Lightning - XM172

[tarantonight]

Just watched a rerun of Speed with Jeremy Clarkson when he bought XM172. Anybody flown her or have any yarns.......?

[Bro]

XM172 was a Lightning F1A. I last flew it on 15th February 1967 at 226 OCU, RAF Coltishall. At this distance of time I cannot remember a thing about it.

[newt]

I flew XM172 several times during my OCU course in late 70 early 71. Last flown 22nd Feb 71 and that was twice on the same day. Do not recollect anything except all sorties on the OCU were fast and furious! All collision angles and loads of sums to do in your head!!

Then off to see Mr Gubb in the bar for some cold beer and refresh the parts of the brain that hurt!!:ok:

[lightningmate]

Only appears once in my Log Book, 6 Feb 1969 and that was during the very few single seat sorties included in the IWI Course. Records state the aircraft arrived at Colt in '65 then departed to Leconfield for mods/major etc until late '66, so explaining why I did not get aboard during the OCU Course.

Ah yes, the excellent Mr Gubb - happy days.

lm

[soddim]

Just once - 25 May 1965 out of Coltishall for 45 mins that were no doubt better than most minutes that day.

[CharlieJuliet]

2 trips in Jan 66 on 1 Sqn ( 1 Convex and 1 as a target for 2 Sqn) and 1 trip in Feb 66 on 2 Sqn (says Radex 6 - 90*0). It seems as if XM172 was around on the OCU for a long time.

[light_my_spey]

Going on Soddim's reply, What was considered the average sortie length?

[PEI_3721]

1970
June 23. Target, 55 min
Dec 22. 1v1, 30 min
Dec 30. 2v2, 40 min (and short of fuel IIRC)
1971
Mar 15. Target, 50 min

[Dan Winterland]

I just remember the look on Mrs Clarkson's face when it arrived on her front lawn!

[Tankertrashnav]

Always thought that its a shame to buy an iconic aircraft like that and just plonk it down on its wheels on the grass like a fish out of water. Now this is a much better idea:

Welcome to the Castle Motors (http://www.castlemotors.com/aboutFS.htm)

(scroll down and enlarge)

Also see BOAC's post below for another view - yes she is a beaut!

[peppermint_jam]

Should anyone be wandering, she is now looked after (along with a few other lightnings and other assorted aircraft and parts) by Neil Airey.

Thunder & Lightnings - English Electric Lightning - Survivor XM172 (http://tinyurl.com/yk2nrgt)

Unlike Clarkson, he's kept her in his garden!

[BEagle]

The POS net-nanny doesn't seem to like your linky thingy, so try www(dot)thunder-and-lightnings(dot)co(dot)uk/lightning/survivor.php?id=31

Unlike Clarkson, he's kept her in his garden!

I think that Jeremy does actually allow Francie Clarkson in his the garden now and then!

[BOAC]

PJ - linky thingy is brokey, so may I? I chased around the west country a while back. Very sad to see - I have them all in my logbook too:{

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/boacphotos/Mk3.jpg

MK3

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/boacphotos/Mk6.jpg

MK 6 with o/wings

Nearly had to change my trousers herehttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/boacphotos/Castle.jpg

Castle's Mk6 - ain't she a beaut?

[Lightning Mate]

XM172 is in my logbook four times.

Ah, Gubby. His grandson contacted me a while back.

"Now then, may I ask your name?"

"MISTER GUBB...........SIR"

All collision angles and loads of sums to do in your head!!

I'm surprised that you could ever work that sort of stuff out Newt! :E

[Lightning Mate]

The best I can do:

XM172 jet pipes 56 (F) Sqn Wattisham extreme left.

NB the diesel injection pipe for white smoke - the only Lightning squadron ever to have it fitted.

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/XM172.jpg

[Farns744]

XM 172 was still at OCU in 1973.
Last flew it 15 Mar doing RAD 8 which according to logbook was 150's whatever they were.

[BOAC]

It was the 180's crossing behind that used to confuse me..................

[newt]

LM I never did! Just smash it to the edge and at the required distance throw it on its side ad pull as hard as you dare!! Seamed to work but never forget, ONE PEEP IS WORTH A THOUSAND SWEEPS!:ok:

[Lightning Mate]

D'ya mean smash it to the edge, sneak it down the side, and lose it off the bottom?

As for 180s crossing behind, they used to confuse me as well! :E

Methinks 172 must be in here somewhere:

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/Firebirdsbigechelon620.jpg

[TyroPicard]

Flew XM172 four times at the OCU - the first (Oct'72) was my second solo on type, only managed :30 so I must have had fun....

BOAC: don't worry about the changing trousers bit, it's an age thing...

[essdee]

I flew XM172 on a number of occasions between 1966 and 1973. She features 7 times on the trot between 8 & 13 May 1970 - for a mere total of 2h 15m, as 6 of them were display practices. The seventh was a Battle Four sortie. Halcyon days.

[Lightning Mate]

Hello essdee.

Are you still in contact with NB?

[Firestreak]

Just flew 172 twice whilst doing the course:-

Jan 10 69, Radex 8
Jan 14 69, Radex 20

Wasn't 172 the original Airfix model?

Funny looking back through the log book, even after 40+ years, I can still recall some (not a lot!) individual sorties. Happy memories.::)

[essdee]

Had a 'phone call from NB just the other week. PM me and I'll let you have his number.

[4mastacker]

Firestreak,

Anorak mode 'on'.

The original Airfix kit was XM192.

Vintage Airfix - English Electric Lightning F.1A (http://www.vintage-airfix.com/airfix-english-electric-lightning-p-110.html)

Don't know what happened to the real one, but mine came to grief due to my mother's over-enthusiatic tidying of my room.

Anorak mode 'off'.

[BEagle]

Mine needed an enormous amount of plasticene and lead to persuade it to sit on its undercarriage correctly. And Humbrol silver was a right ba$tard to apply with a paintbrush.

Gave it away to a relative's youngster when I no longer had anywhere to keep it - or the rest of my Airfix air force.

[Fitter2]

Personally I used that self-adhesive aluminium foil you burnished on to give a realistic metal finish.. And painted mine like the proper 226 OCU garish red and white. That's before night shift stuffing AI23 bullets into the noses of XM172 and her playmates to fix all the ones the pilots had broken...........

F2 (Colt Aug '65 to July '69).

[soddim]

XM 192 is now well looked after in Thorpe Camp Tattershall Thorpe - not too far from several historic aircraft. She's in my logbook from 1965 too.

(Can't make the URL link work but google thunder and lightnings and look up XM192)

Who screwed with the ability to post other websites here?

[XV490]

IIRC, XM192 was gate guardian at Wattisham for years.

[Tankertrashnav]

Re Airfix kits, I'm sure I can remember making a plastic E.E. P1 kit c1957. Anyone remember this kit, or did I dream it?

[Fitter2]

Your memory is only faulty in thinking (understanably) it was Airfix. Frog did a 1/72 P1A kit around that data. A collectors item if you find one in a dusty drawer.

I claim my anorak.

[Tankertrashnav]

Anorak in the mail, Fitter 2, thanks! No good looking in a dusty drawer for mine, it disappeared in a lighter-fuel conflagration c 1959 :(.

[4mastacker]

...and here's one someone found earlier.

Frog 1/72 English Electric P.1A *FINISHED* (http://gregers.7.forumer.com/a/frog-172-english-electric-p1a-finished_post9219.html)

[peppermint_jam]

Apologies for posting a broken link earlier. Try this one.

Thunder & Lightnings - English Electric Lightning - Survivor XM172 (http://tinyurl.com/yk2nrgt)

Nice addition to any garden in my opinion, shame Mrs Clarkson didn't agree!

[JagRigger]

She certainly looked a bit sad when she left Colt

Flickr: jagrigger's Photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/52752290@N04/)

[engoal]

Some of the chaps from AMF helped out, in a strictly private sense, to get her off the stick - one of them (J*** We**on) had been part of the team that had put her there in the first place! IIRC, the blowdown system still worked after 25+ years, and they were able to extend the gear, drop her onto her wheels and tow her, gingerly, round to the back of AMF. I remember being greatly disturbed by the sound of her wings getting sawn off by some butcher that night....:{ The next time I saw her was some 2 years later, as she was being taken away from Booker airfield on the back of a truck, probably towards Chez Clarkson and TV celebrity.

[Squirrel 41]

Stupid question time:

How are you supposed to take the wings off other than with a junior hacksaw? I assume that whatever the correct method is, it's too expensive / too rusty to do?

How many of the survivors have been taken apart "correctly"?

Yours in ignorance,

S41

[GeeRam]

How many of the survivors have been taken apart "correctly"?

Very few of the later 3's, 5's and 6's that were disposed off in 1987/88 when Binbrook closed.

With the exception of the 3 x taxiable a/c at Bruntingthorpe and Cranfield & XR724 at Binbrook, there's also the ex-Saudi F.53 at Gatwick museum that was dismantled and re-assembled correctly, and IIRC the F.6 at Hendon may have been done correctly as well.

The other non-cut a/c would be those flown into museums with runways, so, F.6, XS903 at Elvington and F.1, XM135 at Duxford spring to mind.

Not sure about the F.2A at East Fortune though....I'm guessing it was cut..??

'928 on display at Warton is uncut too, although it's a pole mounted stripped out shell IIRC.

Pretty much every other UK survivor would have been cut.

[JagRigger]

........it was watching the fin swinging on a rope, way out of control and balance, smacking into the rear fuselage that made me wince :eek:

Also, our ex frighting C/T was asked to recharge the low oleo - the good one got discharged instead.

[tarantonight]

Many thanks for the responses chaps and I have clearly brought back a few memories.

I must say though, I have to defend Mrs Clarkson despite my interest. I'm not sure Mrs TN would be too keen. Having said that, looking out at the size of my garden, not sure it would make my day.......................

TN.