May 31, 2012 at 12:00 am
Gentlemen,
I need a little assistance please. I’m presently putting together the 2012 George Merz Memorial Lecture for the Friends of the Royal Australian Air Force Museum. The lecture will be held in September and will outline the complete history of the Supermarine Spitfire. I need a good image of a Spitfire PR 19 of the BBMF in formation with an English Electric Lightning. I’ve combed the internet and found plenty of shots of Spitfires in formation with Hawks, Tornadoes and Typhoons but nothing with a lightning.
Can anybody help?
Keith Gaff
Secretary
Friends of the RAAF Museum
By: Wokka Bob - 1st June 2012 at 22:07
🙂
Must have been close to being the last 4 unconverted F.2 a/c left on 92 strength by then, as most of RAFG’s F.2’s went through F.2A conversion back at BAC during ’66-67.
We were still completing Major Servicing on F2’s in 71/72 @ 60MU Leconfield. One even had the full blue tail and spine repainted before returning to 90blue, tail number escapes me at present.
By: Bruggen 130 - 1st June 2012 at 09:43
bolt
By the way,
My friend told me he was hit on the head by a screw that fell from an aircraft, turned out it was a Lightning Bolt
Exit stage left:D
No I think if you look at it closely you will see it’s a Thunder bolt:D
By: Trolly Aux - 1st June 2012 at 08:12
No one has mentioned the poor Spit pilot who had been in surgery for four hour beforehand having a 2 foot extension on his left arm to push the throttle far enough forward through the firewall !
By the way,
My friend told me he was hit on the head by a screw that fell from an aircraft, turned out it was a Lightning Bolt
Exit stage left:D
By: pistonrob - 1st June 2012 at 08:00
I THINK ITS A GREAT THREAD SO FAR. MORE PICTURES OF SPITS OR FRIGHTNINGS IN FORMATION WITH SOMETHING I SAY
WHAT SAY YE??
By: Deskpilot - 1st June 2012 at 03:45
Re: post 7
Interesting to note that XS419, clean, needed airbrakes to stay in formation, whereas 457, with Red Top, didn’t.
I’d bet that both aircraft were opening and closing them as rapid as my wife’s mouth 😀
By: Firebird - 31st May 2012 at 23:12
I’m sure. 🙂
The shot was taken in November 1967 at Gelsenkirchen and yes with 92 Squadron Lightnings on the Squadron’s 50th Anniversary.
🙂
Must have been close to being the last 4 unconverted F.2 a/c left on 92 strength by then, as most of RAFG’s F.2’s went through F.2A conversion back at BAC during ’66-67.
By: Keith Gaff - 31st May 2012 at 22:57
Spitfire/Lightning Formation
Gentlemen,
You’ve been a big help. Many thanks.
Keith Gaff
Secretary
Friends of the RAAF Museum
By: Mark12 - 31st May 2012 at 22:34
Not sure it’s a late as ’67 though, unless AB910 was flown over to Germany? .
I’m sure. 🙂
The shot was taken in November 1967 at Gelsenkirchen and yes with 92 Squadron Lightnings on the Squadron’s 50th Anniversary.
Mark
By: Firebird - 31st May 2012 at 22:08
Has it got to be a Mk XIX?
Here is Mk V AB910 in 1967.
Mark
Great shot, can’t think I’ve ever seen a close formation shot of Lightning’s before where they all flying with full flap like that….!
Not sure it’s a late as ’67 though, unless AB910 was flown over to Germany? Those are blue tailed 92 Sqn F.2 Lightnings, so I’d have said it was more likely to be 1964 when 92 were the offical RAF display team and flew a 4 ship of blue tailed F.2 a/c.
92 Sqn moved to Germany in Dec ’65.
By: pistonrob - 31st May 2012 at 18:52
Wrong thread – shouldn’t these photos appear in the “How Low Can you Go Thread!!!!” 😉
ha ha. dont start you, ive already been hassled for posting aircraft pics in the wrong place on this aviation forum :rolleyes:
By: Lazy8 - 31st May 2012 at 18:08
Re: post 7
Interesting to note that XS419, clean, needed airbrakes to stay in formation, whereas 457, with Red Top, didn’t.
By: Paul F - 31st May 2012 at 17:56
this them??. qualitys not brill in the book im afraid. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight by Bill Taylor, Midland Publishing ltd.
the ground shot is from The Spitfire Story by Afred Price
Wrong thread – shouldn’t these photos appear in the “How Low Can you Go Thread!!!!” 😉
By: SADSACK - 31st May 2012 at 16:31
re;
have a postcard of a Lightning, Hunter, Meteor, Hurricane and Javelin air to air if thats any good?
By: pistonrob - 31st May 2012 at 14:44
hey Bruggen thats a corking shot, ruddy marvelous. i think thats far better than Keith Gaff could have expected.
By: Bruggen 130 - 31st May 2012 at 11:27
spit
I have this, I don’t know if any of the spits fit the bill, I got these off a friend
so I don’t know about copyright.
By: Mark12 - 31st May 2012 at 10:27
Has it got to be a Mk XIX?
Here is Mk V AB910 in 1967.
Mark

By: pistonrob - 31st May 2012 at 07:45
this them??. qualitys not brill in the book im afraid. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight by Bill Taylor, Midland Publishing ltd.
the ground shot is from The Spitfire Story by Afred Price
By: Deskpilot - 31st May 2012 at 03:30
Can’t help you with your request but I saw the MK19 lead the Red Arrows in a high speed fly pass many years ago. Well, it was high speed for the Spit anyway. Looked and sounded great. And where was my camera? Yeh, still asking myself that question.
By: Arabella-Cox - 31st May 2012 at 00:26
Apparently the same picture is in the book Spitfire Story by Alfred Price so maybe some spitfire fans might have a copy of the picture they can copy for you .
Hope that helps
Ps In your museum do you have any pictures of Raf Binbrook whilst the RAAF were there during the war ?
By: Arabella-Cox - 31st May 2012 at 00:16
I know a picture which shows Lightning Fmk3 XP696 of the Afds at Binbrook participating in a low flying routine with Spitfire PR.Mk.19 PS853.
The spitfire was later to serve on the Battle of Britain memorial Flight at Conngsby so maybe they have a copy of the picture.
I have the picture in front of me in Offence to Defence the History Of Raf Binbrook but i dont have a personal copy but im sure i have seen it on the net somewhere.
Will have a look for you .