FighterControl

Have not had opportunity for some while to post, but thankfully now back in the seat.
June 2018 is really a 'black armband' period as it is 30 years since it was not only the retirement of 'The Lightning' but also the closure of 'The Fightertown' of the 70's and 80's.... Binbrook - the final jets flying out on 29th June, a terrible day which left numerous bewildered individuals standing on the fenceline as a lifetime's pleasure finally terminated.
Various airframes had been delivered out to airfields in the previous months, but most airframes had been unceremoniously scrapped on site.
OC 11 Sqdn's black finned XS903/BA had been delivered across to the Elvington Musuem on 18/5
I am pleased that I had the pleasure to meet F/Lt Ian Black several times during his time with 11 Sqdn and that thankfully he also had pleasure capturing superb air/air Lightning images which he subsequently had published to ensure that all was not lost.

I thought it only appropriate to mark that anniversary with a few classic memories of the place and 'The Lightning' with a few of my own



































Hope you enjoy
3Greens

Fabulous memories Keith!! I doubt that those of us that were there , realised just how special it all was!

Many thanks for posting Keith, spent many hours of the school summer holidays up there - very happy days.
Only started photographing them after they were painted in the grey/green colours due to my age but those silver one's with the large roundels are my favourites.
Pity at that age I only had a small Kodak camera that used the old 126 cartridge film!!

Cheers - Paul.

Some great shot`s of a stunning aircraft

Great set of images of a real classic airframe!,true aviation history.
Cheers.

Hi Keith

What can I say about my all-time favourite aircraft

The ONLY jet bird fit to wear the epithet 'Lightning'

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

Hi Paddy, Hope you're well mate and enjoying your new found time. Indeed only one Lightning ! Somebody recently told me they had been down to Marham to check out some 'wheelie-bins' - really don't know what he meant
As with your beloved Coltishall time has really flown by since the closures - Binbrook field is basically now all back to farm land.

Hi Paul, yep school summer holidays were the time to spend at the Crash Gate, and I too had an Instamatic 126 for so long. Once I started work the first thing on the shopping list was a camera with a decent lens.

I must get some more shots together

Thanks for all the comments

Keith (3Greens)

Excellent post and resume Keith - some look like they were only taken yesterday

Looking forward to the next post!

Hope all is good?

Darren

Magnificent. Evokes memories of happy days spent @ the western crash gate. Even happier when the field contained a crop of peas ready for harvesting! Sweetest I ever tasted.

Hi Keith, what a brilliant post, thank you, and more please! Despite being of a certain age, I never once made the journey to Binbrook to watch the mighty Lightnings but have many a happy memory of being taken by parents to watch the Lightnings at Wattisham. Amazed to see, from Google Earth, just how little of Binbrook remains. Thanks again, and get posting (please)!

The Good Days

Terrific set , spent some good times there all be it in the twilight days of the lightning but was great no dirty big fences , and you could almost set your watch's for them to arrive back once you'd seen them depart , have you more details on your picture of XR759 ( I have the cockpit section though she needs some tlc ) I presume see must of come from 56sqd judging by her tail coded & the erased marking ,

cheers
andy

Ah yes happy days Keith.

Watching the 25th anniversary practice come back in the gloomy conditions and then surprise surprise the british weather scuppered it on the day as well!!

My first 5 years in the RAF were at Binbrook,great memories.

Fabulous stuff. Thanks for sharing.

Some fabulous pictures pictures there Keith - especially the aerial ones. So sad to see what has now become of a once proud RAF fighter station.

Don't suppose you have any pics of XP753?

Fantastic, the youngsters of today don't know what they have missed, beautiful aircraft

beautiful set of pics Keith,thanks for sharing.

What a set of photos, thank you for sharing.

I'd love to have seen one of these on take off...