Ghengis,
I have been struck by lightning whilst flying on several occasions.
It was pretty common on Nimrods as Yeller Gait says. Depending on where you were in the aircraft, the flash could be quite spectacular!!
I remember two strikes in particular: on one we were hit on the port wing (little damage going in) and it came out of the starboard wing, where it blew the LORAL pod clean off into the N NOrwegian sea! (big damage) the second was getting hit on the MAD boom and it blew a large hole in the nose dome!
Only ever got hit once on E-3s, when coming in to Aviano one night and it put about 20+ little pin holes all over the fuselage.
Airborne Artist - why don't you believe their story?? I think it is perfectly feasable frankly, and wouldn't find it hard to beleive at all.
Kind regards to all
TSM