English Electric Lightning Display

Couple of clips of the English Electric Lightnings (two T5 and two F6) flying at the AAD Airshow

Update 2009/11/14 - Tragedy struck when one of these aircraft crashed today in the overberg, killing the pilot!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Fighter
• Lightning
• Airshow
• Jet
• warplane

[SimonBloomer]

@glenxh558 I'm not sure of the current status of the aircraft at ThunderCity. One of the 4 Lightnings in this video crashed during an airshow a while back, but the other three were still flying last I heard. They also have Hunters, but seeing a Vulcan would be my childhood wet dream...

[WinterBornActual]

One of the world's most under-rated aircraft. Super-cruising way back then!

[stepheng1483]

We should get one of these flying in Britain again.

[motorguzzi100]

@fairclought7 hi there sorry but pilot hale looked down on u2 spy plane at almost 88000ft and Americans god bless little socks had a fright when lightning was 8000ft above them this plane was the only plane at this time that could catch CONCORDE on a tail end interception course and catch it no other plane f16 f15 mirage jets no one could do this it was far in front of its time its history now and then the Brits had tsr2 wow

[paddy689909]

@SimonBloomer last I heard there is funding for one last blast on the British circuit in 2012, as long as the money keeps coming in. I'll be going to waddington, the vulcans spiritual home. Apparently the airframe and engines run out of life 2013/14.

[sprinter160bhp]

As a small boy used to see these leaving Warton in Lancashire , A flash of sunlight off the metalwork , a roar of the engines & (naughty ) the boom of them going supersonic . Glad to know my grandad had something to do with Lightenings :)

i'm all tingly now

[bigchiefmingingbolok]

@SimonBloomer , get your arse on a plane, and come to RIAT here in the UK in july, could be xh558's last display season due to funding.

[glenxh558]

@SimonBloomer are there any lightnings still flying ?, would love to see them at an airshow along with vulans and hunters.

[amron2006]

One of most vivid memories, as a 9 year old kid, is standing in the playground at school and seeing a flash of chrome against a clear blue sky going up like a rocket, and then I heard the thunderous sound. That was my first Lightning.

[SuperAncientmariner]

@fairclought7 The ailerons WERE the wingtips lol

[fairclought7]

yes the worlds first fighter to supercruise and the finest cold war intercepter of its day, an F6 intercepted a U2 at over 62000 ft when the USAF thought it was safe and went on to over 82000 ft in a vertical climb, even by todays standards it is one of the fastest and fastest climbing fighters in the world, the wings were swept at such an angle that the aerilons were in the wing tips