It was late afternoon on our Canberra dispersal, Akrotiri '64. Two sqdns of Lightnings were leaving next day after their detachment. Suddenly we could see and hear them all burst in to life and very quickly taxi out for take-off.
Both sqdns did a stream take-off and in the clear blue sky there hung a silver column of them as they went vertically up from rotate. Needless to say the noise was deafening. Some things you never forget!