Are legends born or created? (2)
Making stuff up is the job of politicians not professional aviators.
The idea that a Lightning could do anything useful at 88,000 feet is preposterous!
At that height it was merely following a ballistic path at the apex of its' trajectory and the only thing that it was able to do was follow the curve earthwords.
Painting by Michael Turner – two Lightning F1As intercepting a Lockheed U-2A
The text box attached by the artist reads:
"Surprise, Surprise"
Top secret ballistic interception trials were carried out by the RAF in 1962/3 using two Lightning F1As. The 'target' was an unsuspecting U-2, flying at 72,000' over the Arctic.
Soddim's comments remain apposite whether the interceptor is a Lightning or a Phantom.
One Lightning zoomer states that he brought the throttles to idle/idle at peak height. Now that would have plenty of exciting implications as the 'air turbine' dropped off line and pressurisation became jeopardized .......
