Lightning Displays

[F3]

I noticed that last month was the 70th Anniversary of the (English Electric) Lightning's maiden flight which other things got in the way of me commemorating on here. However with some spare time at last I decided to collate a selection of pics of Lightning displays in the hope that some of you maybe able to fill in the large gaps in the list of display pilots that I'm attempting to compile. I wonder if the first RAF display pilot was 74 Sqn.'s Ken Goodwin who was apparently the singleton in The Tigers display team in '61? However the first name that I can positively identify is that of Flt Lt Turley of 23 Sqn in '67. The next is the legendary Pete Chapman of 226 OCU ('73-'74). Then there is another big gap until arriving at Flt Lt Mike Thompson of the LTF in '83 (winner of the trophy for best solo display @ IAT who the following month tragically died in a crash while performing an unauthorised flypast @ the RAF Town show in Scarborough en route to the Teesside show. Then there is another big gap until arriving at the last official display pilot, Jon Fynes in '87. Altho' the type was retired the following year I still managed to see two displays, the first performed by BAe test pilot John Hartley in the firm's F.6 chase plane at the 11 Sqn disbandment (which was sadly aborted when the arrestor hook came down after just a few minutes) and the other a cameo by Flt Lt Al Page at the N.Coates Open Day.

Lightning F3 XP750 C 23 Sqn .- Flt Lt Turley by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning F3 XP636 226 OCU - '74 Pete Chapman by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning F3s 11 on Flight line - Coningsby '77 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning F3 XR751 DA LTF - U.Heyford '81 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning XP906 LTF - Finningley '86 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning F3 XP741 AR 5 Sqn - Coningsby '87 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning F3 XP741 AR - rotates - Coningsby '87 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning F3 XR746 AQ 5 Sqn - IAT Fiarford '87 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning F6 XP693 BAe - Binbrook '88 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Lightning F6 XS898 BD 11 Sqn - N.Coates '88 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

[capercaillie]

Nice collection Michael of my favourite all time aircraft, but I'm not convinced a P1A is really a Lightning at all, just an aerodynamic predecessor and argue a Lightning did not fly until 1957 when the first P1B got airborne.

[Vulcanone]

John Aldington flew BK1 and or BK2 for the 1984 display season

[F3]

Thanks for that info. Thought he must have been one of the last having seen him mentioned in the Chris Allan books.

[TAFFEVANS]

Think it was Jon Fynes in ‘AQ’ & ‘AR’ in ‘87

[capercaillie]

Think it was Jon Fynes in ‘AQ’ & ‘AR’ in ‘87

100% correct as the last RAF display pilot in the last two F3s kept flying for the season.

[Vulcanone]

Think it was Jon Fynes in ‘AQ’ & ‘AR’ in ‘87

100% correct as the last RAF display pilot in the last two F3s kept flying for the season.

Although the last season could have been Barry Lennon, had it not been for the accident with XP707. Which crashed next to/on the west side of the airfield while he was doing a practice in it, in March 87.

[F3]

Interesting. Presumably the F3s were used for aeros because they were more manoeuvrable than the pot bellied F6s with the gun pack forward of the fuel tank. Anyone know who the '86 display pilot shown taxying out in XP707 was?

[CLPSLFBT]

Hi,

There are some names in this link if it’s any help?
https://www.pprune.org/military-aviatio ... ilots.html

Stunning pictures by the way, looks like I wasn’t too far away from you at the Finingley and Coningsby Airshows as my pictures are more or less from the same areas

Cheers Glenn

[eLaReF]

Leuchars being my 'local' I saw many Lightning displays, but never noted pilots!!
Presumably we should be including Farnborough, Paris shows etc?


53-687 English Electric Lightning F.53 msn 952913 by eLaReF, on Flickr

[F3]

Extremely useful and much appreciated Glenn.