Clarkson's Lightning

clarkson

Clarkson should stay in cars. When he gets to fly jets like F15, Hunter ets…… I should go insted:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Heres hoping Mr Clarkson :rolleyes:

As a Farnborough resident I know more about the Lightning and the roundabout saga that draged on for years. Orgianally it was to be put on the roundabout at ‘Farnborough Gate’ at the Camberley end of town. The council denied permission due to it being a hazzard to motorists. Then the E28/39 replica got its permission to be put on a much smaller and less busy roundabout on the airport boundry. There followed a slanging match in the local press.
Personally it would have been the wrong place to put it as it is close to some undesirable housing estates ans would not have lasted too long. Thankfully the E28/39 is in a better area and so far is untoched(but its only been 10 days..).
Its nice to have some aircraft on display here to remind people that this is the birthplace of British aviation.

My thinking is that FAST do not have limitless resouces or display space.Lightnings are big beasties and it would take up an awful lot of FAST’s space to have two in thier care.I’d like to be proved wrong ofcourse,but I just don’t see how they’d have room for a second one.

If Parkhouse have given up on the idea of puting XM172 on the said rounderbout i do hope that they are going to do something with her. Ant i dont see what Murry’s T.5 would have to do with it because that has gone on loan to FAST and has nothing to do with Parkhouse Aviation

Scott C

From memory,the roundabout near Farnborough that the Lightning was planned to go in is the one which now has the Gloster Whittle FSM displayed on it.Add to this the loan of Murray Flint’s T.5 Lightning and it seems increasingly unlikely that XM172 will find her way to Farnborough. 🙁
I remember seeing that Hunter when she was displayed at Tangmere a few years ago and thinking even then that she couldn’t look much sorryer-Joe’s pic proves me wrong!:rolleyes:

That Clarkson! In the series he also claims he didn’t have a Farah Fawcett poster on his wall as a teenager, but a poster of an SR-71.

I’m not sure I believe that either. I thought he was too old to be a teenager when the SR-71 or Farah Fawcett posters came out.

Hi again

Forgot a bit the nose section is F.1 XM144

Scott C

Hi all

The Lightning is owned by Parkhouse Aviation and was being restored to be put on display on a rounderbout close to DERA at farnborough. But by the looks of joes pics its not gonna happen anytime soon.

Scott C

Apparently it was only at his house very briefly, a bit of a con really!

And whilst I’am on a bit of a roll attaching images there was also a cockpit section outside the company which owns the Lightning /Hunter on the gate.

Thanks, Joe.

So, it’s no longer with Jeremy Clarkson. Was that just a stunt for the television programme?
Anyway, the trenches it dug in the lawn demonstrated adequately that operations from unprepared strips were not for the Lightning. 🙂

Best regards, Transall.

Heres the Hunter:

The Lightning in question is XM172 and its curently on the gate at Wycombe Air Park (Booker). It is in very poor condition, having had both wings cut off and the tail, in fact it doesn’t have a port wing attached at present!

Its a shame as its an F1A and I don’t think there are to many of those around anymore. Parked next to it is a equally tatty looking Hunter in RAF c/s, I think it’s one of those ex Danish jobs though.

I think they are both owned by a aircraft parts / scrap business on the airfield.

I will try attach an image of it taken a couple of weeks ago.

Of all the paraffin burners I have a bit of a soft spot for the Jaguar, being one of the first aircraft that I got close to when I was in the ATC in the late 1970’s during a camp to Bruggen. Can’t off hand remember the squadrons though I know several of them converted to the Anglo Italian/German oil burner that’s now at the forefront of the RAF strike capability today.

Is the Jaguar the one that used to be at Larrburch in Germany ?

DOUGHNUT

Yup,

I must admit a Jaguar with a propellor on the front would get me sitting up and taking notice too.

Moggy

From memory the Jaguar at Coltisall is stuck up a pole (which must please Snapper) just inside the gate. I drove past it recently and it looks ok, but as it didn’t have a propellor on the front I didn’t take a great deal of notice.

I thought that XM172 was still stored at Farnborough, I would guess it need alot of work to make presentable.

Where is the Jaguar at Coltishall ? They use to have a plastic Hurricane.

DOUGHNUT

..especially when Moggy appeared to be talking to Johnny Ball and in fact, wasn’t.

“I’m the real Moggy C, yes the real Moggy C, so won’t you please stand up, please stand up…” 😉

It was positioned there purely for the programme.

Removal was planned for, and completed, a very short time after filming finished.

This wasn’t how it was portrayed in the programme though.

Invidious lot, the media. huh?

Moggy