The Last Lightning Show

I was there with the 45Sqn/TWCU Tornado GR1 from Honington. We definately got it airborne as I remember getting soaked doing the refuel and AF servicing. It was a great weekend despite the weather. We teamed up with the F15 groundcrew from Bitburg as they were without transport, and had a laugh. Departures on the Monday had some interesting low passes……I seem to remember getting a picture of a Jaguar nearly taking out a mast on the airfield. Cruising Cleethorpes seafront in a RAF Sherpa sticks in my mind as well 😀

320psi
Nice pics, but didn’t you get the F-5 Aggressor in it’s Soviet camo, only time I saw one at a display, haven’t you published the crowd scene picture before because I’m sure that I suspect that me and my pal are standing either side of the bloke on the stepladder, under the tail of AD.
Oh to be able to publish slides on here.
Incidentally, can you remember that everything refused to fly at first, apart from an A-10 that was despatched to act as a weather plane, didn’t do any good and I think he went back home.
Apart from the Lightnings, I remember a Shack flying in and landing, we got dangerously close to it taxying in.
Even the hangars were dripping, we ate our butties next to an ever widening pool of water.
Must find the programme and Lightning list, I’ll scan and publish on here, it’s in the garage somewhere, God forbid.
Incidentally, I would send you a copy of the vid, but it’s copywrited and I have to respect that.

I must really try and find the time to transfer my video filming of the Last, Last Lightning show onto DVD :rolleyes:

Sounds like you must have been close to where I was filming from 😀

And yes trying to keep the days monsoon out of the camera was a real nightmare on the day, luckily I’d had taken a supply of plastic covers which did a pretty good job, was even able to wrap the boom mike up fairly well.

Thanks for the answers chaps, i would love a copy of this , is there any way we can get this put onto DVD, even a copy of the VHS tape would be good, i can transfer onto DVD ???

Hi, have a look here http://www.lightnings.org.uk/ Im sure in our video/DVD cataloge there is a copy with the Last,last Lightning show on or at least of the practice which was the day before when the weather was perfect. 🙁 🙁
The weather on the day was total Sh*** which is why not many camera’s were out or even working due the the ‘slight’ wetness.

Here’s a few still’s from the day, enjoy: 🙂

Our very own XR728 waiting for John Spencer

These next few sum up the whole day, my camera gave up in the end ! 🙁

This was worth getting wet grundie’s for

Cheers
Andy B (LPG)

I’ve made several enquiries on here for films of that day, but nothing has been forthcoming, unfortunately it was another 2 years before I got my first video, I wish I’d hired one that day, though the weather would have ruined it, would be great to see that streamed take off again, there was a cameraman filming next to me and they were coming right over my head, no ban on over the crowd flying then.

I must really try and find the time to transfer my video filming of the Last, Last Lightning show onto DVD :rolleyes:

Sounds like you must have been close to where I was filming from 😀

And yes trying to keep the days monsoon out of the camera was a real nightmare on the day, luckily I’d had taken a supply of plastic covers which did a pretty good job, was even able to wrap the boom mike up fairly well.

Hi
Does anyone know if The Last Lightning Show at Binbrook was filmed and released on commercial video ?

I have vague recollections of a film crew battling against the weather that day to get some shots.

Cheers Mike

I’ve just dug out a video that I bought many years ago and although it’s called ‘The Last Last Lightning show’ it’s not!!
The video is produced by a company called Aircraft Productions and was released in 1989, I probably saw it advertised in Flypast and sent off for it.
Ok, I haven’t watched it for a while, but I recall that the Binbrook scenes were taken of the Diamond Nine practice and not on the day itself.
However it is a very good video with some historic flying scenes from official sources and interviews with the crews at Binbrook.
If you go sniffing around the video’s on the airshow stands, it’s got a plain white cover with the silhouettes of 2 Lightnings on the cover, the packaging and general write up is pretty crude, but it is good.
I’ve made several enquiries on here for films of that day, but nothing has been forthcoming, unfortunately it was another 2 years before I got my first video, I wish I’d hired one that day, though the weather would have ruined it, would be great to see that streamed take off again, there was a cameraman filming next to me and they were coming right over my head, no ban on over the crowd flying then.
It’s not the same on slides.