That is one of my favourite aircraft. The Lightning was a symbol of what Britain could achieve when it put its mind it to doing something well and right. The Lightning was also one of my very first model kits, so it is looked upon fondly.
This thing was introduced in 1959! it handles better than any modern day fighter i have seen, it can reach speeds of mach 2+ and has a reported altitude flight of 87,000 feet! thats insane.
I think it must have been a different flight, but I vaguely remember one pilot's description of when he got a Lightning up to some ridiculous height. Something like the joystick feeling like a spoon in a bowl of porridge. It must have taken a lot of skill to fly at those sort of altitudes without losing control.
Thats the way to do it. Throttle 50, turn in, sink slowly, tail down, wait for 40 degrees down, burner on , throttle 70, stick up slowly, pull away and climb. Easy when you know how. however, those overwing tanks were a pain in the bum in a roll....well done to the jockey, most exceitting......................
@redbaroniii yup it beat everything including f15s. in fact only the typhoon f22 and su27 can probably beat it now (apart from tsr2 which left a lightning despite only using full power on 1 engine!!!!)
@eatthisvr6 Thanks for the info, It is one of my favorite aircraft. I saw two of them in Saudi Arabia in the late 60's didn't know if they were British or Sudian, but was impressed.
One crashed from the "Thunder City" collection in South Africa in 2009, killing the experienced pilot. The South African Civil Aviation Authority suspended "Thunder City's" operating certificate in March 2010.
The fact is the electrics on Lightnings is enough to give electrical engineers nightmares. However there is currently an Anglo-American attempt to get a Lightning airworthy in the USA. A lot of US pilots flew them, and it was love at first flight !
What a beast. I reckon a Lightning still holds the record for fastest transit from Singapore to Butterworth in Malaysia. Two engines with a set of wings and a bloke strapped to it.
There was a video on here (now sadly removed) of one of the Thunder City Lightnings breaking the sound barrier in a near-vertical climb, prompting the guy filming to exclaim "Bugger me!" when the boom hit him!
That is one of my favourite aircraft. The Lightning was a symbol of what Britain could achieve when it put its mind it to doing something well and right. The Lightning was also one of my very first model kits, so it is looked upon fondly.
Excelsior2007 4 months ago
This thing was introduced in 1959! it handles better than any modern day fighter i have seen, it can reach speeds of mach 2+ and has a reported altitude flight of 87,000 feet! thats insane.
bobthefemail 4 months ago
Thanks so much for posting this.
tonylockhart1963 8 months ago
Hooligan
nittynorns 9 months ago
only the british would put drop tanks on top of the wing.
anglosax001 10 months ago
Yehaa! Jesters dead!
warbyuser 11 months ago
The only aircraft to ever intercept a U2 spyplane.
roddy76to86 11 months ago 3
@roddy76to86 Yep, at about 86000ft too I believe!
ianrkav 11 months ago
@roddy76to86
I think it must have been a different flight, but I vaguely remember one pilot's description of when he got a Lightning up to some ridiculous height. Something like the joystick feeling like a spoon in a bowl of porridge. It must have taken a lot of skill to fly at those sort of altitudes without losing control.
roddy76to86 11 months ago
Awesome :)
spacemanclips 11 months ago
Thats the way to do it. Throttle 50, turn in, sink slowly, tail down, wait for 40 degrees down, burner on , throttle 70, stick up slowly, pull away and climb. Easy when you know how. however, those overwing tanks were a pain in the bum in a roll....well done to the jockey, most exceitting......................
themanfromwem 1 year ago
@themanfromwem Did you fly them?
edj66 8 months ago
@edj66 5 and 11, was my flying that bad ? TMFW
themanfromwem 8 months ago
I bet the pilot was crapping himself and the camera person lol :L :L
garyuk17 1 year ago
0.07: Umpfffhkifrsccch!!!!!!!
geoago 1 year ago
A rocket with wings. Super performance, but at a cost. A range of less than 100miles on full power!
c53204 1 year ago
could it beat a Mig21?
redbaroniii 1 year ago
@redbaroniii
Nae problem.
roddy76to86 11 months ago
@redbaroniii yup it beat everything including f15s. in fact only the typhoon f22 and su27 can probably beat it now (apart from tsr2 which left a lightning despite only using full power on 1 engine!!!!)
eatthisvr6 2 months ago
@eatthisvr6 Thanks for the info, It is one of my favorite aircraft. I saw two of them in Saudi Arabia in the late 60's didn't know if they were British or Sudian, but was impressed.
redbaroniii 2 months ago
I F#%KING Hate the CAA. These things should be in the air in the UK.
b18boost 1 year ago 6
@b18boost
One crashed from the "Thunder City" collection in South Africa in 2009, killing the experienced pilot. The South African Civil Aviation Authority suspended "Thunder City's" operating certificate in March 2010.
The fact is the electrics on Lightnings is enough to give electrical engineers nightmares. However there is currently an Anglo-American attempt to get a Lightning airworthy in the USA. A lot of US pilots flew them, and it was love at first flight !
roddy76to86 11 months ago
What a beast. I reckon a Lightning still holds the record for fastest transit from Singapore to Butterworth in Malaysia. Two engines with a set of wings and a bloke strapped to it.
Larrikins54 1 year ago
0:10 you cant get much closer than that 2 a flying lightning! ;)
slinker129 1 year ago
The Lightning was a great performer no matter what Mk it was...we could do with more of this type of clip!
myvanwi 2 years ago 7
There was a video on here (now sadly removed) of one of the Thunder City Lightnings breaking the sound barrier in a near-vertical climb, prompting the guy filming to exclaim "Bugger me!" when the boom hit him!
beastatlay 2 years ago
affectionlaty known as "the manned missile" or "the one man twin fan all aluminium death ship". stunning aircraft!
fuzzdmedic 2 years ago
@fuzzdmedic Or just "The Frightening"!
m5nut 1 year ago
It is such a beautiful aircraft. End of story....unfortunately.
gixertrickster 2 years ago
That flyby was insane...
What a great video :)
Weihrauch88 2 years ago
the best cold war interceptor. first ever aircraft to super cruise.
fairclought7 3 years ago
it's still the fastest verticle climbing jet in the world.
R6VIIshooter 3 years ago
so cool
f5qd 3 years ago