English Electric Lightning

[Zipper730]

I remember hearing different figures for the aircraft's radius of action: Some sources list as little as 150 nm, others around 300 nm? Are either of these correct, and are these figures based on the following

• Supersonic both ways
• Supersonic outbound and subsonic on the return leg
• Other

 

[GreenKnight121]

Also depends which version - the prototype P.1 "flat-belly", the F. Mk. 1 & F. Mk. 2 with a small ventral fuel tank, the F. Mk. 3 with the small ventral fuel tank and optional overwing fuel tank capability (also usable for weapons), the F. Mk. 6/F. Mk. 2A (originally F. Mk. 3A) with added large ventral belly tank but not carrying the overwing tanks... or the F. Mk. 6/F. Mk. 2A with the overwing tanks.

I couldn't find any photos of the F. Mk. 3 with the overwing tanks installed.

P. 1

P. 1B

F. Mk. 3

F. Mk. 6

F. Mk. 6 with tanks

 

[Zipper730]

I'll have to take a look into the weight and fuel figures for the different variants.

 

[buffnut453]

Also depends which version - the prototype P.1 "flat-belly", the F. Mk. 1 & F. Mk. 2 with a small ventral fuel tank, the F. Mk. 3 with the small ventral fuel tank and optional overwing fuel tank capability (also usable for weapons), the F. Mk. 6/F. Mk. 2A (originally F. Mk. 3A) with added large ventral belly tank but not carrying the overwing tanks... or the F. Mk. 6/F. Mk. 2A with the overwing tanks.

I couldn't find any photos of the F. Mk. 3 with the overwing tanks installed.

P. 1

View attachment 662135


P. 1B

View attachment 662137


F. Mk. 3

View attachment 662138


F. Mk. 6

View attachment 662139


F. Mk. 6 with tanks

View attachment 662140

Agree with (almost) everything you said...and love the pics. I was at the last Lightning airshow at Binbrook in 1987.

One minor nitpick. The airframe you label as a Lighting F.3 is actually a T.5 of the Lightning Training Flight. This is a Lightning F.3...in the most appropriate of markings:

And the ONLY reason I'm being such a pedant is because it lets me post another pic of the "Frightening" in (arguably) its most attractive scheme.

 

[nuuumannn]

And the ONLY reason I'm being such a pedant is because it lets me post another pic of the "Frightening" in (arguably) its most attractive scheme.

56 Sqn certainly added colour to the type's various schemes, although 74 and Treble One's black fins with yellow highlights always look smart...

 

[wingnuts]

Agree with (almost) everything you said...and love the pics. I was at the last Lightning airshow at Binbrook in 1987.

One minor nitpick. The airframe you label as a Lighting F.3 is actually a T.5 of the Lightning Training Flight. This is a Lightning F.3...in the most appropriate of markings:

View attachment 662235


And the ONLY reason I'm being such a pedant is because it lets me post another pic of the "Frightening" in (arguably) its most attractive scheme.

I was based at RAF Ballykelly in the late 60s when we had a couple of USAF Orions visiting, a couple of Lightnings did a "beat-up" over the airfield, coming in low very fast and then rotating and climbing vertically, deafening everyone!... one of the American ground crew called the Lighting the "All Aluminum Boom Tube" .... the name stuck with me ever since.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I was based at RAF Ballykelly in the late 60s when we had a couple of USAF Orions visiting, a couple of Lightnings did a "beat-up" over the airfield, coming in low very fast and then rotating and climbing vertically, deafening everyone!... one of the American ground crew called the Lighting the "All Aluminum Boom Tube" .... the name stuck with me ever since.

Great story but the USAF never flew the Orion

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Did the Navy ever deploy P-3s to England would be the obvious question. You guys may both be right.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Did the Navy ever deploy P-3s to England would be the obvious question. You guys may both be right.

They did, many times.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

They did, many times.

It follows that his story could be basically true, but with the wrong operating org.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

It follows that his story could be basically true, but with the wrong operating org.

Agree - never doubted him about seeing an Orion

 

[Macandy]

EE Lightning
Take off
Climb to 40,000feet
Run out of fuel
Land

 

[wingnuts]

Great story but the USAF never flew the Orion

Correction, it was the US Navy, but as it was over 50 years ago in the mid to late 60s the distinction was irrelevant to us "Limeys" at the time, especially as the "Canucks" were there with the Argus. the "Cloggies" with their Neptunes and the "Frogs" with their Atlantics, "Yanks" were just "Yanks".

 

[wingnuts]

They did, many times.

The RAF Shackletons often had joint exercises with the US NAVY P-3s, I remember them being at RAF Kinloss in Scotland, RAF Ballykelly in Northern Ireland, and also a joint exercise at TUSLOG Cigli in Turkey.

Extract from "Ballykelly - The Shackleton Era":

The Orion Makes its Debut

In May 1963 a major NATO exercise Fishplay VII was held. It had major implications for the squadrons at Ballykelly, 203 moving to Keflavik, Iceland, and half of 204 going to Aldergrove for the duration. These moves were to make way for an influx of visitors, Neptunes of the Aeronavale and VP-24, USN, and making its first visit to Ballykelly, the P-3A Orion. Four examples arrived from VP-8 at Patuxent River, Maryland, and were the centre of attraction of the remaining Shackleton crews at Ballykelly, as the Americans considered them to be state of the art as far as airborne submarine hunting was concerned. The noise levels were so different, purring turboprops as opposed to the growling Griffon piston engines of the Shackleton.

The Shackleton Association - Ballykelly - The Shackleton Era

A summary of Avro Shackleton roles during their time at Ballykelly

www.thegrowler.org.uk

 

[wingnuts]

Agree - never doubted him about seeing an Orion

The RAAF only recently ended a long association with the P-3, the company I worked for (Tenix) finally completed the update on the AP-3C after taking over from several companies that struggled. Luckily I was not involved with that project, I was on the C130Hs, but I did design the company badge for the project and marshal the AP-3Cs when they visited.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The RAAF only recently ended a long association with the P-3, the company I worked for (Tenix) finally completed the update on the AP-3C after taking over from several companies that struggled. Luckily I was not involved with that project, I was on the C130Hs, but I did design the company badge for the project and marshal the AP-3Cs when they visited.

I worked on the RAAF P-3 program extensively during the mid 1980s. About 40% of the aircraft was built in Canada as the result of the offset agreement when the Canadians bought the CP-140.

 

[SaparotRob]

The RAAF only recently ended a long association with the P-3, the company I worked for (Tenix) finally completed the update on the AP-3C after taking over from several companies that struggled. Luckily I was not involved with that project, I was on the C130Hs, but I did design the company badge for the project and marshal the AP-3Cs when they visited.

Where's FLYBOY J's patch?

 

[wingnuts]

I worked on the RAAF P-3 program extensively during the mid 1980s. About 40% of the aircraft was built in Canada as the result of the offset agreement when the Canadians bought the CP-140.

CAC, then HdeHV, and Tenix (all the same factory, we kept getting bought out) only did mods and updates on the P-3s in Australia, I was not involved apart from inspection of minor components and assemblies, plus I did ground handling when they visited the Tenix hangar at Melbourne Tullamarine airport.

 

[SaparotRob]

Cool!

 

[Dronescapes]

A video about the English Electric Lightning