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Old 12th Oct 2005, 07:43
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Heimdall
 
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Lightning over the Baltic

This whole story sounds very far fetched and is probably just wishful thinking by the individual concerned. It is known that RAF Canberra's were used to 'trigger' Soviet air defences whilst working in conjunction with 51 Sqn and USAF SIGINT aircraft. These flights were referred to as Radio Proving Flights and continued for many years around the borders of Russia and other Warsaw Pact countries. However, there is no record anywhere of a Lightning being used for this purpose and, given the limited endurance of even the F2A and F6 versions of the aircraft, I doubt anyone in their right mind would seriously consider the Lightning a suitable aircraft for this activity. Furthermore, as the SR-71 regularly flew the 'Baltic Express' route at considerably greater height and speed than the Lightning could achieve, I don't really see what additional intelligence could be gathered by using a Lightning for precisely the same purpose.

The use by the RAF of three RB-45C Tornado's to overfly Eastern Europe and Western Russia in 1952 and 1954 in Op Ju-Jitsu has been in the public domain for some time, unlike other reconnaissance activities by RAF Canberra aircraft in the early 1950's.

Further details on Radip Proving Flights, Op Ju Jitsu, Op Robin and other reconnaissance activities from the early part of the Cold War can be found in the 'Operations' section of www.spyflight.co.uk

Heimdall
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