The conversation, over a beer or two at the local RSL, turned to UFO’s and Dave, told us he had tracked very fast targets (too fast for aircraft), and when he handed them on to the OC, it was the last anyone heard of it. It transpires, he did his National Service at a Radar Station in Northern Ireland at the time the Lightning was entering service and he remembers they lost one,in bad weather, over the Irish Sea. The pilot was a “test pilot” and he paddled his own way home, coming ashore in North Wales a couple of days later. Does anyone remember the incident and maybe the name of the pilot?
By: DGH - 3rd October 2005 at 20:17
Also the first man to safetly bail out / eject from an aircraft going faster than the speed of sound!
By: Firebird - 3rd October 2005 at 08:02
Of course! This was Johnny Squier, testing XL628 when the fin collapsed while in excess of Mach 1.
IIRC this was the first Lightning to be lost, and it was also the prototype 2 seat trainer.
By: Papa Lima - 3rd October 2005 at 07:42
Read the whole story, if you can, it’s a true tale of fortitude!
By: Digger - 3rd October 2005 at 07:03
Thankyou, that was quick, I’ll pass this on to Dave over another beer………cheers….
By: Papa Lima - 3rd October 2005 at 06:44
Of course! This was Johnny Squier, testing XL628 when the fin collapsed while in excess of Mach 1.
The story is told on pages 69/71 of “EE Lightning” by Bryan Philpott, among other places.
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October 3, 2005 at 5:54 am