Exotic Lightnings
 

Okay it's a long shot but has anybody got a snapshot hidden-away of the infamous Akrotiri Station Flight Lightning T5 XS452 (the pink-tailed machine)?

Even longer shot - pictures of the OCU's T5's during their brief flirtation with dayglow trainer bands at Middleton St.George?

Yeh I know, not the most over-photographed of subjects but worth a try!

Yes and yes! We are already corresponding Tim - I have them all!:ugh:

I mentioned this on another forum AK - I should have added a disaclaimer or something to discount your collection - think it goes without saying that you have a picture of just about everything!

There's just this niggling thought at the back of my mind that there must be snapshots lurking out there somewhere, buried in lofts. I can't believe that so few photographs form that era exist. I guess cameras and film were fairly rare back then but even so, it's a great shame that we seem to be down to the last few pictures.

When XS452 arrived in the Binbrook circuit from Akrotiri (only just, as I recall, it had a flickering air turbine gearbox warning), the flamingo pink fin was something of a shock.

As the pilot called downwind, the Local controller acknowledged and transmitted "Can we have a lick?"

I'd completely forgotten about this, but I think I remember seeing a picture of this on the cover of Flight Magazine ( in the early 70's??) lined up with several other aircraft (at an airshow?).

Certainly not a picture I can recall having ever seen... maybe someone will know more?

I received a very unusual shot in the post last week - a T5 with 5 Squadron, in bare metal finish but with dayglow trainer bands. Guess it goes to show that there were some very obscure paint schemes around, just that they obviously didn't get photographed much - sadly!

Do you mean like this. A poor photo and i'm sure youv'e seen it many times.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...wlightning.jpg

Is that a take off or low level pass?

It was a low (very low) pass! Actually that aircraft has yellow trainer bands - it was the T5's which opted for dayglow orange but only the OCU painted them (very briefly) in those colours. The afore-mentioned 5 Sqn machine presumably simply transferred from Coltishall.

looks like a T4 to me

that's because it is

Not sure if you wanted Lightning pics from South Africa for your book?

I came across some nice ones here if you are. The owner might be up for it if you contact him direct.

I've got a few shots of the Thunder City machines but thanks for the pointer. Inexplicably, TC seem incapable of even answering email enquiries, so my coverage of their operations in my book will be rather short - if they can't be bothered to tell me anything then I sure can't be bothered to publish it! I assume they're not quite so reluctant to answer the people who want to buy joyrides off them!