EE Lightnings – How Many Live Examples in the UK?

Indeed, the Bucc is interesting to watch, very different.

Yes that is a clever bit of engineering aswel, the Vulcan seemed to need at least double the wing space!
The Buccaneer is the one that gets me everytime though, working out how that chunky main U/C passes through that relatively small hole keeps me occupied for hours.

Don’t let this get out, but I do have a thing for undercarriages!:o
The Lightnings main gear being one of the most fascinating in action.

Have you ever seen a Victor retraction? It’s an awfull lot of leg and a very little space.

Don’t let this get out, but I do have a thing for undercarriages!:o
The Lightnings main gear being one of the most fascinating in action.

Yes sorry RB!
Thanks for the info, you were in there right from the beginning of fast runs then!
Nice pics, any of the gear travelling?

Yep, she was and still is a suprisingly dry Lightning :rolleyes:

🙂

:eek:now YOU should know better than to tempt fate like that mate:p

I hadn’t realised that the operation had been going that long, must be getting on for longer than the F.6 was in service?

Slightly more now maybe if you take in-service life as opposed to first flight to last flight.

‘728’s actual in-service life was Nov 67 to Jun 88…….although I’m sure Andy will confirm that.

Talking of your Lightnings Andy, I was amazed when I picked up a 1992 edition of Wrecks and Relics to find that they were being fast run at Brunty back then!
I hadn’t realised that the operation had been going that long, must be getting on for longer than the F.6 was in service?
RPB was conducting a run aswel.

Yeh, both 904 and 728 had the ‘mods’ pushing them out to 125 FI 😉

wasnt a large part of the reason 904 was picked by BaE was that she had/has one o9f the most leak free fuel systems of the last operational Lightnings back in 88?

Oh, MOD 9 if I recall correctly. My mistake.
It extended the service life by about 400 hours dependant on FI usage. Some 30 F6 airframes were modded.

The first production F6 (F3a initially) was XR752. Any number earlier than that was a converted F3.

The reference to reworked F.6’s wasn’t at production time, but late-on in service when a batch of F.6’s had their FI extended out to 125 units by the addition of wing reinforcement plates.
I’m not sure how many had that done or if their is a list of serial numbers of the a/c modified.

Thanks Andy,

123 or 12.3? 123 seems a huge amount, or was 728 one of the reworked F.6’s?

The first production F6 (F3a initially) was XR752. Any number earlier than that was a converted F3.

Neither of our two have much left, BAE flew 904 to the last hour of so, cant remember what FI she has left, will look it up for you in the ‘700’

728 has about 123 FI left, but its all acedemic 😉

Cheers 🙂

Thanks Andy,

123 or 12.3? 123 seems a huge amount, or was 728 one of the reworked F.6’s?

No, John has it right, it was the 100 unit FI that was critical not hours flown.

In fact there were only a handful of the last in service F.6’s that had been fatigue extended to 125 units with the fitting of the wing reinf plates, that ever exceeded the 4000 hr mark.

XR757 I think was the highest houred at 4316 when it made it’s last flight in Dec 87.

Interesting little tidbit, thanks firebird.

how many of the ground running Lightnings around have any FI remaining?

id assume that Thunder City’s other F.6 and T.5’s would have some meaningful amount on them, XP693 should be practically brand new!

i seem to recall reading somwhere that a lightning lifed to 4500 flight hours, then theoretically she has 1332 hours remaining

No, John has it right, it was the 100 unit FI that was critical not hours flown.

In fact there were only a handful of the last in service F.6’s that had been fatigue extended to 125 units with the fitting of the wing reinf plates, that ever exceeded the 4000 hr mark.

XR757 I think was the highest houred at 4316 when it made it’s last flight in Dec 87.

Not sure if it’s as straight forward as that, the Lightnings life is worked out on the Fatigue Index, this is a smart little box burried in the fuselage on the starboard side and logs all the ‘G’ that has been loaded on the airframe.

Dependant on how much ‘G’ is loaded during a sortie can sometimes dictate the servicing required before the next flight and it’s not unheard of for a Lightning to use up all it’s FI units a very long time before it’s airframe hours are reached!!.

Regards,

John.

3168 hrs after flinal flight into Cranfield in June 1988 is the info I have. Don’t know what it’s FI was though.

thanks Firebird, i seem to recall reading somwhere that a lightning lifed to 4500 flight hours, then theoretically she has 1332 hours remaining

just a curiosity, how many flight hours does XS458 have on her?

3168 hrs after flinal flight into Cranfield in June 1988 is the info I have. Don’t know what it’s FI was though.

Looking forwards to 579 breathing fire again

Looking forwards indeed to 579 breathing fire again.

Its a wonderous job Milt and his band of merry folks are on with… highly commendable and not an easy ride for sure!

Wishing you & your team all the very best, Keep us posted, Lakes Lightnings

Can’t wait for ZF579 to fire up! Only shots I have from the open day she was covered up so they don’t do her justice.

For those not familliar with ZF579 down at Gatwick, here she is. appologies for the over exposed shot, perhaps someone else may have some better shots from the day.