Hi all had a trip to Binbrook yesterday (13/4/04) found XR724 half way in a shed with lots of covers on plus all the uppersurface holes covered over. The nose wheel is flat and the port wing thing the little one at the back (i cant remember the proper name help anyone?) is starting to split but looks easy enough to repair.
It looks like the belly is covered in either a covering of wax or oil or something but appart from that she looks just fine if a little dirty.
Does anybody know if she still has her engines started or is she proper u/s now? Who owns her now?
Anybody want the old 5 Squadron hanger its up for sale and looking very tatty. I recon it could be up for demolition soon because it does not look safe.
Back to XR724 she has a spare set of wings sitting next to her which look in fine condition does anybody know which lightning these came from as they have no markings on them at all or if they could be used on another lightning or are they for XR724
Sorry no photos as my camera is not digital and it takes me about a year to get the films developed.
cheers chuck:cool:
By: Peter - 14th April 2004 at 14:50
sad news
Thats sad that she is going downhill despite their best efforts. Maybe a move to scampton would be better?
By: Last Lightning - 14th April 2004 at 10:40
thank you:cool:
By: Firebird - 14th April 2004 at 10:37
By: Last Lightning - 14th April 2004 at 10:24
going by the state of things yesterday there will be nothing left of the old airfield in a couple of years. Fingers crossed that she can be moved and not scrapped.
Does the lightning assosiation have its own web site? is it a closed club or can anyone join?
By: Firebird - 14th April 2004 at 09:52
As far as I’m aware she’s still owned by a shareholder group of Lightning Association members.
With a lack of tarmac left now at Binbrook to stretch her legs I would think a relocation (e.g. say to Scampton?) would be the best bet for her long term ‘active’ preservation, but I can’t see that happening.
Although the ‘spirtural home’ of the Lightning, the long term survival of Binbrook was always going to be doubtful, so it was always going to be a bit of a gamble having ‘724 delivered back there IMHO, but I suppose at the time there was not a lot of other options open to the LA.
It was a major achievement to get her there from RAF Shawbury as it was…:eek:
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April 14, 2004 at 9:33 am