I agree Touchdown it’s highly unlikely XN724 made it back to the UK – but you never know. As for XN779 the cockpit certainly made it to Wildenrath but the plans to display it unfortunatly came to nothing. The F3 cockpit at Cosford was the one from XP735 which I think know reside’s in Burton-upon-Trent with an ATC unit, it might have moved on now I’m not sure as I’m at work and have no access to my notes. I’ve seen quite a few piccies from the April 85 mass cull at Laarbruch that included many Lightnings and a Vulcan so someone must have been there to see either XN724 meet it’s fate or leave?

At work we copy video camera films to video or DVD but not cine film, for this we always recommend Chris Jones who runs World Video at Histon. You can contact him on (01223) 233031. You can trust him and he’s probably the cheapest in the area, give him a ring he wont bite!

😮 😮 😮 😮 😮 😮 😮 😮 😮

Cheers, Arthur 😎

I’ve always wondered how they got this Lightning from Wildenrath to Conningsby, as it certainley didn’t fly. :confused:
Well I assume it didn’t fly as it had been an airfield decoy at Wildenrath for the best part of 5-6 years. :rolleyes:
It’s been sat next to the A1 for almost 22 years now…..

XN728 flew to Conningsby on 4th April 1977 in company with XN774 both were then parked out as decoys. XN728 came straight from service with 92 Squadron as ‘V’. The other aircraft were as follows :

A – XN778 – Flown to Wildenrath 05/04/77 – used as decoy
B – XN781 – Flown to Leuchars 05/04/77 – used as decoy
C – XN776 – Flown to Leuchars 05/04/77 – used as decoy then RSMF East Fortune
D – XN791 – Flown to Bruggen 12/01/77 – used as decoy
E – XN773 – Flown to Laarbruch 01/77 – used as decoy
F – XN774 – Flown to Conningsby 04/04/77 – used as decoy then Fire Section
H – XN782 – Flown to Wildenrath 05/04/77 – used as decoy – Preserved Germany
K – XN777 – Flown to Wildenrath 06/04/77 – used as decoy
M – XN792 – Flown to Bruggen 12/01/77 – used as decoy
N – XN726 – Flown to Farnbourgh 04/04/77 – then onto PEE Foulness Island
P – XN788 – Flown to Bruggen 31/03/77 – used as decoy
R – XN732 – Flown to Laarbruch 01/77 – used as decoy
R – XN784 – Flown to Bruggen 31/03/77 – used as decoy – Preserved Germany
S – XN771 – Flown to Farnbourgh 04/04/77 – then onto PEE Foulness Island
U – XN735 – Flown to Wildenrath 04/77 – used as decoy
V – XN728 – As noted above
W – XN727 – Flown to Farnbourgh 04/04/77 – then onto PEE Foulness Island
X – XN793 – Flown to Wildenrath 06/04/77 – used as decoy

The decoy’s and PEE airframes are long since gone and so will XN728 soon I’m sure. I cant see anybody coming forward to try to preserve it even if it’s possible, unfortunatly were about 10 years to late.

Although you can only say that the buyer has been very nieve as I understand it it is illegal to sell something in this country without informing the buyer of any known defects, of which this has plenty!

LOVELY 🙂 🙂 🙂 😎 😀