English Electric Lightning Jet

A brief history of the RAF use of the supersonic Lightning jet plane as seen on Classic Aircraft in 1998.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Plane
• jet
• fighter
• supersonic
• plane
• aircraft
• RAF
• Lightning

[Wanobi99]

Yup, it's about time we all said bollocks to this facist government. All you ever here is this fucking stupid rule and that H&S bollocks - when are we going to wake up and start having some fun again?

The Lightning, best of British and greatest interceptor fighter of all time.

[SimonDolan]

It must be really tempting to take off!!!

[zipcharisma]

Nice video. Awesome plane - a true classic.

You Poms need to get over the TSR2. It was an ugly plane, and all we ever hear about it was how good it was. If it was that good, it would have been backed as a local weapon and would have sold itself overseas. In hindsight the F111 was a huge success for us Aussies. In service for 40 years.

[felixu95]

@Wanobi99 I disagree. I think the Mig-25 must be a much more effective interceptor, and it would be incredibly capable especially if it weren't made almost entirely out of steel (lol Soviet Engineering).

[eatthisvr6]

@Owlesque1 id put money on the typhoon being able to catch a lightning (but very very little else on the planet would)

[eatthisvr6]

@killjoy2k2 what about concorde?

[motorguzzi100]

must have been nice to look down on american spy plane u2 at 88000 ft in one of these baby's and give u2 plane a fright and being the only plane that could catch CONCORDE and was able to intercept it on a tail end manoeuvres not bad for a plane design of 1959 and then Brits had tsr2

[LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH]

Well done to Tony! Huge respect to him for looking after the magnificent Lightning. It is a disgrace that innane red tape prevents such an awesome example of British engineering from gracing the skies. The whole point of the Vulcan to the skies project is to INSPIRE the next generation of British engineers. Imagine the impact a Lightning could have? It is very sad to see such a potent aircraft with it's wings clipped due to mindless red tape.

[LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH]

@Qulopuaa Thank the Americans for causing immense damage to British aviation. I would recommend that you research what happened over the TSR 2 project. The Americans pressured the spineless Labour government of WIlson into scrapping the TSR 2 project. Why? Because it was years ahead of it's time, far superior to their F-111 which was being developed, and the Yanks wanted to dominate the export market. TSR 2 was a massive threat, so it had to go. So many disillusioned British engineers went too.

[cookienuts3]

Britsh not english

[sbscottmonkey]

@semoersepa

Sadly one less now that Thunder City have lost one. Ther are now 3 in South Africa, grounded currently due to the recenlt loss of one. And there are 3 in the UK which can fast-taxi (us at Cranfield, and two at Bruntingthorpe), plus another with running engines (Binbrook).

[emilyabbie]

we cant even fly our own flag in England without some prick in government saying it may offend someone, so how the hell can we even fly an English masterpiece??? .Makes me F~@:ing sick.