I thought this might bring back memories for some WIWOLs - radio traffic prior to and after the crash of Lightning F6 XR769 as a result of an engine fire off Spurn Point on 11 Apr 88 - probably the last abandonment prior to withdrawal from service.

Someone has identified those speaking in the comments. Some nice unrelated Lightning pics in the vid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm8fI9hTIqc

Now there was a top guy - drifted off to obscurity as an Air Commodore I believe. Excellent OC SFC at Boulmer (kept me out of the doo on one or two occasions)

God, that tape brings back memories. Was it really 27 years ago? It seems like yesterday. :{:{

Yup, was the last RAF in-service loss, and the last ejection from a Lightning.

Ian Black published the photo's in one of his Lightning books of the a/c on fire etc., as he was DC's No.2 that day.

There's a transcript of the R/T and further details on the LA website here.

June 2004 Story

Porky, you're famous!:)

As befits the RAFs Premier Jewish fighter pilot...... :p

WIWOL autograph signing session in the Aces High Gallery tent at a Duxford Airshow a few years ago ;)

http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...gends10015.jpg

Correction? I have been contacted by the guys that run the Lightnings info website Home Page

They suggest that the pictures I posted might actually be from when XR758 was being dismantled in Darwin (after a fire) for shipping back to the UK. I never went to Darwin and was not involved in splitting any of the Aircraft for the PRC job at Tengah. If anyone who did either could verify where the pictures were taken it would help me as well. Certainly the domed hangar is not the norm for UK bases. Maybe someone might recognise themselves or have knowledge of the Ground Equipment in these pictures?

500N - can you pm me please? Your message box is full so my reply to you was bounced.

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1431554837

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1431554834

Oi, it's FRIDAY!

BTW, ISTR Porky getting airborne at Binbrook (around '82 ish I guess) and hitting the underside on the runway and heading skywards followed by a sheet of flame. Recovered the aircraft too I think. Seems a lifetime ago.

I was away on Wednesday:)
I think commander Black took this one-I'm sure he won't mind me posting it.
Twas a good day out.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/p...pyofimg257.jpg

Ahh, Chickenlover, such fantastic photography. To embody both of The Royal Air Forces premier aircraft in one shot is a true art. Great post, great shots. Thanks.

Smudge :ok:

The interactive cockpit panorama - now you can "start the engines"
 

At this high resolution interactive cockpit panorama of a Lightning F.53 you can now (virtually) start the engines, the buttons are on the starboard side, on the right of the IFF and in front of the oxygen regulator , and indicated by a blinking symbol.

The original sound has been recorded bythe Lightning Preservation Group at RAF Binbrook.

http://sg-etuo.de/media/xdc/etuo/XN7...bier_72_tb.jpg


http://sg-etuo.de/media/westersoeteb...0676-wsb_s.jpg

Having sat in a single seat Lightning cockpit, could I ask anyone who flew it whether operating the throttles was exceptionally uncomfortable, or was I just not putting my left arm in the correct position?

The reason I ask is that with my left hand on the throttles, I found the large lever aft of them (radar controls?) to be digging in to my forearm.

Quoth the actress to the bishop: "you were doing it wrong!" (I'd guess it was at or beyond full downwards scanner elevation extension).

No, operating the throttles wasn't remotely difficult or uncomfortable - though we could have done with the seat being a bit less upright for the 5hr+ sorties.

Never flew the Phantom, but, compared to the Tornado F2/3 (qualified in both cockpits), the radar hand-controller was an ergonomic marvel - in, admittedly, a total slum of a cockpit - that only gave trouble when someone left the lid open and it got wet, thereby offering the potential to receive a mighty belt from all the trons running through it when you turned the radar on. I was forever mighty careful after having being bitten once.

Not, of course, a patch on all the more modern stuff, but it could be rightly described as 1950's-style HOTAS-ish...

Gentlemen,

Are we allowed requests on this smashing thread ? I will continue, I was fortunate to be employed on 56 Squadron (possibly the premier Lightning Squadron) at Akrotiri in the early 70s. I have a picture I will scan, upload and post, it's on the ground unfortunately, from those days. Anyone have any photographs of 56 in that era ? Pre coup and Turkish invasion. Thanks in anticipation. Great pics so far.

Smudge :ok:

With over 1000 hours, I never found it a problem but I was only 20 when I first flew it so was much more slender than now! But I do sit in the cockpit at Bruntingthorpe from time to time and it still fits like a glove! Even the hand controller falls nicely into the palm and the brain remembers how it works and which switch does what! Amazing as I usually have trouble remembering where I put the car keys!:ok:

sarn1e & newt,

Thank you for your replies to my question.
:ok: