Balderton Lightning

hmmm wonder if this is even too far gone for a cockpit project?

Not yet, though getting replacement parts would be ‘challenging’. My Hunter F1 cockpit was worse and I have a photo of the cockpit section upside down in a skip. I would love to rescue the cockpit, but I believe the owner wont let it go?

Hi all

Paul the jet pipes would fit the F.3 the bottom one is a bit bent at the bottom where its resting on the ground,but im sure that it could be sorted.

Scott C

If we can dig out some photo’s of her from her previous life it could provide an interesting portfolio…

Here’s a starter – 2002

Last time I visited it the canopy was on and most of the glass intact. Was a while ago now. I managed to get in the cockpit through the one panel that was missing in the top.

The wings are held on by huge steel plates, you can see one in the bottom right of the second pic. They’re already going rusty, and as soon as they let go, it’s curtains for that particular Lightning as it will be too much of a danger.

Regards
Richard W

Steve, it might be worth tagging your 2004 photos on to my old thread. There are also some shots on there from 2001. If we can dig out some photo’s of her from her previous life it could provide an interesting portfolio…

Would anything be salvageable on her now??

Scott, would you be able to use the jet pipes for your F3 or are they incompatible/badly damaged??>>

Paul.

Whats all the fuss about, its a wreck, scrap it. All the useable parts have gone anyway

Hi all

What do people expect BAPC to do about this or any other aircraft left to rot. If a private owner leaves his property to rot into nothing thats up to him.

Scott C

Maybe its time the BAPC stepped in here to take up the challenge?

No disrepect MJR but….
Pass me the needle and thread, me sides have just fallen open :diablo:

I did have the owners details about two years ago… but now aint!
I think, if memory serves me rightly, i just contacted the Nottinghamshire County Council & explained what i’d like & they gave me the owners name etc…….simple as that!
Heard he is a reluctant bugger anyway!!

Maybe its time the BAPC stepped in here to take up the challenge?

MJR

www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk

MJR- witness any vehicle abandoned by the side of the road and see how fast it’s picked clean. Now compare that to the Lightning which is clearly visible from the A1 and on a wide open piece of ground. It’s hardly surprising
that it’s being picked clean! Now using the ‘carrot and stick’ principle maybe the first thing to do would be either to move it somewhere secure or indeed secure the site it’s on.
If the owner is concerned about the airframe he could take advantage of the numerous offers that have been made for her or indeed take efforts to secure her himself.
I consider it a complete eyesore and I am amazed that the local council havn’t secured an enforcement notice to either have it removed or indeed fence the area. Whilst the majority of people viewing the machine are enthusiasts – it’s only a matter of time before it becomes structurally unsafe and a risk to anyone near it.
Hopefully it can become a spares source (legally) for some other Lightnings.

Hi all

It’s about time this lightning was put out of its misery. I did try to find out who owns the aircraft with a view to trying to recover some parts, but just hit dead ends. As Mjr has said many parts have been removed over recent years the latest being the canopy after the glass had been broken. Considering the weight of the thing it must have been at least a 3 man job.

It’s a shame this aircraft has been left to rot in this way as there is only one other F.2A in the UK.

Scott C

It’s very dissapointing to see that this airframe has been systematically gutted for specific parts over the last 5 years, and not just by mindless local yobs either. Many of the parts removed, would require considerable effort, planning and several pairs of hands to take off of an exposed example, and have obviously been robbed for other airframes, collections and cockpits. Whilst some parts were removed with permission, most were not, the glass and canopy being prime examples.
Open season seems to have been silently declared on this f2 in recent years and the theft has escalated wildly in the last 18 months, which is particularly unpallatable to my mind. Its a shocking disgrace that this is going on.

🙁

MJR

www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk

wheres the canopy gone? in Steves pictures its there and now it is….well…not! Looks like we both had fun climbing on the wing and up to the cockpit Steve!

best regards, steve

Actually just slightly to the south east of Newark Mike. 😉

Beat me to it. I was too idle to go and double-check on a map before I posted.

Oh I just knew their was something else I wanted to go and see on the way back from Newark Air Museum, and I went right past Newark again a couple of weeks back on the way to Waddo.

Both times I forget to go and see this Lightning, anyway Hatton thanks for posting the photos, maybe the owner could flog it as “urban art” or whatever.

who actually owns it???

Steve
Type in lightning xn728 in google under images search and theres a few there…