Lightning crash
I was D120A. Far too hot down there too!
If the seat did not work or the canopy would not jettison!
It was also found out that it could be landed wheels up with the engines working!!
If the seat did not work or the canopy would not jettison!
It was also found out that it could be landed wheels up with the engines working!!
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
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Ah - yes, the famous Wattisham display teams. Most squadrons used to have (in 't'old days') a 'Wing-Ding' on a Friday afternoon, but Wattisham made that into a 'Ventral Ding' tradition. Much tittering on the senior squadrons up north, but if I recall correctly the first Wattisham squadron to groove the runway was followed a subsequent Friday by the other squadron repeating the 'unfortunate event', obviously not wishing to be outdone...............
I think the games stopped at that point.
I think the games stopped at that point.
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Have done extensive research on the Lightning, in terms of sinking back onto the runway after take off I make it five as follows
1) 6/5/66, XM213 of 226 OCU, S/L Paul Hobley
2) 27/9/66, XR714 of 111 Sqn, F/O Graham Pritchard
3) 9/1/68, XN728 of 92 Sqn, F/L David Cousins
4) 29/10/71, XR711 of 111 Sqn, F/L Eric Steenson
5) 7/8/72, XP700 of 29 Sqn, F/O George Fenton
The first four ended in the barrier and F/O Fenton ejected after take off. If anyone knows of any others I would like to hear about them.
There were certainly two incidents where Lightnings were landed wheels up.
1) 6/5/66, XM213 of 226 OCU, S/L Paul Hobley
2) 27/9/66, XR714 of 111 Sqn, F/O Graham Pritchard
3) 9/1/68, XN728 of 92 Sqn, F/L David Cousins
4) 29/10/71, XR711 of 111 Sqn, F/L Eric Steenson
5) 7/8/72, XP700 of 29 Sqn, F/O George Fenton
The first four ended in the barrier and F/O Fenton ejected after take off. If anyone knows of any others I would like to hear about them.
There were certainly two incidents where Lightnings were landed wheels up.
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Don't recall seeing Dave Cousins reach the barrier - the jet just ground to a gentle halt about level with our line where I was stood half in / out of an F2 cockpit watching the drama unfold .
Eric Steenson, would that have been the QFI I had a great low level trip in a bulldog with, when he was a QFI on ULAS circa 1977/79 from Abingdon. Fine pilot, can't have stoofed the greatest fighter ever built I'm sure.
Smudge
Smudge
but could anyone offer a view on why someone would try to 'dead stick' a
Lightning rather than eject?
Lightning rather than eject?
no engines = no hydraulics = no flying controls
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Dead stick
Didn't someone try to eject and the canopy jammed. He dead sticked it in a field(windmilling engines gave hydraulics) but hit a tree and the canopy came off and fired the seat.
This produced the double pull handle if I'm not mistaken
Hope 3rd October was fun. I'll make it one day
This produced the double pull handle if I'm not mistaken
Hope 3rd October was fun. I'll make it one day
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That was a Wattershambles a/c, 56Sqn. Ejection seat failed to fire as the canopy did not release , superb forced landing unluckily ended in tragedy when a/c stopped by a tree, canopy dislodged and seat fired thru the tree
Last edited by kaitakbowler; 11th Oct 2013 at 14:41.
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Originally Posted by thing
Seem to remember Dick Coleman was Australian. Wasn't he the last guy to bang out of a Lightning?
-RP
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I remember him getting wet. Was at Binbrook 85-88 and remember Charlie Chan going in over Cyprus way and Baz Lennon bending an F3 in a work up display flight (saw that one).
Does anyone remember the name of the M.Plt who used to run the sim at that time? Little guy, let me have a go one day. Bit basic wasn't it.
Talking of M.Plts I have a photo in front of me of 38 LCC-Oct 67 and there's a M.Plt Rowe in the photo. Didn't realise that M.Plts were still flying fighters at that time.
Does anyone remember the name of the M.Plt who used to run the sim at that time? Little guy, let me have a go one day. Bit basic wasn't it.
Talking of M.Plts I have a photo in front of me of 38 LCC-Oct 67 and there's a M.Plt Rowe in the photo. Didn't realise that M.Plts were still flying fighters at that time.
