Early last year their were some rumors of a Saudi Lightning being in running condition.
The story I got told was it had made a few runs and was going to remain a ground runner.
T.55 55-716 at Riyadh was mentioned as the most likely Lightning to be involved however it all went very quite last Autumn and now its almost 12months since any mention of this was made.
So is anything going on or was their ever any truth to it all or was it just a rumor that went ott and got reported back as a fact ?
By: mjr - 17th August 2004 at 12:25
This is a rumour we also heard through a reliable channel. I believe there were plans to try and return a T55 or f53 to flight, an ex kuwaiti and not saudi machine, due to very low hours and good condition.
Although sitting about for 20 years, many of the Kuwaiti machines are in excellent order, though a little sun beat, and would present far far less problems to restore. Those machines are a potential source of some very very hard to come by parts, that are all unserviceable in UK examples.
The Saudis parts and war reserves all came back, however there was a reserve stock of Kuwaiti parts that were left behind, many of which were disposed of in late 2002, which various groups including ourselves have been trying to get hold of via official channels without success for years, Red tape. As far as we know,nothing is running in Saudi, and ZF579 will be the only ‘Live’ f53 in the world. ZF579 is being restored to Taxi status. As part of Gatwick Aviation Museums future plans, a solid strip is included, though taxi runs for the lightning would be short, 800-900 metres. Until then 579 will be re-heat run on re-heat chocks, engine installs are about 2 years away, with current pace.
MJR
By: Firebird - 17th August 2004 at 11:24
I have to say I’d be very surprised if the Saudis would,
a) want to ground run one.
b) have the capability to do so.
with b) being the most likely. After all when they bought them they didn’t have that capability hence the contracting of Airwork to support the Lightning operations, I believe with largely ex-pat employees. With it being some 18+ years after the last RSAF aircraft left the desert, I’d be very surprised if there were many in the RSAF that would have the capability to re-activate a 20 year dormant Lightning. Would they really be bothered to try an source the AVPIN for one example, let alone any seized or unservicable parts that were needed, bearing in mind the vast majority of RSAF parts IIRC came back to Warton as part of the deal with a view to BAe trying to sell on as a complete package……. :confused:
By: Spey111 - 17th August 2004 at 06:56
Could it be ZF579 ex 53-671 which is believed to be being restored to ground running (Engine running not taxiing) at the Gatwick Aviation Museum at Charlwood. It’s still a way off yet but that is something I remember being mentioned. There are two engines crated in boxes for it.
Picture taken at Charlwood a couple of weeks ago. 25th July 2004
By: scott c - 16th August 2004 at 19:46
Hi Andrewman
Just a rumor im afraid.
Scott C
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August 16, 2004 at 6:11 pm