Lightning XS458 at Cranfield

Seeing the Lansen brought question to mind. How well did it compare with the Hunter?

I believe there is a dark cloud on the horizon for both the Cranfield and Bruntingthorpe Lightnings. I have read that they are running out of Avpin, without which there will obviously be no more runs.

Hi Steve,

John is correct its not the lack of Avpin that will stop us running first, Im affraid its the 3rd party lilablity insurance premiums, then servicable tyres, then brake chutes and then Avpin.
There are many other things within a Lightning that could stop us tommorrow if they were to go ‘Kaput’ :rolleyes:

But dont despair, theres always something out there, we/I are looking at the insurance issue at the moment.

We havent got this far in the last 19 years (20 years in June 2008) with looking on the down side of things, we have a Q shed to finish 😉

You just gotta take it one step at a time

Keep the faith

Steve

I think the ever rising cost of insurance will get them before the Avpin runs out.

Avpin is still available but the laws and regulations on who can buy it, transport and store it is also very restrictive.

Regards

John.

I believe there is a dark cloud on the horizon for both the Cranfield and Bruntingthorpe Lightnings. I have read that they are running out of Avpin, without which there will obviously be no more runs.

Take a look at this thread to see XS458 a mere 37 years previously, amongst friends…

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=76131

John

Bravo

You need to get yourself down to Bruntingthorpe in Leicestishire, it is currently home to XH558, the cold war jets collection and the Lightning Preservation group.

Twice a year they open the gates to the public and thrash there kit up and down the runway all day, the access to the aircraft s totally unhindered, you can wander up to them and inspect them close up.

Cockpit tours in them all and also the crew will chat to you willingly, they have a well stocked shop and usually there are other stalls there with lots of goodies for sale.

Off the top of my head here is a list of jets there…..

2 x E E Lightnings
Handley page Victor
Comet
3 x Buccaneers
Jet provost
2 Hunters
Super Guppy
Vulcan XH558
Iskra
Sea Vixen

There are lots of other cockpit sectons there too.

Check out the LPG website…..

http://www.photo-restorations.co.uk/lightnings/index.htm

Some more info can be found here….

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/mus/uk/brunt/brunt.htm

Regards,

John.

Just taxying…………

The last Lightning shot prompted me to post this…

Can someone please provide a summary of where one can see non-airworthy aircraft taken out on fast taxi exhibitions in the UK?

Thanks

Some superb shots ! Would loved to have been there with u ! 🙁
Cheers Scott

I remember the Saab coming in at Cranfield many years ago. It was Flown in from Switzerland by their Air force. It was with Sandy Topen for some time. He did a swop with a Swiss Military Museum, but i can’t remember what he swopped it with. It was then sold onto someone who owned a Helicopter company near London. Been at Cranfield ever since. It is a real shame, because the total airframe time was just a few thousand hours. It was used as an electronic test bed by the Swiss Air Force before coming to Cranfield.

Like the 3rd shot Martin – lovely angle and composition.

Al

Nice shots there Martin so sad to see that SAAB JA-32A Lansen and BAe 125 🙁

JAmes