The ‘Y’ pylon was discussed in the early 70’s and initially considered 4 x Firestreak/Redtop. The idea was rejected due to the limited services in the weapons pack; subsequent proposals were for 4 x AIM 9 (‘Y’ pylon) with an option of 2 more under the wing (IWI and STCMPC inputs), but this was rejected by the ministry as uneconomic!
Also from STCPMC (a bit dated) a Sea Vixen photo-tank was mounted on a Lightning pylon to seek a solution for weapons firing photography (close formation); it was never flown.

For a massed take-off, I recall the AOC’s ‘display and fly past’ at Coltishall circa 1971/72 involved 26 aircraft (6x4 ship, plus aeros, plus spare); this might take some beating. Particularly as the weather closed in during the low level sector into the N Sea, and that first aircraft to return took the barrier (OC-F).
The day’s events resulted in some notable quotes:
“Red 4 lost contact, but I can see a singleton … … that’s the aeros guy, he only doing his flat show so follow him”.
“Have we passed the turn back point … thought so, just seen the Dutch Islands”
“Yellow 3, understand that you are using HEFOE code and are short of fuel ... we are diverting to Marham”
Me? Green 4, diverted to Wattisham; heard at Wattisham “are you some the 16 Buccaneers we are expecting, returning from off the coast at Coltishall … err no ???????

Picking up the thread on massed take-offs, does anyone else recall the "survival scramble" at Leuchars circa 1974 when the Phantoms of 43 Sqn, the Lightnings of 23 Sqn and the Phantoms of 892 (RN) Sqn all got airborne in minutes using both ends of the main runway? I've lost count of the total, but 43 had 18 aircraft, 892 probably more and 23 weren't short of airframes either. It felt and looked like a one-time launch of the whole air force! Talk about the hair on the back of your neck... I guess that's one "never to be repeated!" - mind you, as we get fewer...

Early Lightning vertical flight
 

Way back in the mid 1960's I was working in Guardbridge near Leuchars when about 12 Lightnings did a sequential scramble. They had 2 planes on the runway at a time and each pulled vertical after takeoff. The first was up about 50,000 feet before levelling off when the last was clearing the runway. It was an amazing sight and an even more amazing sound. When I tried to talk to my colleague he could not hear a word I said and eventually I had to keep my mouth closed because the air was reverberating in my chest.
Re U2 interception, I recall reading many years ago that Roland Beaumont was out testing a Lightning and was directed by radar into a storm climb to intercept the U2. He just drew alongside and waved to the amazed pilot before turning away but the plane was falling out of the sky anyway as it ran out of momentum. Apparently there were newspaper stories at the time mentioning the interception.:ok: