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As an USAF pilot stationed in Germany in the mid sixties, I had the pleasure of flying the British Lighting. An RAF squadron leader brought his Lightning jet over to Ramstein AFB to fly with us a few days. He let me fly it on a practice high altitude intercept mission (above 40,000 feet). It was an amazing flight and the intercept was successful. I was in afterburner most of the time. Ian Black is right on about watching the fuel gauges. After the intercept, I was low on fuel and had to make an immediate landing. I checked my flying logs the other day and noticed the total time of the flight was 17 minutes.

@newton18311

3 жыл бұрын

That's one of the reasons it was retired , A gas guzzler and difficult to work 0n,

@paulmcphie1596

3 жыл бұрын

I would have rounded that up to 0.3

@mktm1290

Жыл бұрын

@@newton18311 nothing to do with the fact that it had served 30 years and the air frames where all ages at that point na? Lol also why do people point out about the fuel so much, it wasn’t designed to have long range! It’s like saying a Lancaster was terrible because it couldn’t dog fight lol

@newton18311

Жыл бұрын

@@mktm1290 Airframes can be renewed like the Lancaster that's based near me. The lightning was difficult to work on , and the loiter time was only about ten minutes, It was designed to be an Interceptor not a fighter,

@paulnutter1713

Жыл бұрын

So....an endurance flight then......lucky you!

I recall the Americans sent over a test pilot to evaluate the Lightning. When he was asked what he thought, he said... " I had full control right up to the point where I released the brakes" Brilliant!!!

@markaurelius61

5 жыл бұрын

That has me crying with laughter

@7belowzero

5 жыл бұрын

@Firsthgyhgyhuy Lastujhujhuj "Nope"

@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM

4 жыл бұрын

@@7belowzero : Sorry to be "that" person mate, but you did slightly misquote it.

@7belowzero

4 жыл бұрын

@@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM Not really sure what you mean? The quote as I recall was from a BBC documentary from the 70's. Pretty sure they were at the ETPS.

@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM

4 жыл бұрын

@@7belowzero : To be honest mate, you're largely right regarding the comment. I know the documentary you're on about. It's was Roland or Rowland :-/ Beemont who made the comment.

We used to say the EE Lightning was an aerodynamic disaster that in theory shouldn't take off, but it went sooo fast down the runway it had to fly! I was stationed in Cyprus 1981 - 84 and could see these jets from my living quarters. Never tired of hearing them. My favourite jet fighter interceptor of all time! Some lucky sods even managed a "Jolly" in a 2 seater he he!

I remember going to mildenhall air show in the early 80’s and they lined up a lightening, a tornado and an f15 all notoriously loud aircraft in a triangle formation and then they all ranked up to full afterburner and took off down the runway. I thought my rib cage was going to explode! It was like an earthquake! Hundreds of car alarms going off it was the most awesome thing I had ever seen as a 10 year old!

I recall an old joke from a Lightning pilot... The Lightning has so much thrust the only reason it has wings is to keep the nav lights apart.

@Aircrewinterview

5 жыл бұрын

Love that!

@cassorde1599

5 жыл бұрын

i heard that too, its from a pilot who flies and maintains the lightning in south africa i think.

@jennygore9833

5 жыл бұрын

dathat555 you watched that on here fake

@carolrowley8749

5 жыл бұрын

That remark was from a BBC series about RAF trainee pilots from the 1990s, the RAF kept one Lightning in flying condition and the top recruit was taken up in it ,it was a two seater, on take it went vertical and the pilot said, " now you know what the wings are for", the trainee replied ," whats that Sir", the pilot replied,"therear' to keep the navigation lights apart

@aleccap5946

5 жыл бұрын

Love the original comment about the wings

Never saw any aircraft more awe inspiring than the Lightning.....

@howardsix9708

3 жыл бұрын

apart from the vulcan ???????????? h6 binbrook

Friend of mine did his Solo at 20 and said it was terrifying exhilarating and the rest of his aviation career was downhill...what a beast and the best of British!!!

@tlangdon12

11 ай бұрын

Incredible! I expect that being 20 was one of the main factors that allowed him to cope with the process of learning to fly the Lightning.

A very special aircraft, even more special aviator. Love these interviews..

@Aircrewinterview

6 жыл бұрын

+John Leyland Cheers John.

My Dad waa a pilot on lightnings in Cyprus in the 60's and 70's and i remember having my kidneys rattled as 6 took off on full reheat one after the other. I was 10!

@dannycochrane4330

3 жыл бұрын

Andy are you glider pilot Andy Davis?

Born in "Proud"Preston in 1949, living less than a mile away from the EE factories, and remember the thousands of workers streaming out as I passed on the bus going home from school. Low-loaders pulled by Scammell tractors I think. Also Canberra bombers, TSR2 later (might be false memory). I certainly remember Concorde flying over, on test from Salmesbury to Warton. Not many Aerodromes could cope with such powerful machines. Oh tempore, oh mores! Eeerrrm, the Lightning was ferocious. At Brands Hatch, Kent, racing circuit 1968, I saw one pass. Stupefying power, almost vertical climb it seemed to us observers, deafening. Completely unforgettable. Never seen anything like it since.

My dad took me to Gaydon airshow in the 60,s i was 10 years old . Two lightnings went down the runway side by side , then afterburners on and straight up, unbelievable.

The only aircraft to intercepted a U2 twice and on the second intercept flew higher and shocked the U2 pilot. Both time were the same aircraft and pilot. I think that aircraft is now in a museum.

" I was with it all the way- until I let the brakes off " is my favorite saying from my time at RAF Binbrook.... Yes , I got paid to play....

What a brilliant, honest, adult commentary from Ian Black.

Lightning pilots, able to sniff a tanker out at fifty miles.

Incredible aircraft for its time.

EE Lightning- Whooooshhh! Bangggggg! then silence. Iconic aircraft.

The EE lightning is one of my favorites. I liken it to a double barrel shotgun, in more ways than one. The over and under engine configuration is very unique in and if itself. I’ve heard so many stories of how fast it was. You strap it on and takeoff and it is like riding a shotgun blast. Love the Mk F.6 With its over wing tanks and railing system.

@andremetayer1467

5 ай бұрын

The first time I saw a Lightning, I was a young french boy absolutly fan of aviation, I want not believe that "double barrel" disposition have been chosen ! It was in the sixties. We had not all the medias we have know to be informed.

Definite thumbs up! This is the content we crave! Its one thing to look at a picture, its another to have gramps tell us how she screams!!!

My first posting was Binbrook , I was getting paid to play with my favourite aircraft of all time!

I’ll always remember watching the 80s TV ETPS documentary.. the ‘students’ were allowed a few flights in the ‘Frightening’ and even though they were all incredibly experienced pilots, they were all so impressed with this aircraft.. Legendary aeroplane.

I could also describe the lightning take off,as I had a pax trip with this fine gent in the hot seat Awwwsome experience, Thank you Ian

Love his photograph books.

@Aircrewinterview

6 жыл бұрын

His photography is very impressive.

WoW... would have really enjoyed an opportunity to have seen one of these fantastic beasts perform back in the day... what an impressive aircraft! Only ever got to see one fly on tv, the Travel Channel, if I remember correctly... a T5/ T55(?). Anyways, that was many years ago when the flying museum in Cape Town, South Africa was still actively flying them. I believe the owner was, at that time, Mike Beachyhead. Great interview... more please? Thank you, kindly!

Having been amazingly lucky enough to fly in a two seater a few times and man oh man !! My balls were on the top of my head rocking it out all the way 🥴😜😁

Saw a few Lightnings taking of from RAF Akrotiri back in the 1970s. They thundered down the runway (literally), lifted off, stood on their tails and shot straight upwards.

My late BiL was a lightning pilot. He and his Squadron leader few from UK to Singapore in a. Record time with carefully located airborne refuelling on the way.

the lightning was a very fast sparrow hawk fighter jet,,, very impressive 4 its time,,,

Excellent stuff

Thanks for these. I didn't know your channel had been going this long; I'm going to check the old videos now.l

Built to go Straight Up ! to Intercept missiles and other Ruskie stuff. Don't be surprised it was optimized to climb... "quite quickly"

"" Beautifull war bird. ""But two many problems, on the up keep. 🤷‍♀️

My father was based at RF Leconfield in Yorkshire. We used to go and sneak up and watch them take off. It was stunning. I remember asking my father how fast they were and he told me it under the official secrets act so he couldn't tell me.

Watched these at Coltishall in the sixties on our annual pilgrimage to their open day. Squadron takeoff one after the other, wheels up, speed up, nose up, straight up followed by formation display with a singleton making low level passes across the field at goodness knows what speed. You don't forget that sort of thing.

@KrasherJack

2 жыл бұрын

Was there too..

@mpaul4584

2 жыл бұрын

@@KrasherJack A bit special wasn't it?

@grahamjordan1040

Жыл бұрын

Me to its something I will never forget , I remember a spitfire being there that you could sit in for a photo sadly I didn’t.

@mpaul4584

Жыл бұрын

@@grahamjordan1040 A couple of years ago I was at Coltishall watching my daughter take part in a running event. I didn't see much running as I was busy walking around taking photos of all the old hangers, control tower etc. At one point I stood at roughly the same spot where my father had photographed a Valiant, a Vulcan and a Victor as they each in turn pulled on to the taxiway to head for the take off point, then home. Sadly, the photos have been lost but the memories still seem fresh. Sorry you didn't make it into the Spitfire, me neither.☹🛩🙂

Great piece. Thank you xx.

I remember being stationed in Episkopi, Cyprus.with 2SG in '83 - 84. Whilst on exercise at Akrotiri Air base watching 2 Lightnings take off. One went immediately vertical whilst the other sped out at sea level. I shall never forget the sight and the speeds.

The favourite Lightning pilot's joke was "I was with it all the way until I let the brakes off"

23 years old!? I was doing nothing that cool at that age!

@Steeyuv

3 жыл бұрын

He calls a 19-year old who got to fly one of those ‘unlucky’??? I was flying Cessnas at that age, they don’t know how ‘unlucky’ they were!!!!!

Sat in one yrs back at the Sunderland Air Museum. I didn't know fighters could be so large

Shattered windows on our road doing a low level pass over Partington during the Barton Airshow in the early 80's.

Brilliant, as usual.

@Aircrewinterview

6 жыл бұрын

+Twirlyhead Cheers!

@jecg8245938

6 жыл бұрын

Great pilot.......worked on 11Sqn when he was flying Lightning's.

I saw a Lightning takeoff in the sixties........straight up from the end of the runway unnforgetable...............

@johnheslop1413

5 жыл бұрын

So did I. Brother in law was stationed at Marham. I wandered down to the apron, A black Lightning taxied to the end of the runway, went about 50 yards and rotated. Straight up! Never saw anything like it. Never forgotten.

@stuartwest8836

5 жыл бұрын

@@johnheslop1413 I camped at Marham with the ATC, it was a Bomber Command Station with Vulcans at one time........

Lightning is Chuck Norris of sky!

When I served on 892Sqd (FAA Ark Royal) and we were at RAF Leuchers. The crews of 23Sdn RAF said that if they took off and reheat stuck on! They had enough fuel to make a left turn, one approach and land at RNAS Lossiemouth? ;-)

Living near Kings Lynn in the 60s I remember hearing sonic booms on a regular basis caused by them it was normal back then unlike today if one is heard people are panicking and ringing the police 🤣

They put "kids" in their early 20's into these!!!

@dambuster6387

5 жыл бұрын

The WW2 kids where flying Spitfires.

I saw a display of a lightening and nothing ever has ever got close. But what use was it in a war situation with such small flight duration

Ian got an edge of his dad George who was a bit of a legend in his time on Lightning pilot.

Ian Black was my Stn Commander at Bimbrook

The frightening

Used 2 make the after burners at rolls-royce mountsorrel leices in the 70's & 80's 👍

Back when the Lightening was still in development I had a friend who worked on them. An American pilot visited and took one up...his comment when climbing out....the biggest kick up the fanny I have ever had.......

Saw in interview with Roland Beamont, he was talking about a Saudi test pilot over to evaluate the type prior to the RSAF order being placed. After being told not to use reheat on his first take off he decided to hell with it.... wheels up somewhere around angels 20 lol

@bahoonies

4 жыл бұрын

Years ago I worked with BAe Systems on the big RSAF contract in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. On the airbase there was a Lightning on display as a gate guardian. Gorgeous aircraft. I spoke to two very experienced RAF instructors who'd flown Lightnings. One said it scared the shit out of him. The other said it was like being strapped to a rocket. But both agreed that it was great fun to fly.

@lawrenceglaister4364

2 жыл бұрын

@@bahoonies I worked on the hotel at the end of the runway in the 70s , they always sent at least one squadron up and the hotel used to rattle like hell lol

@bahoonies

2 жыл бұрын

@@lawrenceglaister4364 Happily BAe had long since stopped using that hotel by the time I was there.

Wow amazing

ex RAF I salute u without head dress best years of my life still in love with the phantom most advanced aircraft in the world

You can still get to ride in 1. A company named Thunder City in Cape Town South Africa operates tourist flights in a 2 seat version. It isnt cheap but dammmm its worth it. I did it about 10 years ago and ill never forget it. Just remember to wear a good jock strap cos your nads will be up near your ears.

@ianrkav

5 жыл бұрын

Thunder city closed down in 2009 following a lightning crash that killed its pilot. The CEO Mike Beachy Head has also, sadly, since died.

@ankles632

5 жыл бұрын

@@ianrkav Thank you . I wasnt aware of that. It would have only been a few months after I was there. Bummer cos I was great fun

RAF Coltishall 1969 I sat in one, I was 10 years old.

@spareparts007

4 жыл бұрын

My dad was a Lightning pilot there at that time.. I was 1!...

Is that Lightning T.52 in the background the one Ian Black used in Thunder city to try and set a new climb record haha?

I saw one at raf binbrook I had a relative stationed there when I was a kid it was like a rocket it went vertical after takeoff was amazing and loud

Used to watch these take off when my dad was in the RAF probably while at Watersham (Suffolk) way back when....probably 1972-3

@kierans5159

5 жыл бұрын

RAF Wattisham

@johnlumb1078

5 жыл бұрын

@@kierans5159 Yep even there....Didn't check the spelling autocorrect darn it lol

@chrisrichards2544

5 жыл бұрын

@@johnlumb1078 Yes ... sometimes the spellchecker can be your worst enema

Brutal plane

This would have to be about the fiftieth time I've watched this video, I love it!

@Aircrewinterview

Жыл бұрын

Cheers Bill!

As Adrian Humphries says below, it was built to intercept Sov bombers with minimum warning. Optimized to intercept. This and the F-104 were designed with the same mindset. Though, I believe the F-104 was more of a widow-maker.

@barrierodliffe4155

4 жыл бұрын

@Eric Velasquez Similar? One had two engines and was very fast, climbed like a bat out of hell and had good maneuverability. The other had one engine was not as fast, did not climb as well and had poor maneuverability but did have a strong liking for the ground.

@barrierodliffe4155

4 жыл бұрын

@Eric Velasquez While the much better Lightning had very good handling right through the speed range. Down low the F 104 was faster? only in a dive just before hitting the ground. the only thing the F 104 managed to get close to was low level acceleration, everything else the Lightning was better.

@barrierodliffe4155

4 жыл бұрын

@Eric Velasquez Wrong the F 104 never set any record with a production version and the claim the bad losses were because it was used as a fighter bomber make no sense since Canada lot half of theirs and USA lost a lot or twice the losses of other century fighters. Italy did improve the F 104 but it still had bad losses. Spain had low losses because they only had their F 104's for a short time and only used them in perfect weather. The Lightning was fast at any level and the Tornado holds the record for speed at low level. The F 104 would have made a lousy taxi too.

@barrierodliffe4155

4 жыл бұрын

@Eric Velasquez The F 111 about mach 1.1 while the Tornado did over mach 1.2.

@eatthisvr6

4 жыл бұрын

@@barrierodliffe4155 iv heard a tornado pilot saying the only thing they cant catch/run away from on the deck is an f111

A friend in the RAF ( PILOT ) told me that you could / would spin the tires on the wheel rims if you lit the reheat .

The EE lightning was the RAF's first modern combat jet so I think somewhat unfairly got tarred with the reputation of being hard to maintain and operate. In reality it was the first of its kind globally, not just for the RAF, and was in fact what was to come. I think in subsequent decades when air and ground crew had got used to modern combat jets (not just the Lightning) and how to operate them the Lightning was actually about par for the course and nothing out of the ordinary in terms of maintenance and operation. Certainly as an aircraft it was as care free handling as any so called more up to date jets are in comparison to its contemporary jets of the day where the pilot had to make sure they did not enter parts of the flight envelope the aircraft could not cope with. The relative care free handling, a long with so much else, was something the Lightning pioneered and has only become standard on more recent jets from the 1980s onwards. The Lightning really was the benchmark for combat jets right up to when the f15 entered service, which in reality in concept was based on the Lightning in terms if high thrust to weight, low wing loading and a relatively simple clean wing.

@sichere

9 ай бұрын

It's a fallacy that they were hard to maintain the EEL was introduced into the RAF as an Operational Development aircraft and saw many of the units altered and upgraded that caused problems with parts until the RAF worked closer with the suppliers. The latter years saw the Lightnings hanging on until the F3 Tornado took over and by then most of the air frames were nearly 40 years old and had been "Well Used" by many RAF pilots - one even managed to pull 13.5 G ( could have been more but the meters only measured up to 13.5 and it broke ) and he still returned home -What a plane

wonder what Ian's views are/were on Thunder City given what happened ..do we find out anywhere in these interviews ?

@friendlypiranha774

Жыл бұрын

FalkeEins - Thunder City gave us some of the most memorable air shows here in Cape Town (Ysterplaat Air Force Base) in the early 2000s. I literally got to see the Lightning do it's vertical climb with full afterburner AND go supersonic. After that, you just go home - there is nothing more spectacular to see. Very sad what happened at Bredasdorp. RIP Dave Stock and Mike Beachy Head. PS: The name Ysterplaat, when translated from Afrikaans, literally means Iron Plate.

This plane intercepted Concord. And a u2.

@MC-nb6jx

4 жыл бұрын

GateCrasher ... Something the Yanks & Frenchies couldn’t do😉😉

Is there a full interview with this chap?

@EdMcF1

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, see Gianluca Badejo 's query and the link is in the reply from the channel.

I recall someone at an air show saying there was an option to replace one of the engines with a rocket, this was just after the Lightning came out. I can't think why, but was this ever considered?

@chuckyboy6977

5 жыл бұрын

klystron44 may be because rocket motors aren’t air breathing, so at very high altitude the rocket could kick in and go farther up to the edge of space. It could do this because the aircraft has it’s oxygen in liquid form in tanks. How practical in would be is debatable though. I saw a program “ Air Warrior on PBS, showing that a stripped out F15 fly to undisclosed height and launched a missile at a satellite and hit it.

Great plane

Watched them at Coltishall when I was a boy brilliant 👍

@JohnSmith-pd1fz

3 жыл бұрын

++Norwich Norfolk++ Me too! In the 60's right by one of the crash gates. Brilliant indeed!

GATWICK AVIATION. Is that you Mr Mills interviewing the main man.

I once talked to a guy who had flown them in Singapore and elsewhere. He said, "I never got it flat out. It was basically me sitting on two englines."

Top aircraft

The only thing that the RAF had that was faster than the Lightning was its fuel gauge.

@richardstone5813

2 жыл бұрын

In 72 @ Rhinedahlen JHQ, two Lightnings (Laarbruch);and a Vulcan (Uk based) did a fly over and spiral (corkscrew) vertical climb…..the Vulcan was the quickest! I was on the parade…underneath a wall of noise!

Hearing this makes Walter Holden’s story even more unbelivable

I can see the Arabic language on the lightning so i guess it must be a former RSAF intercepter

Advantages of the aircraft that you’re trading all of that for?

teaser?

@Aircrewinterview

6 жыл бұрын

+Geo Biery the full interview is already out just search Ian Black on the Lightning

It's Criminal that this wonderful Aircraft was not developed further. All it lacked was Fuel and therefore Range

@sichere

9 ай бұрын

The EEL entered service as an Operational Development aircraft and it was put into full use by the RAF. The fuel issue only became a problem with the oil crisis in the 1970's the range was catered for by Victor tankers that could accommodate six of the beasts but it was getting very costly and the RAF needed the MRCA TSR 3 - Tornado with better avionics and weapon systems. The Lightning was in many ways still way better than the F3, until they eventually sorted out the Blue Circle Radar.

What an incredible Aeroplane this was, nothing else in the world apart from a missile at the time could break mach 1 in a vertical climb. I don't think even today - I stand to be corrected, no doubt! Yes - the frightening, if it even suprised Ian after 3 years on the phantoms, what a beast it must have been!

What’s the other text on the decal beside the “Danger.....” one?

@ibizenco

5 жыл бұрын

"Allahu Akbar!!!" (in three different Arabic fonts).

@haitolawrence5986

5 жыл бұрын

I wondered the exact same thing mate...only went to the comments for an answer. 🙄

@nikmaving3384

5 жыл бұрын

@i. rob Kuwait bought some as well as Saudi Arabia.

@geoffmassingham785

4 жыл бұрын

Saudi did buy some they were called the "Interceptor" very over armed and many fell out of the sky........ too heavy!

English Electric Lighting the best in the class Mach 2.

Peter Vallance's Gatwick Aviation Museum?

Simply astounding how engineers, with a clean sheet and literally no budget constrains, could design an airplane with SUCH LITTLE FUEL capacity. I mean... who were these people? It was some kind of inside joke on the pilots.

@grahambuckerfield4640

3 жыл бұрын

It's role was to get up to altitude very fast from a scramble and intercept and destroy Soviet bombers approaching the UK, then come back re-fuel and arm and go again. However during development rapid developments in Soviet European based IRBM's, the same sort that so freaked the US out when deployed on Cuba a few years later, made it's role now open to question. (The same happened with planned Mach 3 US interceptors, the CF-105 and some Soviet designs to go after Mach 3 bombers that no one was now going to build). In 1957 the UK government defence review saw missiles as the future, in offense and defence, so cancelled all military combat aircraft programs except the Lightning as it was in the mind of the minister concerned, sadly too advanced to cancel, would also be needed as an interim until SAM's took over. So at a stroke various enhancements to the Lightning, including more fuel and weapon load, were cancelled, BAC studied various options of these for export but without UK government support it is hard to export something not wanted it seems or proven by your own air force.

@sichere

9 ай бұрын

The Lightning could be flown at a far more leisurely pace to conserve fuel but that wasn't a problem defending a small island with Victor Tankers waiting in the sky for thirsty birds. They were stationed at Singapore and would "visit" the RAAF Mirages at Buitterworth in 20 minutes which is over 400 miles away the Lightning was no laughing matter.

Wow

I remember watching a Lightning crash as it approached the runway at De Havilland, Hatfield. Stalled, flipped over onto its back, pilot ejected upside down and landed in a greenhouse full of tomatoes. They saved his life.

@RussellMcMahon

5 жыл бұрын

A very doubtful claim - unless you were the tractor driver or the photographer who took the award winning photo of the event. It didn't "stall" the control lines burned through due to a fuel leak. He didn't eject upside down (fortunately) - the aircraft was horizontal nose down - as can be seen in the photo which includes the tractor and driver mentioned above. You are correct about the glasshouse - although the glasshouse impact probably only minimally reduced landing impact. "UK photo of the year, 1962" - bit.ly/lightningcrash

@thornsaresharp

5 жыл бұрын

Dear@@RussellMcMahon 1. 'A very doubtful claim'? I was one of several others who witnessed the crash. We were engineers working at De Havilland, which overlooked the runway, waiting for the plane to land. 2. The plane was 'nose down' in the photograph. Yes, but this was obviously not its prior trajectory. It was coming into land, horizontally. A moment later it was out of control and all over the place.

Jesus!!!!!!

French leather flying jacket PN (Personnel Navigant) 🤔

Wasn’t the lightening the only plane to intercept a sr-71 ?

@Aircrewinterview

5 жыл бұрын

The Saab Viggen also did it.

@r2gelfand

4 жыл бұрын

Don't think anyone would ever admit it.

@eatthisvr6

4 жыл бұрын

@@Aircrewinterview iv heard about the viggen, never heard of a lightning doing it though

@MrBabylon

3 жыл бұрын

@@Aircrewinterview the Viggen intercepted a damaged SR-71 with one engine down it was flying at 300 knots.

@MrBabylon

3 жыл бұрын

the top speed of the SR-71 is classified, all that's been made public is that it's Mach 3+, however since it's able to outrun SAM missiles that are still in their thrust stage then it's top speed must be in excess of Mach 4. A truly remarkable piece of engineering! The Lightning Max speed is Mach 2.25, and I doubt it can outrun SAM missiles!

Combat departure and then...time to RTB for fuel...

@SolarWebsite

5 жыл бұрын

I heard some one say that, with a weapons load, a Lightning was essentially in a fuel emergency as soon as the wheels left the ground on take off. That no doubt exaggerates things a little, but still.

I worked for EE and Bae, uk was so I front of the world

Didn't one of these break the sound barrier going straight up?

@Aircrewinterview

5 жыл бұрын

I wouldn’t be surprised.

@johnmurrell3175

5 жыл бұрын

@@Aircrewinterview I remember the Lightning doing re-heat vertical climbs at The Biggin Hill airshow. I think they had problems avoiding breaking the sound barrier in the vertical and stopping before they crashed through the display ceiling. I was told by someone you cound not do a vertical climb - only 89.9 degrees as the instruments got confused at 90 degrees.

@hoilst

3 жыл бұрын

@@Aircrewinterview Thing could supercruise waaaay before the F-22, too.

High altitude interceptors

You can't 'describe' a lightening take off you either experience it from in the cockpit or you watch it live as a child I did the latter frequently. P.S it had super cruise before it became popular

@tlangdon12

11 ай бұрын

I'd agree; you can't really explain the way that a Lightning shakes your insides to someone who hasn't also experienced it! I had mine shaken when I was lucky enough to see a Lightning take off from a point close to the taxiway at RAF St. Athan when I was there with East Midlands Universities Air Squadron in 1988.

Interesting....Not the first person to mention unforgiving Instructors! I wonder how many potentially excellent Lightning pilots were lost in training due to lack of effective coaching/mentoring - different era I suppose.

@tlangdon12

11 ай бұрын

The problem was that the aircraft was unforgiving, so the instructors were only doing their best to get the students to the level where they could cope with the aircraft. My experience of RAF instructors were that they were very good at teaching, and very encouraging, but didn't hesitate to pile on the pressure if you weren't making the necessary progress. They had a limited willingness to persevere with someone who they felt was never going to be good enough, but it's the taxpayers' money that is being burnt, so you have to accept that it is their job is call a halt when the student clearly isn't going to make it.

Interviewed at Tangmere Aviation Museum?

@Aircrewinterview

6 жыл бұрын

It was Gatwick Aviation Museum.

Anyone who says the take off was scary has forgotten the landing at a speed which would have been a crash on almosnt any other aircraft

Just worried about fuel!