now mr goodhall, you know better than that, its the bar that props us up 😉

ok, to clear things up, The project is fine and bowling along, nothing to be alarmed about. The trade advert is simply for a large share or stake in the project to drum up extra funding and interest, and address possible sponsorship deals ahead of flight. As the project draws nearer to flight, extra attention is now being diverted to the long term fiscal stratergy for 422 to operate, which includes attracting sponsors and funding state side too. Thaught is also being given to moving the project North West, out of harms way, since 422 has already used 3-4 of her 9 lives coming away unscathed from mother nature on the gulf, a few times now. There are no plans to sell 422 or her spares inventory to Thunder City. 422 is staying firmly planted to US soil for the forseeable future. Firebird..yes. Phil Wallis is currently AALO chief Engineer, and there will still be a stand at the next Brunty open day.

concorde would cost a colossal amount of money to get back in the air again. and the co operation of the owners of all the surviving examples. in reality it would have to be a french one. and im pretty sure that its been mentioned that they are about as keen to give one over to a restoration to flight as then english. but i could be wrong. wouldn’t it take something more in the region of 20 million as opposed to 6?

fantastic achievement!!. I for one will be re-visiting the airshows next year after not really bothering years . Concord? (missed out the E on purpose, silly French idea anyway:D ) triple that figure of 20mil!
Though the French appear to have been slightly more sympathetic to their survivors, dont forget, their types haven’t had the required mod states, so thats a big cost factor….

I hear Lightnings mentioned too…never say never, but even more factors against them…than Vulcan.
possibly a similar or smaller cost than 558 to restore, but spares are an issue, not an insurmountable issue, but an issue…, unless someone has a magic carpet that is!

Congrats Vulcan chaps and chapesses, Bet the Plough will be buzzing tommorow night!

Hi peter, thanks, yes we will certainly be recording it thats for sure!

FYI, the Pages for Lightning ZF579 have been updated this week, with further updates to follow over the next couple of weeks

Regards to all

.

. As with most2sq ships. she spent 2 years after delivery at Riyadh, via jeddah whilst sauds worked up to type, then spent career between Riyadh and mainly Dhahran, with some Camis and Al Salem. spent most of 72 on decimal conversion for RSAF instruction, then to LSU riyadh in 74 for fast mods programme. after which it spent the rest of its career, between Riyadh, Dhahran on various duties. On retirement from 2sq, she returned home with the second batch of Lightnings. last flight @Tabuk 01/01/86, then on to to Warton for open storage 14/01/86, with just over 2000 hours and FI 85(?) and over 2100 flights.

contractor ground runs for anti dets at Warton from feb 86 until feb 87. Sold Wensley haydon Bailey 1990 and shipped to Southampton docks container storage. Sold to Marine Salvage, and moved to Portsmouth in 1997. The last ex-Saudi airframe to be sold from marine Salvage (I think?), moving to Rochester in early 2001, where it was stripped of spares,then painted by Bae for gate duties.

went along for a viewing last month, and contrary to general conscensus, its an absolute mess, looks ok from 20 feet away, but serious corrosion issues.

Jaguar 12 talks sense. good idea, but will never fly. The bbmf only gets a blank cheque because it is a war memorial, and the Reds are ever more under the bean counters scrutiny at the yearly budget review. the coment about one of the reasons the Lightning couldnt fly, was security…fantasy… The reasons are well known, and it being pilfed wasn’t one of them, afterall, any old, fast jet, such as a Hunter or L139 could be equally capable of delivering a nasty surprise as a Lightning or Phantom in terrorist hands. Speed is irrelevant, since defences would deal with such a threat. As john says, The F3 or typhoon would be more than a match for an ageing Lightning or Phantom with ancient avionics, Either would be neutralised quickly with todays IDS measures.

exactly where is your budding terrorist going to get flying time on a Lightning or Phantom? :p , even IF he managed to get started ( which he wouldn’t since both aircraft would be impossible to start) and taxi on to a run way without ending in a smouldering heap, he would crash before he even got to the end of the runway:rolleyes: