EE Lightning Record Attempt

whilst working on my model of the TSR2 yesterday i got to thinking about the footage of the TSR2 and the lightning chase plane when the TSR2 pilot lit up one on afterburner and the lightning pilot both and the TSR left the lightning pretty covincingly in its wake, hmmmm, what say things happened a little differently in 1965 and lets say, Rolly Beamont strapped on one of the prototype TSR2’s and chucked it down the runway, held her low for a short while then pointed the nose to the heavens with the olympus’s (olympi?) flat out, would this have made the record unreachable by the good old frightning?. not to mention the F15 ect?.

cat now amongst pidgeons, waiting for feathers to fly.

Greg

Will this give the Lightning a reduced lifetime,the stress and wear and tear on the airframe and engines i would think would be incredible.
Regarding the running out of fuel,were “deadstick” landings normal then on the Lightning,do they fly like a brick or are they pretty good with no power?

The I.F. use on a flight like what they intend will be less than what they do now. As for fuel a quick dash to 60,000 and back a T5 (without a ventral tank) as lots of the smelly stuff to do it….

Actually thinking about it there is a story of a T5 without ventral tank going up against an American F15 in the past. If my memory serves me right the T5 won and on it’s return the brake chute opened to reveal a big union jack with the message ‘ Up Yours Yanks’ on the back!! 😀

I’ll check the details when I get home from work.

Just checked, yes it was at GAF Jever around 1979. It was the 11 Sqn T-bird which at the time would make it by pure chance – XS452 the very same aircraft that they hope to get the record with in Africa! Funny thing life isn’t it. 😀

From my notes it appears the aircraft went up with minimal fuel and returned straight away so I guess it can be done. 😮

Actually thinking about it there is a story of a T5 without ventral tank going up against an American F15 in the past.

Not a problem in RAF service as you had the benefit of AAR to top up the tanks to get home…… 😉

Don’t know much about the bird myself, but from what you guys say, I won’t miss this for the world ! 😀 !

Actually thinking about it there is a story of a T5 without ventral tank going up against an American F15 in the past. If my memory serves me right the T5 won and on it’s return the brake chute opened to reveal a big union jack with the message ‘ Up Yours Yanks’ on the back!! 😀

I’ll check the details when I get home from work.

Will it make it to the end of the runway, and still have fuel !!

It is to be the “black beast” ZU-BBD without ventral tank etc. This is a T5 after all 😮

Aah you mean the Cliff Spink’s totty transport, the ‘Pink Flamingo’, as was ….. 😉 😀

But it’s the without ventral tank bit that has my attention….. 😮 😮

The Tub’s pretty fuel critical as it is, without removing that…… 😮

UPDATE

Hi Folks,

Just got an update from Thunder City themselves. To avoid getting registrations mixed up again, I’ll stick with what I know :rolleyes:

It is to be the “black beast” ZU-BBD without ventral tank etc. This is a T5 after all 😮

Sorry for the duff gen. earlier…….. 😮 😮

Cheers,

Can anyone remember the inverted low level pass at the Last Last Lightning Show, we were told by the commentry at the time it was Mach 0.97, considering the appalling weather and the fact he was virtually enclosed in a cloud of condensation, that took some nerve.

I’ve asked this before has anyone got any video footage of that day at Binbrook, I have a video called Last Last Lightning Show, which is great but filmed at another time, that mass take off was the best I ever saw, even better than a Vulcan scramble.

I don’t recall any inverted high speed pass…… :confused: 😮

I’ve got (did have :rolleyes: ) most of the day on video and there’s no inverted high speed pass on the footage.

Can anyone remember the inverted low level pass at the Last Last Lightning Show, we were told by the commentry at the time it was Mach 0.97, considering the appalling weather and the fact he was virtually enclosed in a cloud of condensation, that took some nerve. Unfortunately a vertical climb was not worth doing due to the weather, I doubt that conditions will be the same in South Africa.
I’ve asked this before has anyone got any video footage of that day at Binbrook, I have a video called Last Last Lightning Show, which is great but filmed at another time, that mass take off was the best I ever saw, even better than a Vulcan scramble.

Mike Lithgow went to Libya for the short-lived Swift record (“for that very reason”).

THAT’s the one I meant !!!!!

Ken

Mike Lithgow went to Libya for the short-lived Swift record (“for that very reason”).

Will this give the Lightning a reduced lifetime,the stress and wear and tear on the airframe and engines i would think would be incredible.
Regarding the running out of fuel,were “deadstick” landings normal then on the Lightning,do they fly like a brick or are they pretty good with no power?

Didn’t the Hunter flown by Neville Duke use Libiya for that very reason ?

Err…..pretty sure Duke flew from Tangmere for the record attempt which was performed along the Sussex coastline IIRC.

Ah !! So it is ‘cheating’ for Sukhoi & Macair to remove all surplus weight, fill the seams, tweak the engines and hold the a/c back until the engines are run up to full thrust.

But is won’t be cheating to remove ‘surplus weight’ or give the Lightning every other advantage possible to gain a record ??

If you are attempting a record, you squeeze every ounce of advantage you can out of the rules – otherwise you may as well not bother.

That’s why some of the early jet record attempt where made at sea level – was that ‘cheating’ ??

Didn’t the Hunter flown by Neville Duke use Libiya for that very reason ?

I am a big Sukhoi fan – but good luck to the Lightning. I shall be following with interest.

Ken

I believe the true record holder .

As in, in my opinion I know it’s not the offical record holder but maybe Mike Beachyhead can sort that out!

I wonder what there going to do to find the extra speed from, that does worry me a bit. There can’t be much surplus weight on the old girl. The weapons systems could go but then?

The Lightning is I believe the true record holder because as you say it gets there the quickest in full service fit. The only way the F15 could beat it was to strip the airframe and teather the aircraft to the runway and then release it with an explosive bolt – cheating in my book.

True record holder? 😉 Sorry to be a “spoiler” here. If it is not recognised by the FAI, it is not a “true” record. The Sukhoi was tied to an armoured vehicle, released by an electronic lock and was apparently in the “Class N” (STOL a/c with a take off run below 500 m.!). I sure hope the Lightning attempt will be FAI monitored. Makes a change from the not so interesting point to point of new airliner deliveries. (FAI is by the way just about to have it’s 100’th birthday)

An event like this could, if they take the title, garner some new business then.

“Now you too can fly in a Jet that could fly to 60k ft faster than anything else on the Planet!”

Yes, I know, I’m stating the bleedin’ obvious as usual.

Thanks for the update Mpacha. Just one thing thought – XR773 is an F6 the T5’s are the 2 seaters.

You say Thunder City seems to have run into hard times – any expansion on that?

I stand corrected! I know them by there SA registration, ZU-BEW is indeed an F6.

Don’t have the “dirty” on Thunder City, will just say that money appears a bit tight at the moment. They are not as active as they where before.