing.

[@martinpepperell8424]

and then rushing to the White Hart to intercept a few beers before closing.

[@claudebylion9932]

Imagine these with high power, high bypass engines, modern electronics and bubble canopy. It would make you cry, great British engineering.

[@212MPH]

How could you ever fit a high bypass engine ? The narrow body could only take a pure turbo jet engine hence it's very narrow body.

[@155mustang]

Not to mention high bypass engines are incapable of supersonic flight. It would be a insanely stupid mod

[@212MPH]

@@155mustang exactly

[@delten-eleven1910]

Great Britain's aerospace engineering was Great!

[@petercdowney]

@@155mustang Low-bypass turbofans are used on the Eurofighter Typhoon. They're not ideal for supersonic aircraft, however, due to their larger cross-section.

[@richardmarshall4322]

I served in the RAF from 84 to 93, first posting RAF Wattisham in Suffolk. F4 Phantoms of 56 and 74 Squadrons. Binbrook Lightnings would often drop in and on departure would do the vertical climb take offs just to show F4 pilots what a real fighter was!!

[@caractacusbrittania7442]

Political stitch up by labour's Dennis Healey, He wanted American support for an if loan, they wanted an end to Britain's aero industry, and the sale of lardass f4s Healey got his loan , Britain lost its air industry.

[@Daedricbob]

I remember being sat on my Dad's shoulders as a kid watching these at RAF Binbrook and airshows. So awesome - you could feel the vibration in every cell in your body.

[@zebop917]

I still remember my first experience of seeing Lightnings in action. The Battle Of Britain display at RAF Coltishall in 1970 where there was a squadron and I think also the OCU. Seeing them blasting down the runway on full burners then pitching up and heading straight to heaven was very impressive to a teenage plane-spotter.

[@namron46]

I forgot to mention the pilots were mostly young men. What a job, can you imagine the feeling, the pressure, the privilage of flying the fastest jet and the responibility.

[@quirkyadventures1722]

I have a painting of XR728 in the stairway of my house which is signed by lightning pilots. Absolutely love the lightning, it's my favourite jet of all time, absolutely stunning.

[@gazza2933]

Enough to make grown-men (and women) cry. Thank you for posting this 👍

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Glad you enjoyed it and you're welcome

[@paulearp9593]

@@michellemiddleton2569 so sad they should b flying

[@michellemiddleton2569]

@@paulearp9593 Never going to happen again in the UK sadly

[@bobsurgranny]

Love the way you captured that at 3:22 nice angle letting run into view. Picked up the sound really well too, kinda shakes you as if you were there. Great stuff 👍

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@f.w.1318]

Off all the war birds I’ve seen this has to be the most wicked one ever, I’ve seen several in person but not this one, those vertical stacked engines was a design ahead of its time,

[@owensmith7530]

It was a nightmare for maintenance. If the upper engine had a problem, you had to take the lower engine out to get to the upper one.

[@kensmith726]

I love this jet. It served proud fo about 28 years. I have a nice photo of a 50pence lightning shooting down a brand new Tornado. I'll bet the mess was in uproar that night. God bless her.

[@michaelpeart7754]

They still look beautiful.

[@themodelrailwayrepaircentr297]

I remember these taking off at night after the Ruskies , from coningsby in the 1970s .. I’ll never ever forget it

[@andrewbarrett2685]

Get these two beasts airworthy and show them off at riat seeing these fighters flying will be worth the ticket price alone.😍

[@thephantom2man]

If only, the faa will not ever let these types fly in the uk again, it was a hige problem mike beachy head had, and was why they all went in pieces to south africa

[@theyrealltaken3]

I'd swim across the Atlantic to see that!

[@keithpearson4879]

thankyou for keeping them alive

[@andrewtaylor940]

“Now we’re sure it’s a Pilot in it this time, right?”

[@chriscrumbs]

Amazing. Good to see this again. I was stood on that flightline at Bruntingthorpe with my dad, my wife and son - he was four at the time. I had been to LPG events before, but they had not, so were not fully prepared for just how visceral an experience this was. Anyway, all ears were fully protected and hearing survived intact.

[@johnmorris7815]

I had the good fortune to be in the back seat of an RAF DHC1 at the holding point at RAF Wattisham when our takeoff was delayed while a lightning practiced for a display, I sat there and watched the whole thing then went flying, a few days later after returning from camp I went to the IAT at Greenham Common where I witnessed the same display, a sad day when the last Lightning left service.

[@richardnewton9967]

Thank for taking the time to share another good quality video.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Richard Newton You’re welcome glad you appreciate it.

[@johnmorris7815]

Still look like something out of Star Wars even today.

[@Maurice_Moss]

The only jet that could intercept a U2 😎

[@mattwalden4020]

And over take Concorde

[@Maurice_Moss]

@Arthur Humphreys the f-104 was definitely better at killing its pilots

[@captainbuggernut9565]

@Arthur Humphreys Nope both the F104's that achieved over 100k ft were heavily modified aircraft. They were not stock fighters. The NF104 actually had a rocket fitted to get to over 120k and the official 103k height record was from an aircraft with modifications to its fuselage a different engine and a whole load of other mods which would make it useless as a in service fighter. The lightnings were all daily used for intercepts.

[@bananajoe3669]

@@Maurice_Moss Hm, what about the Hawker Scimitar?

[@zig_ziggy]

​@Arthur Humphreys The F-104G, which accounted for almost half of all Starfighters built, had a service ceiling of 50,000ft.

[@errol-zs1aci]

Love your video of these magnificent birds. The 2 afterburner run was absolutely the best. ♥♥♥

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Thank you

[@therookpiece]

That's damn exciting.

[@simonwootten5821]

Very, very cool. Thank you. Enjoyed this.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your comment :-)

[@Foxbat320]

Sigh!! I was lucky enough to there at the last flight of the lightnings at binbrook . I use to love the journey there not only lightnings but vulcans too, in the sky around market raisin and louth . Long ago in a galaxy far far away much missed.

[@fwdesecretary1500]

First posting at Binbrook 1969/70 as a rigger. Fifty+ years on and these winged rockets are still my number one.

[@RuiPlaneSpotter]

Fantastic video

[@dave41184]

Brilliant video and the twilight makes it even more dramatic!

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Thanks Dave it was certainly dramatic being there!

[@coffdrops69]

Such a shame that these awesome aircraft won’t be able to stretch their legs again !

[@jozuavanlangenhove6586]

What happened. Has the preservation group stopped the fast taxi runs?

[@mickb474]

What got me was the way the Lightning skidded the n a fast turn. I was in the RNFAA from 1966 and we used to spend time at RAF bases on detachments. At Leuchars i used to love watching the Lightnings take off and stand on their tails!

[@anthonymurphy1406]

Master piece

[@nelsonwhaley6348]

I would go to RIAT again just to see this incredible aircraft fly..I haven't been back since Vulcan XH588 was grounded.

[@owensmith7530]

Vulcan, Victor, Lightning, Harrier, Concorde. Any of those flying would get me back to an airshow. Like you I haven't been to one since XH588 grounding, which was entirely unnecessary on technical grounds and all about modern corporate mentality.

[@andrewcisalowicz1326]

Went to the last air show at Binbrook before lightning were retired.Rumour has it that they were going to do something special.We were not disappointed!After take off each lightning banked round flying directly towards the crowd then went vertical,the noise was amazing!

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Wow that sound impressive!

[@ThePereubu1710]

I have such affection for the Lightning, big ugly bird that it is. It is the simplest of all, powered, flying objects; take the biggest engine you can, strap some wings on it and see what happens!

[@condorcircus323]

F104 cry’s

[@delten-eleven1910]

...same could be said about the beloved F-4 Phantom.

[@Radio478]

Remember this started in early 1950s, still can out perform some new fighter's today,

[@Radio478]

There is a video on tube, showing how it did out climb a u2, out speed concord at over mach 2,

[@andreskart]

I think is beautiful!!!!

[@Schenkerflyingv]

I'm gutted that we are unlikely to see this again, due to the current situation with the airfield - These Cold War beauties, deserve to be run.

[@kenmayfield3739]

How tempting it must have been to ease that stick back.....

[@morganfoster6671]

I wouldn’t be able to stop myself 😂

[@markwilson9935]

I wouldnt be able to resist the urge to...... TAKE OFF !!!!!!

[@chrisst8922]

I was there in 1992? Maybe and it was pouring with rain. They did a simulated take off side by side and the spray was just like it would have been at Lossiemouth. Then we all sheltered under the Vulcan that was still warm.

[@212MPH]

I remember the lightning as a kid. What an aircraft, an interceptor no one could escape. They killed a few pilots as I remember.

[@thephantom2man]

Yeah they had a bit of a tendany for the 'dreaded' engine 1 reheat fire, and the main gear tyres werent exactly perfect for landing in crosswinds

[@Marie579]

Keep it serviceable, you never know when it may be pressed into service again , seeing as how diminished our forces are currently!

[@tractorman810]

i can remember as. a kid sitting on the front step of the farm house in suffolk, watching these screaming off overhead ,after burners giving it some on quick alert calls, made a hell of a noise,and was a fantastic sight in the pitch black them glows screaming across the sky

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Great memories Sean

[@neilhobson3624]

Wow ! I bet that was awesome. 👍.

[@leowatkins3718]

Saw them as a young kid at Warton. The noise was incredable.

[@1tonyboat]

Most probly 111 Sqn from Wattisham. I worked on them in the early 70`s great memories ,,,,,,

[@simonmorley8403]

02:00 That's the money shot, right there!

[@Radio478]

I worked for EE/BAE. The best in the world

[@simonpeach1705]

Idiot late night idea...but is there any kind of app that can make my van sound like this when I start it?

[@andrewhanslow5420]

The js was the station commanders initials at RAF Binbrook in the 80s...

[@thephantom2man]

More then anything i wish these beauts could still fly, or that i could of been born in a generation where i could of seen and heard "binbrook, scramble 1 lightning"

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Same here

[@leon_sale]

I seen them a few times at Woodford when I went as a kid, that, the Vulcan and the Phantom were three of my favourites hands down. Scary loud on flypass :-) .

[@firestorm996]

If this was the November run, I was there. We got to sit in XS904 after the run and the crowds had departed, and given a cockpit tour by the old Air Commodore of Binbrook (apologies I am terrible with names!). He had many an anecdote, favourite of mine was how he told us about doing over 20 interception sorties in a single day and only logging 1hr of flying time!

[@michellemiddleton2569]

That would be Jake Jarron, great guy with many fascinating tales to tell!

[@paulmillard1130]

Got loads of photos of these aircraft taken at the crash gates Binbrook in the early eighties.

[@rogerarnold7262]

I miss Brunti

[@fekard]

I have enjoyed seeing these flying in Cape Town till it stopped. Great photo ops there in the clip but the blue and white barriers really destroy the backdrop in my humble opinion. Makes it look like an amusement ride.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Sadly the airfield was also used as a race track hence the barriers. It's all closed now and a storage facility for new cars!

[@smitbar11]

@@michellemiddleton2569 What has / will happen to the aircraft?

[@michellemiddleton2569]

@@smitbar11 They are still being kept in a running condition in a small compound at the site.

[@catherinewilkins2760]

Lovely

[@ianmangham4570]

I use to love watching the lightning at raf Finningley in the 70s 80s, the noise a half dozen if these make is unreal 😅

[@michellemiddleton2569]

I bet! Wish I'd witnessed that.

[@ianmangham4570]

@@michellemiddleton2569 Great days, the sr71 was supposed to show but never came, plenty of f4 phantoms and saab draken, always remember pedalling there on my racer and out the corner of my eye i could see some massive black object, a B52 in the sky, just got there to see a low pass with full water injection balls to the wall power 😂💪😎 those were the days, you could sit in War birds and walk through Galaxy C5s with the nose and tail gate open, they use to fly over the crowds before all the health and safety came in.

[@SaxJockey]

Went to the final lightning display at RAF Binbrook in 1987. They were all over the sky, phenomenal. The weather was atroshious, they had to keep fairly low; photography was a bit of a challenge. These is a vid on here (see Joluqa Malta).

[@ianmangham4570]

@@SaxJockey I'll have seen it, I've seen every video on here with the eel lolz, my favourite interceptor then it's the Foxbat 👍🇬🇧💪

[@SteveDentonClassics]

3:23 If that don't get your stuff going, your stuff ain't working

[@PifflePrattle]

Foreplay is fine but withdrawing at the moment critical is bloody frustrating. IOW I want to see them fly!

[@ianwilson4623]

I worked with the lightnings of 19 and 92 sqn at RAF Gutersloh in the 1970's; A really impressive aircraft and when the F-16s were brought to Germany the lightnings would from being parked cold beat them to an intercept at 100,000ft, Not as good at turning dogfights but with pilots that knew what they were doing they would easily take out F4s

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Thanks for sharing your experience Ian very interesting.

[@GEdBrowningPhD]

"easily" ? Much depends on the pilot - - !

[@owensmith7530]

Lightnings could not reach 100,000ft, not even in a zoom climb.

[@alexanderwhite8320]

Lightning is a interceptor, F16 is more like multirole fighter. They are built for different tasks since different parameters. Lightning was designed to climb fast and high to shoot down incoming bombers.

[@Radio478]

Thank you for saving this

[@andybennett5570]

Great film photography of a well choreographed demo of all that is good about the Lightning aircraft based at Bruntingthorpe. So sad that the aircraft no longer have access to the runway.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Thanks Andy, yes agreed I'm just glad we were able to capture the last use of the runway by the lightnings.

[@owensmith7530]

Why do they no longer have access to the runway? That's tragic. What about the Victor Teasin' Tina, can she still use the runway?

[@owensmith7530]

I've just spent the last hour reading the terrible news about Bruntingthorpe, which I missed during covid. Incredibly sad, more British heritage destroyed in the name of profit. It almost (but not quite) makes XH558's situation look not so bad (I note fast taxi opportunities were promised by Doncaster airport, which predictably never materialised). What no-one has said is why C. Walton company was sold, I mean no-one held a gun to their heads and forced them to sell.

[@andybennett5570]

For news surrounding the closure of Bruntingthorpe airfield as an aircraft museum please refer to the Lightning Preservation Group's website.

[@michaelthompson3381]

All that performance came at a cost. Early generation Jet Engines used a lot of fuel. The Lightning's design with a lot of the fuselage taken up with Inlet ducting negated the opportunity for Internal fuel capacity, hence the addition of the 600 gallon Ventral tank the capacity of which was later reduced by the ventral Gun Pack. The design gave the Lightning it's astounding performance and unfortunately it's weak point, lack of fuel capacity.

[@andrewmorke]

Its missiles were also a load of rubbish and undermined the full potential of this aircraft.

[@pilarmorin4405]

One bad ass airplane, period...

[@killer-kane]

Badass birds

[@SS-sh6ww]

Looks like the Aircraft has a Beer problem... GOD that underbelly ! LOL

[@claudebylion9932]

Extra fuel tank.

[@1tonyboat]

fitted many a ventral tank when i was on 1110sqn.......

[@davidkartwright9003]

Is it safe for this jet to fly during the third trimester? (it looks pregnant)

[@NielsHeusinkveld]

If you watch this video often enough, eventually they take off!

[@yellowbelly8402]

Remember them flying over Lincoln City in 70's great planes.What happened to the one from Helmswell Museum when it shut?

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Sorry I don't know the answer to that, wish I could remember seeing them fly.

[@yellowbelly8402]

XM192 Lightning is at Thorpe Camp Woodhall Spa Just found it.See it few years ago didn't realise it was from Helmswell Museum.

[@Radio478]

We made the best in the world

[@franztrierweiler5911]

Do not speak too fast.

[@claudebylion9932]

@@franztrierweiler5911 we made the best in the world and still can if it wasn't for politicians.

[@jkoysza1]

@@claudebylion9932 OK Claude. So where does the money go if not in building, flying and maintaining the British best? You want that comfortable socialism with NHS and various benefits for the unemployed. As a result your magnificent Lightnings are reduced to mere taxi runs at airshows. Sad indeed.

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

Rivalled only by the F-104 climbing.

[@peterhenson4048]

Still very impressive.

[@petercdowney]

3:21 is what you're all here for.

[@markwilliams7712]

Beautiful airframe ❤

[@davidpeters6536]

Lovely to see these beautiful birds, but a shame they cannot fly. F35 and Typhoon you can keep.

[@vbnmvvbnmv2546]

Zvm

[@vbnmvvbnmv2546]

.

[@kingoftadpoles]

Can I have the volume up to 11 please?

[@donk1822]

I would wager there is very little fuel in those beauties, if there was, the temptation would probably be too much.

[@hoofie2002]

A few years a preserved Victor on a test run took off for a few hundred yards before the pilot could plant it again. CAA were distinctly unhappy about it. The old girl just wanted to fly one more time.

[@owensmith7530]

The co-pilot froze, he didn't close the throttles when told to. Pilot had to take hands off the control column, close throttles, by which time aircraft was airborne but at a silly angle, pilot then had to land it. There's a youtube video where the pilot explains exactly what happened, look for "Last flight of the Victor".

[@SuperEdge67]

I’d like to know the PSI of those skinny little tyres.

[@MENSA.lady2]

Never. Never stand downwind of a Lightning during engine start. The fumes from the Avpin starter are highly toxic.

[@beetrooot1137]

WOW OMGGG

[@paddedroom412]

That was incredible. Are there any airworthy examples left? I think I remember some South African billionaire has/had one.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Yes they have been sold recently, not sure who to though...

[@richardgiacomo8979]

Shooow,do lado dos aviões...

[@phasor50]

Love the sagging shape of this plane 😆

[@duncandean4496]

I worked on them at English Electric back in the 50s Still awesome.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Bet you have some stories Duncan!

[@duncandean4496]

@@michellemiddleton2569 Hi Michelle, yes, I could tell some stories. I also worked on Canberra, Tornado, Concorde, VC10, Typhoon, Boeing 707, and money others. All my working life in the industry, including a spell at Heathrow

[@michellemiddleton2569]

@@duncandean4496 great stuff you should write them down

[@geoffreyking1634]

Rockets with wings

[@mcmac9565]

Basically a flying engine

[@mr.d.6529]

Put jets on a wing .or put wings on a jet🤔

[@jamesmckenzie295]

Are these aircraft still there and operational As this was 2019 !

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Yes they are! Although the runway is not is use now but you can get close up to static engine runs with reheat ⚡🔥 🔥

[@dryflyman7121]

When I travelled from Derbyshire to Rutland Water, down the A1, to go fishing, there used to be a Lightening in a scrap yard near North Muskham . Late 80’s early 90’s. Just rotted away and got covered in graffiti. Very sad indeed.

[@andyfield6854]

It was there 10 years ago,dont know about now

[@dryflyman7121]

@@andyfield6854 thanks Andy. No, it’s all gone now. Very sad.

[@owensmith7530]

I've been driving up and down that stretch of the A1 several times a year since 1984. I always used to look out for the Lightning and what state it was in. It's been gone completely for quite a few years now.

[@michaelmumby2328]

Front end and cockpit are now at Binbrook. I saw it there a couple of years ago sat outside the old guardroom.

[@Antient.Briton]

There were many takeoffs like this at RAF Akrotiri when the Turks invaded Cyprus in 1974.

[@scudger99]

3:22 Those dudes are standing so close to the runway that the exhaust plume would have singed their facial hair off. I would pay to be in their position, quite happily.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Haha! The perks of being on the crew

[@scudger99]

@@michellemiddleton2569 Damned right. What a buzz that would be.

[@Radio478]

I was at Biggin Hill airshow in late 70s, the first aircraft was EE lightning, came out of the valley at around 700+ miles an hour, almost breaking sound barrier, commentary said pilot would get a ticking off. lol.

[@andyoz1168]

A real shame not to see it in the air?!

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Yes it is but this is the next best thing!

[@al-azimahmed1188]

That was one beast of a fighter aircraft. I wonder why they didn't do full delta on the wings?

[@ProjectFlashlight612]

Delta wings require long takeoffs. The slab wing gave lift advantage without the penalty

[@al-azimahmed1188]

@@ProjectFlashlight612 it's amazing that such a small section of wing would have such an impact, you say that but I'm pretty sure the Mig-21 could take of on short run ways, granted it was alot smaller and lighter.

[@renekuhn2116]

would love to see these fly again at Biggin Hill and Bournemouth even for a once off

[@michellemiddleton2569]

It won't ever happen unfortunatley

[@The_BIG_salad]

@@michellemiddleton2569 why not?

[@michellemiddleton2569]

@@The_BIG_salad Lots of reasons but mainly the CAA won't allow it

[@owensmith7530]

@@michellemiddleton2569 CAA won't allow it because the Lightning was unreliable and quite dangerous in RAF service, so there is no proven safety case. There was a joke about RAF Dogger Bank being a Lightning base, because there were more ditched there in the shallow waters than were at any actual RAF base. Compare this to the Vulcan B2 with Olympus 201 engines which had very good reliability and safety in RAF use so a CAA case was able to be made for that configuration.

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Thanks @@owensmith7530

[@HIGGI6]

They are allowed to taxi those Lightnings in full afterburner but not to fly them? I don`t get it?!

[@michellemiddleton2569]

CAA won't allow flights

[@PenDragonsPig]

I wander if people know this is not the plane the F35 was named after but the P38?

[@davidlewis6464]

The F-35 is named after both Lightnings. The UK is the only 1st tier partner in the project so got a say in the name.

[@tinomr]

Desain Bomber nya futuristik,, desain Fighter nya aneeh

[@francogemma9585]

😍😍😍😍

[@zandex1449]

Why does the lightning not fly at airshows any more in the UK?

[@michellemiddleton2569]

The CAA won't allow it

[@ikodashiigo]

@@michellemiddleton2569 Hi, I'm just wondering why they will not allow flights anymore, as well as if there are any airworthy Lightnings left. Searched through Google but it's all a bit outdated thanks!

[@michellemiddleton2569]

@@ikodashiigo I'm not sure of the details but I believe the lightning is classed as a complex aircraft and has a chequered history from a safety point of view. The unique design of stacking one engine on top of another probably has something to do with it - fuel leaks from the top engine to the bottom were the cause of many fires! There are currently no airworthy lightnings left, the lastest to fly were based in South Africa at 'Thunder City' but a fatal accident halted that along with the death of the Owner Mike Beachy Head. The Anglo American Lightning Organisation are working towards getting a lightning airworthy at Stennis Airport in America - so they are ones to watch for the future. Hope that helps!

[@ikodashiigo]

@@michellemiddleton2569 Ah seeing a Lightning airworthy would be a dream come true to me, never had the chance to see them flying! There is also a lightning at RAF Binbrook designated XR724. It's being restored to running condition, although I can't remember the parameters of what that means. Thanks for replying!

[@michellemiddleton2569]

@@ikodashiigo No problem. I would love to see one flying too! I presume they will do static engine runs on 724 but it has been over 10 years since that last happened I believe.

[@msmrepo3271]

Massive tailplane

[@binjuice59]

Worked with 5 and 11sqn when they did QRA @ Binbrook whilst I served at Boulmer love the Lightning was an awesome jet 👍

[@michellemiddleton2569]

awesome

[@binjuice59]

Flew it simulated as well trading fighter controllers at Boulmer in the 80's

[@rekkof1]

Let it fly again

[@michellemiddleton2569]

Sadly that won't happen