I have just finished reading Roland Beamont’s book titled ‘English Electric P1 Lightning’,
it is out of print but most aviation book stores and museums have second hand copies for sale.
It has an interesting chapter at the back titled ‘What Might Have Been’ and he talks of the different variants that EE considered for development on the Lightning, one was a Mach 2 supercruise (sustained without AB) and utilises area ruled fuselage and tricycle undercariage similar to an F18.
The details on the the ‘Navalised Lightning’ are quite clear, side intakes, 30′ radar, variable geometry wing, RR RB168/1R engines, internal fuel capacity of 2000lb and four Red Top collision course missiles and also the availability of four 1000lb bombs.
The specifications came about from the Naval requirement AW406 and the book contains one technical drawing and a photograph of a wooden mock-up that was displayed by EE, sadly all this development was at the time of major government changes that gave us the cancellation of the TSR.2 and other major aviation developments, it also became apparent that big carriers were being phased out and the requirement of a supersonic carrier base aircraft no longer exsisted and development funding was cancelled.
Can you PM me with the site you got the shadow plan from, I have a weak spot for the Lightning and would like to know more about this devolopment myself.
Regards,
John.
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