How would YOU fly?

[plan_D]

The landing speed on a Lightning is so high it would be dangerous. All the pilots said that when landing a Lightning you get the gear down, aim for the runway and pray to God.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it tokk amazing skill to land and fly a lightning.....................

 

[plan_D]

More like a lot of luck in the landing aspect.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

fun to fly though..................

 

[plan_D]

With a cruising speed of Mach 0.9 and a top speed of Mach 2.3 how can it not be fun?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

when it comes to land...........................

 

[MP-Willow]

airbracks, computers, and a long runway.

But why not get back to WWII

So another sugestion, the quiet predawn light of some misty South Sea Island \flying a Martin PBM out lookig for the Japs and maybe just finging a Mavis or emily to dance with

 

[plan_D]

Boring. You didn't actually need that long of a runway for a Lightning, and airbrakes? Drag chute, more like.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

computers

you wish mate.........................

 

[plan_D]

Who does?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

MP, he thought computers would help you land a lightning................

 

[plan_D]

Computers on a Lightning!?! Are you KIDDING!?! Try telling my dad it had computers!!!

 

[plan_D]

The Lightning had no computers in it. It was designed in 1947. It still had valves and hand screws in the construction. It still had locking wire for the engines.

Flying a Lightning was ALL pilot skill. Landing a Lightning was pilot skill and luck. Bring it in, flaps down and gear down. Hit the deck, deploy the drag 'chute and slam your brakes on. Pray to God a tyre won't burst or that the drag 'chute has been fitted properly by the riggers. It was a controlled crash!!! No bloody computers!!!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i know that, it's MP that doesn't, he proberly thinks it had radar to.............

 

[plan_D]

He did have RADAR. That thing in its nose is the Radome.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

no i mean radar as in the modern radar that can track and fire at countless targets in a couple of seconds, like he thought it had modern computers.....................

 

[MP-Willow]

That I did not! But I am now corrected. You two always Hunble me and at time inspire me to read more on different aircraft.

 

[plan_D]

I apologise if I was too aggressive on the whole thing. It's just my dad worked on them for years, and he always tells me how hard they were to work on and such. So, I'm very passionate about the Lightning.

The RADAR on the Lightning only had like 90 degree vision in front of it. Most of its capability was from ground RADAR.

Oh some of the stories I have heard about the Lightning...it's great.

 

[Lightning Guy]

A 90 degree FOV for a radar set wouldn't be all that bad. Modern phased-array fighter sets are only capable of covering about 120 degrees or so.
Also Lanc, even modern radars can't track COUNTLESS targets. There is still a finite limit to what even modern computers and software can handle.

 

[plan_D]

Well I never said it was bad, I'm just saying that's what it had. Some of the things that happened were just hilarious, and some of them down right dangerous.

This bloke had been fixing something inside the Lightning, and he had dropped his screwdriver. The Lightning had to be scrambled, and the bloke went back into the bay and noticed his screwdriver was missing. They call the Lightning back and send a man down the intake, and the screwdriver was against the blades of engine one. Luckily it had gone across sideways so it had got caught. VERY VERY LUCKY!!! True story.