Enthralling much appreciated. I moved to Cranfield in the mid eighties one day eight lightning’s appeared six single seaters and two twin seaters beat up the airfield and landed I looked out at them everyday waiting for a repeat performance it never happened , I watched as the engines of the six single seaters were pulled out and the airframes were cut up and carted away in tippers I believe one of the two seaters is now in south Africa and the last twin seaters is now parked 100 yds from my bedroom window it’s fully maintained and during the summer bangs up and down the runway
Crashed into the North Sea five miles off Easington, Humberside after an inflight fire. The RAAF exchange pilot (Flt Lt. Dick Coleman) ejected safely. At least twenty four Lightnings have been lost due to inflight fires. This was the last Lightning to be lost in RAF service
I lived grew up in Stowmarket, not far from RAF Wattisham. Loved seeing and hearing the Lightning's and Phantoms. Would cycle from Stow as a kid to watch them from a crash gate directly opposite where the war memorial now is. Oh to be able to go back to those days.
the guy flying this aircraft was an RAAF exchange pilot. He flew Mirages in the RAAF and is one hell of a pilot. I had the pleasure of working on the same squadron with him in the mid 80's.
I was based at RAF Wattisham in the early 70's with 111 and 29 Squadrons. I was only there for 18 months but, during that time, we lost 4 aircraft. Two collided over the North Sea (one pilot lost), one caught fire during take-off (scrapped his Ventral Tank along the runway) and crashed in a field just outside Sudbury and the other engaged the barrier. They used to say, "if you want to make some money, buy a field in Suffolk and wait for a Lightning to land in it".
@@sidv4615 They were practicing for an open day air show and taking off 4 at a time. Lightning pilots had a habit of selecting undercarriage UP before they even started rolling, relying on the Weight On Wheels switches to stop activation. However, this meant that the split second the weight began to lift off the oleos the undercarriage would start to travel up. It made for very impressive take offs. On this occasion they all began to lift off at the same time but number 2 drifted directly behind number 1 which pushed his aircraft back down towards the runway. His undercarriage was already higher than the lowest part of the fuselage (the ventral tank) so he scrapped it along the tarmac. The tank ruptured and the escaping fuel exploded in a ball of flame.
@@bobdylan7120 oh I get it now. It seems as if fighter pilots have a habit of retracting the landing gear early. There was this F-22 pilot who did the same thing, took of too early, immediately retracted the gear, wasn’t going fast enough ended up hitting the ground and ruining a $200 Million national asset. Also you said that you were stationed their in the 70s. If you don’t mind me asking, How old are you sir.
I am correct in saying the pilot survived as the lightning came to rest in a field. He left the Lightning squadron & joined the Vulcan squadron. The fuel that escaped was ignited by the reheat & the Lightning following to take off had to commit to his take off & get going.
Fascinating. I was walking across Warton aerodrome when the last Lightning left in the 1980s. Late October I think, salmon pink sky, absolutely clear. Full reheat and straight up. Later, after a career change I started a training business. One of my delegates on a course at a motor factors company told me he and his mates had bought the aircraft for £6000 off the MoD. It now lives at Bruntingthorpe.
Sheer total professionalism! from the lads who flew the canvas, string and wood of WW1 to the brave kids (well 18 is a kid!) in their Hurricanes and Spitfires that faced the overwhelming odds at the battle of Britain to these lads of today in a peacetime aircraft crisis ...Yes its peacetime but how calm are they? this was an old war-bird by then. She was from the start of the cold war in her design, capabilities and philosophy behind those virtues. She was designed to rapidly climb and intercept the likes of Tuplovs and Migs so OK she wasn't a jet of range (they say you can always tell a lightning pilot, hes the one with his eyes constantly surveying the fuel gauge.)...No such thing as true super cruise with this beast, just sheer raw unadulterated Power from those two Avons because as i said it was scramble;e quick and accelerate, climb and intercept! I'm so glad that as a young lad in the late 70's and early 80's, I used to take my kid brothers to the RAF at home BB days that they used to hold yearly at RAF St Athens here in south wales, UK. watching a EE Lightning climb vertically she easily kept up with the phantoms and tornadoes there! now Im nearing 60 with poor health but I'm determined to see 'our Vulcan' in this, her last season. sad, but i even built myself a good PC rig with saitek joystick and flight sim panels combined with Microsoft Flight Simulator X gold deluxe edition. Now I can fly in this classic (bought as an add on together with Vulcan and Typhoon FGR4 and live the life I wanted but never had. See, technology isnt all bad, I can live this pretend life in the comfort of my home, No G forces just a glimpse into the way they flew these monsters! Kudos to the RAF!
Christopher Crosby I too am a more mature fan of the lightning and watched them take off and go vertical at the Farnborough air show many times.Now, like you I too fly the Vulcan in my fs2004 with al the add-ons.I will be at Fairford and Dunsfold to see the Vulcan fly for one more year. I hope you will see that wonderful aircraft too sir.
Christopher Crosby the Vulcan and the typhoon are flying at the Swansea airshow on 11th july Saturday if you can make it I advise you to go butty as its her final year flying we wont see another like her in our skies I saw her at Weston super mare on Saturday but it was really windy and not her best display hoping they really open the taps up on the old girl in swansea
This is quite spine chilling to listen to. I was on shift with XI Sqn Binbrook on the day this happened. I remember seeing Dick Coleman after he returned and the only noticeable injury was a black eye. I didn't realise that Ian Black was on scene and witnessed the chain of events unfold. Sad to hear the demise of a great workhorse and great that the survival equipment worked to protect Dick. Thank you for posting this dramatic audio.
Beautiful plane. I miss the old Phantoms, Corsairs, and Crusaders flying out of NAS Miramar back in the day. The Skyhawks were kinda cute. The PBM's were fun to watch, down around North Island, and the occasional Albatross from the Coast Guard station. Gonna have to hit the hobby shop tomorrow:) I miss the old days.
Andy I've come back to listen to this about 8 times now, it's incredible to listen to, PLEASE re-record it so it's a little clearer. will sub. thanks mate
Great bit of audio and thanks for publishing, I'm guessing that the pilot of the aircraft watching and reporting on Flt Lt Dick Coleman's progress is Ian Black.
I don’t know who all these numpties are commenting on there being no video - but just listen to the audio! A great find! I won’t bore people with the story here, as I’ve posted it elsewhere on the internet, but I was lucky enough to get two rides in the T5 (tub) with 5 sqdn back in ‘87 (I was a UAS cadet). That was supposed to be just one flight, but we had a spot of bother on attempting to land at Binbrook, so diverted to Waddington. I remember then, the pilot shutting one down, done purely to conserve what little fuel we had left. Nowhere near as exciting as this event (I suppose I should be grateful I guess), but this recording brings a lot of memories back! Happy days!
@Anthony Smith, you are mistaken, the canopy jettison system is not a hydraulic system, its a compressed gas system fed from the ejection gases. When the ejection is initiated the gas throws the canopy locks back and pushes two rams either side of the cockpit which pushes the canopy into the airflow so it clears the aircraft before the seat leaves the aircraft. That system was in place from the early Mark 3's so there was never ever a hydraulic canopy jettison system. Also, the Lightning has two hydraulic systems, so even if one system was low on Hyd oil (OM15) the other system would still provide for flight controls movement... and anyway, any decent liney wouldnt sign the jet off unless the hyd fluids were at an acceptable level, this was (not an uncommon) engine bay fire probably caused by hyd leak...
TheGORAF I think I know part of the reason for the modification to the canopy jettison system. I know a chap called Mo More who used to fly in the RAF Display Team, the Firebirds back in 1963, flying F1As. He told me that when they were doing a practice 'bomb burst' once, his friend Mike Cook flew right into him. At first Mo said he thought an engine had blown up but in the event managed to make a precautionary landing. Mike only had partial control and was constantly in a slow steady roll, despite full opporsite aileron deflection. Mike managed to climb the aircraft under these difficult conditions to a height of between 500-700' AGL before ejecting. I don't know exactly what happened during the ejection sequence, but Mike broke his neck and that unfortunately made him a quadriplegic. I know they modified the design after that. Such a shame because he was only about 24 from what I can remember and is likely to no longer be with us, seeing as Mo is in his mid 80s... I know Mo also told me about a pre flight check to do with 'dead bolts' (or something similar) that had to be confirmed 'locked'. He knew another pilot that forgot to check that off the list and on the take off roll at around rotation speed the canopy ripped off its hinges and then wedged itself right into the leading edge of the fin! When I asked how much trouble his friend got into for that, he replied. 'Nothing too much, but quite a slap on the back of the hand'! You seem very knowledgeable about the Lightning...
@@PhantomMark sure , and even better if it was 5 times as fast and had 7 times the low speed handling abilities and was invisible and was indestructible and it emitted donuts and prime rib as its exhaust and they built a million of them .. could go on forever about how it could be better.
Some people like knocking the old Lightening but two true facts are that it out climbed the U2 spy plane and it was one of the few planes to ever intercept Concorde ( check it out on the net )
fantastic recording, I never realised it was Ian Black reporting back on the damage, great video, I live in Hull so its crazy to hear its local, was the aircraft ever recovered ?
I had the pleasure of working with both Dick Coleman and Ian Black during my time on LTF. Dick was on exchange from the RAAF and a true gentleman. I an was the last pilot to qualify on Lightnings and again a true gentleman. I know that Ian went on to fly F3 and on leaving the RAF became a A330 A340 pilot with Virgin. Ian was also a very accomplised aviation photographer.
Ian has produced some great books on Lightnings, Phantoms, Tornados and other aircraft. He has a volume 1 of a 2 parter coming out soon on the RN/RAF Phantom
A lightning crashed in our village Pilling in 1967 the pilot ejected and the plane ended up in someone's garden, the owner was in the garden and was very lucky to survive.
The Aircraft are both 11 Sqn as were the both the Pilots The Pilot who ejects was Flt Lt Dick Coleman RAAF "Australian" and the other is Flt Lt Ian Black Author of the book "Last of The Lightnings" I was one of the Sqn Engine Fitters but sadly was posted to Gutersloh by then
I was a mech on 55 Sqn at Marham and remember my Victor being later back than planned following a sortie tanking Phantoms and Lightnings, when they did arrive they filled the groundcrew in on what had unfolded, firstly glad the pilot got out and picked up as quickly as possible, never heard the radio before extremely professionally handled!
Yup. This is something that military pilots are trained so well in. If the aircraft is no good to you any more then get out or make an emergency landing. Definitely something that GA pilots could learn a lot from as far too many die, and often take others with them, from situations that don't need to be fatal... Their calmness is something that's still almost unworldly. They could almost be discussing what they're going to have for dinner that night when it's a real life-or-death situation...
It had 2 fire bottles fitted just aft of the number 1 engine. Had to roll the interpipe back to change them. As you say I don't think the back end was covered by suppression, only the engines. IIRC.
Yep, the hottest area , the re-heat pipes, had no fire bottles, Not the cleverest design ever !! Basically telling the Jockey "The good news is You are on Fire - Bad news is, Sod all you can Do" Have a nice day. 😏
+col mullz I was at Gutersloh 1967-69, we had 19 Squadron, and they were joined by 92 Squadron, ex Geilenkirchen, early in 1968. Superb aircraft, loved watching them scrambling into vertical climbs on full reheat - awesome sight :)
Hi Col Nice to see another Ex Lightning guy Sadly One Pilot was British but the Pilot who Ejects was Flt Lt Dick Coleman and Royal Australian Air Force Ex-Change pilot the British Pilot "Blackie" is Flt Lt Ian Black the Author of the Book Last of the Lightnings and They are Both 11 Sqn Pilots not 5 Sqn
F Hugh, if you're going to correct someone's mistake, at least provide the correct answer - quite ironic that your answer isn't correct either, lol. QANTAS = Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services. :-)
No problems, found it by accident really, in a box after 4 house moves and 25 years. Didnt want to lose it before tape degrades. I noticed its a little jerky, could do with re-recording it really. let me know if you want a copy. Have some video somewhere when we went to view the scrapped ones as well must convert it.
I was on 11 Sqn (Tornado F3s) when one evening it was decided to park an old Lightning (camo / XI) on the grass outside the Aircrew Soft and it sunk. 😂
iremember being at Binbrook crash gate with friends and a scanner picked this up and recorded it we stud in shock at what we where hearing, and how long it flew before it crashed in the sea.
Back end of the aircraft caught fire due to either a Fuel or Hydraulics leak. The fire destroyed the actuator that moved the slab tailplane making the aircraft unflyable. Ian Black had his camera onboard and got photos of both the fire and the ejection. Almost exactly the same thing as what happened to the Lightning in South Africa in the late 2000's, except in that case the Pilot couldn't eject due to maintenance errors and he was killed.
I blame the dog; jack russells will chew anything.. Note how the ejected pilot's wingman shuts his bottom engine down and requests priority landing clearance just in case his a/c pulls the same trick!
I was walking along the north side after been at the corner cafe. I remember watching it flying and smoke was coming out of it and went into the sea not far offshore.
Unfortunately, your views are somewhat mistaken. it was the manoeuvre he did to avoid the Beach that caused the aircraft to depart from controlled flight and crash. The display the pilot flew was unofficial and unauthorised, he was suppose to be flying from Binbrook to Teeside Airport to position the aircraft for the airport's Airshow the following day. Sometime in the past, the local Air Training Corps Squadron at Scarborough asked Binbrook if a Lightning display could be done while they did a ATC PR and recruiting display on the beach front during the Summer Holidays. RAF Binbrook had no problems with this and got the display pilot to do a short display when transiting to an other air show up north. Due to some reason or other, in 1983, HQ 11 Group, who controlled all UK based Air Defence assets, brought in a rule that no air display could be flown by any of their aircraft without permission of the Group HQ (most likely directly from the Air Officer Commanding). For some reason the request from Binbrook to fly this display which was put in well in advance was refused by 11 Group HQ. The pilot of the aircraft was the official RAF Lightning Solo Display Pilot, Flt Lt Mike Thompson, who was a very aggressive display pilot who flew the aircraft to its "slow" speed limits and was reckoned to be one of the best display pilots in the jet ever (He won the best solo display pilot award at the International Air Tattoo a month before). On the link below is a thread on the PPRUNE forum that covers the Scarborough crash with comments from an RAF Engineering Officer who was in the Flight Line office when the pilot had a blazing argument with HQ 11 Group over the phone when he tried to get to get the decision reversed before he took off and a RAF Officer who was on a day off and on the beachfront who saw the aircraft crash and assisted the Police in recovering the pilots body off the rescue boat who picked up the body (the pilot had pulled the Ejection Seat handle and the canopy was coming off the aircraft as it hit the sea). For some reason the Pilot decided on route to Teeside to do a display even after he had been told by his command authority not to do so. Had the Pilot Survived or landed at Teeside, its a good bet he would have been Court Marshalled. AOC's don't like anybody below disobeying their direct orders. www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/73801-xs937-m-crash-2.html Why did HQ 11 Group Say "No", Well in 1982 the Government pasted the 1982 Civil Aviation Act. One of the major changes in that bill were the CAA were mandated to regulate Air Displays in the UK, most likely after a horrific crash at the Biggen Hill airshow in 1980 where an A-26 invader, took fare paying passengers up for an air display which resulted in the aircraft flying into a hill and killing everybody on board. In the Modern MOD Military Air Regulations, Aircraft on the Military Register can only do air displays over non MOD land with pre planned permission of the CAA. (getting an RAF aircraft to do a single flypast, is a bit different as the CAA do not have to be asked first unless it will infringe controlled airspace). Seeing that the MoD are a bit slow in rewriting their rule books, the Group HQ's order for everybody to only fly displays when we allow it most likely were to allow a check with the CAA if the request was for an authorised airshow. If it wasn't HQ says NO.
@@samrodian919 Or RAF Spurn Point was the other term used and I first heard the term on a Cadet Camp at RAF Binbrook in 1982 from Ground Crew who worked on the aircraft.
An Australian throwing away one of Her Majestys valuable aircraft ? I hope they sent him the bill ! ( not seriously..just in case somebody takes it seriously You can never tell these days 😉)
That was awesome, I’m am curious though (and I’d think any angry keyboard experts to reign it in)… the pilot nursed a doomed plane for a long time before ejecting. I’m surprised he get didn’t pull both fire handles just prior, to ensure the plane descended. He was over the sea at the time? The plane flew on for quite some time and fortunately crashed in the sea.
fuzzdmedic Gee thanks. Yeah we Americans don't know how to handle in flight emergencies. We just go to pieces. The sobbing and sniveling are unsettling. ;)
The correct spelling is Lightning, the story concerns one from 5 Squadron that was lost but the pictures show 11 Squadron aircraft. I didn't bother watching any more.
Other than the fact that it is just a few pictures shown over and over and over and over and over again, would have been a good video. Couldn't watch the whole thing. Got bored of the same pictures.
Enthralling much appreciated. I moved to Cranfield in the mid eighties one day eight lightning’s appeared six single seaters and two twin seaters beat up the airfield and landed I looked out at them everyday waiting for a repeat performance it never happened , I watched as the engines of the six single seaters were pulled out and the airframes were cut up and carted away in tippers I believe one of the two seaters is now in south Africa and the last twin seaters is now parked 100 yds from my bedroom window it’s fully maintained and during the summer bangs up and down the runway
Crashed into the North Sea five miles off Easington, Humberside after an inflight fire. The RAAF exchange pilot (Flt Lt. Dick Coleman) ejected safely. At least twenty four Lightnings have been lost due to inflight fires. This was the last Lightning to be lost in RAF service
Easington is Durham County
@@andydwilleasington East Yorkshire
Glad to hear that the pilot was ok. Thanks for the posting.
I lived grew up in Stowmarket, not far from RAF Wattisham. Loved seeing and hearing the Lightning's and Phantoms. Would cycle from Stow as a kid to watch them from a crash gate directly opposite where the war memorial now is. Oh to be able to go back to those days.
Great days
the guy flying this aircraft was an RAAF exchange pilot. He flew Mirages in the RAAF and is one hell of a pilot. I had the pleasure of working on the same squadron with him in the mid 80's.
Nearly Retired yes, I work with loads of Aussies and picked his accent up straight away. I'll bet he's got a few stories to tell at the pub...
You must have been at Binbrook at the same time as me
Knew Dick in the RAAF, and had him on my crew in QANTAS. Knew he did an exchange, he never mentioned tossing away a Lightning
I was based at RAF Wattisham in the early 70's with 111 and 29 Squadrons.
I was only there for 18 months but, during that time, we lost 4 aircraft. Two collided over the North Sea (one pilot lost), one caught fire during take-off (scrapped his Ventral Tank along the runway) and crashed in a field just outside Sudbury and the other engaged the barrier.
They used to say, "if you want to make some money, buy a field in Suffolk and wait for a Lightning to land in it".
how does one scrape the fuel tank on the ground? and that too while taking off?
@@sidv4615 They were practicing for an open day air show and taking off 4 at a time. Lightning pilots had a habit of selecting undercarriage UP before they even started rolling, relying on the Weight On Wheels switches to stop activation. However, this meant that the split second the weight began to lift off the oleos the undercarriage would start to travel up. It made for very impressive take offs.
On this occasion they all began to lift off at the same time but number 2 drifted directly behind number 1 which pushed his aircraft back down towards the runway. His undercarriage was already higher than the lowest part of the fuselage (the ventral tank) so he scrapped it along the tarmac. The tank ruptured and the escaping fuel exploded in a ball of flame.
@@bobdylan7120 oh I get it now. It seems as if fighter pilots have a habit of retracting the landing gear early. There was this F-22 pilot who did the same thing, took of too early, immediately retracted the gear, wasn’t going fast enough ended up hitting the ground and ruining a $200 Million national asset.
Also you said that you were stationed their in the 70s. If you don’t mind me asking, How old are you sir.
I am correct in saying the pilot survived as the lightning came to rest in a field. He left the Lightning squadron & joined the Vulcan squadron.
The fuel that escaped was ignited by the reheat & the Lightning following to take off had to commit to his take off & get going.
@@sidv4615 I was18 at the time, straight out of two years training at Cosford.
Thanks for releasing this recording, it's really interesting listening to the events as they unfold.
Fascinating. I was walking across Warton aerodrome when the last Lightning left in the 1980s. Late October I think, salmon pink sky, absolutely clear. Full reheat and straight up. Later, after a career change I started a training business. One of my delegates on a course at a motor factors company told me he and his mates had bought the aircraft for £6000 off the MoD. It now lives at Bruntingthorpe.
Amazing
Fascinating how just audio allows the imagination to work. It’s as if we are there too.
Listening to this with headphones on makes you feel you are right in the thick of it.
Well done Andy. For those with a modicum of understanding, this is priceless!
Absolutely
Sheer total professionalism! from the lads who flew the canvas, string and wood of WW1 to the brave kids (well 18 is a kid!) in their Hurricanes and Spitfires that faced the overwhelming odds at the battle of Britain to these lads of today in a peacetime aircraft crisis ...Yes its peacetime but how calm are they? this was an old war-bird by then. She was from the start of the cold war in her design, capabilities and philosophy behind those virtues. She was designed to rapidly climb and intercept the likes of Tuplovs and Migs so OK she wasn't a jet of range (they say you can always tell a lightning pilot, hes the one with his eyes constantly surveying the fuel gauge.)...No such thing as true super cruise with this beast, just sheer raw unadulterated Power from those two Avons because as i said it was scramble;e quick and accelerate, climb and intercept! I'm so glad that as a young lad in the late 70's and early 80's, I used to take my kid brothers to the RAF at home BB days that they used to hold yearly at RAF St Athens here in south wales, UK. watching a EE Lightning climb vertically she easily kept up with the phantoms and tornadoes there! now Im nearing 60 with poor health but I'm determined to see 'our Vulcan' in this, her last season. sad, but i even built myself a good PC rig with saitek joystick and flight sim panels combined with Microsoft Flight Simulator X gold deluxe edition. Now I can fly in this classic (bought as an add on together with Vulcan and Typhoon FGR4 and live the life I wanted but never had. See, technology isnt all bad, I can live this pretend life in the comfort of my home, No G forces just a glimpse into the way they flew these monsters! Kudos to the RAF!
Christopher Crosby
I too am a more mature fan of the lightning and watched them take off and go vertical at the Farnborough air show many times.Now, like you I too fly the Vulcan in my fs2004 with al the add-ons.I will be at Fairford and Dunsfold to see the Vulcan fly for one more year. I hope you will see that wonderful aircraft too sir.
Christopher Crosby the Vulcan and the typhoon are flying at the Swansea airshow on 11th july Saturday if you can make it I advise you to go butty as its her final year flying we wont see another like her in our skies I saw her at Weston super mare on Saturday but it was really windy and not her best display hoping they really open the taps up on the old girl in swansea
Thanks for the info, come hell or high water i'll get there! I live in Cwmbran so its a quick hop down the M4. You have cheered me up, many thanks!
This is quite spine chilling to listen to. I was on shift with XI Sqn Binbrook on the day this happened. I remember seeing Dick Coleman after he returned and the only noticeable injury was a black eye. I didn't realise that Ian Black was on scene and witnessed the chain of events unfold. Sad to hear the demise of a great workhorse and great that the survival equipment worked to protect Dick. Thank you for posting this dramatic audio.
Chin up
Brave aircrew who flew the LX despite the ever present dangers and determined groundcrew who had the misfortune to battle this nightmare to maintain.
What a aircraft it is a shame to lose even 1.
Beautiful plane. I miss the old Phantoms, Corsairs, and Crusaders flying out of NAS Miramar back in the day. The Skyhawks were kinda cute. The PBM's were fun to watch, down around North Island, and the occasional Albatross from the Coast Guard station. Gonna have to hit the hobby shop tomorrow:) I miss the old days.
rich smith that's a beautiful corner of the world! Did you make it to the model shop?
rich smith "Skyhawks were kinda cute" lmao
Why were PBM float bombers down there at that time?
The pilot of the stricken aircraft was very calm, real professional. Good for him.
Andy I've come back to listen to this about 8 times now, it's incredible to listen to, PLEASE re-record it so it's a little clearer.
will sub.
thanks mate
Great bit of audio and thanks for publishing, I'm guessing that the pilot of the aircraft watching and reporting on Flt Lt Dick Coleman's progress is Ian Black.
Would be, seeing Ian took photos of the aircraft on fire which he put in his book about the Lightning's last years in service.
Yes It was Ian Black
I don’t know who all these numpties are commenting on there being no video - but just listen to the audio! A great find!
I won’t bore people with the story here, as I’ve posted it elsewhere on the internet, but I was lucky enough to get two rides in the T5 (tub) with 5 sqdn back in ‘87 (I was a UAS cadet). That was supposed to be just one flight, but we had a spot of bother on attempting to land at Binbrook, so diverted to Waddington. I remember then, the pilot shutting one down, done purely to conserve what little fuel we had left.
Nowhere near as exciting as this event (I suppose I should be grateful I guess), but this recording brings a lot of memories back! Happy days!
@Anthony Smith, you are mistaken, the canopy jettison system is not a hydraulic system, its a compressed gas system fed from the ejection gases. When the ejection is initiated the gas throws the canopy locks back and pushes two rams either side of the cockpit which pushes the canopy into the airflow so it clears the aircraft before the seat leaves the aircraft. That system was in place from the early Mark 3's so there was never ever a hydraulic canopy jettison system. Also, the Lightning has two hydraulic systems, so even if one system was low on Hyd oil (OM15) the other system would still provide for flight controls movement... and anyway, any decent liney wouldnt sign the jet off unless the hyd fluids were at an acceptable level, this was (not an uncommon) engine bay fire probably caused by hyd leak...
TheGORAF I think I know part of the reason for the modification to the canopy jettison system. I know a chap called Mo More who used to fly in the RAF Display Team, the Firebirds back in 1963, flying F1As. He told me that when they were doing a practice 'bomb burst' once, his friend Mike Cook flew right into him. At first Mo said he thought an engine had blown up but in the event managed to make a precautionary landing. Mike only had partial control and was constantly in a slow steady roll, despite full opporsite aileron deflection. Mike managed to climb the aircraft under these difficult conditions to a height of between 500-700' AGL before ejecting. I don't know exactly what happened during the ejection sequence, but Mike broke his neck and that unfortunately made him a quadriplegic. I know they modified the design after that. Such a shame because he was only about 24 from what I can remember and is likely to no longer be with us, seeing as Mo is in his mid 80s...
I know Mo also told me about a pre flight check to do with 'dead bolts' (or something similar) that had to be confirmed 'locked'. He knew another pilot that forgot to check that off the list and on the take off roll at around rotation speed the canopy ripped off its hinges and then wedged itself right into the leading edge of the fin! When I asked how much trouble his friend got into for that, he replied. 'Nothing too much, but quite a slap on the back of the hand'! You seem very knowledgeable about the Lightning...
The gasses are from a separate explosive cartridge and not the ejection seat gasses.
The lightening was that cool...it didnt need a Pilot
This was 30 years ago and stupid people moaning there’s no live footage. It’s facinating just listening to the audio.
Ignore the crayon munchers in the comments it's nearly time for their tablets.
In my opinion BEST FAST JET of its time.
Would be have been even more awesome with twice the fuel load and double the weapons capacity :D
@@PhantomMark sure , and even better if it was 5 times as fast and had 7 times the low speed handling abilities and was invisible and was indestructible and it emitted donuts and prime rib as its exhaust and they built a million of them .. could go on forever about how it could be better.
Some people like knocking the old Lightening but two true facts are that it out climbed the U2 spy plane and it was one of the few planes to ever intercept Concorde ( check it out on the net )
@@alanwareham7391 out claimed? are you meaning out climbed?
Yeah I love the Lightning.. one d my faves.. ( I have a lot of faves though)
As someone who spent his working days on
Victors and Vulcans followed by 25 years as the first R.A.F.A. County of Rutland Standard Bearer I agree.
With all Lightning marks vibration played havoc with complex fuel and hydraulic systems.
fantastic recording, I never realised it was Ian Black reporting back on the damage, great video, I live in Hull so its crazy to hear its local, was the aircraft ever recovered ?
Not likely the cost to recover a jet that by then was about to go out of service would have been prohibitive
I had the pleasure of working with both Dick Coleman and Ian Black during my time on LTF. Dick was on exchange from the RAAF and a true gentleman. I an was the last pilot to qualify on Lightnings and again a true gentleman. I know that Ian went on to fly F3 and on leaving the RAF became a A330 A340 pilot with Virgin. Ian was also a very accomplised aviation photographer.
Respect, sir
Ian has produced some great books on Lightnings, Phantoms, Tornados and other aircraft.
He has a volume 1 of a 2 parter coming out soon on the RN/RAF Phantom
A lightning crashed in our village Pilling in 1967 the pilot ejected and the plane ended up in someone's garden, the owner was in the garden and was very lucky to survive.
The Aircraft are both 11 Sqn as were the both the Pilots The Pilot who ejects was Flt Lt Dick Coleman RAAF "Australian" and the other is Flt Lt Ian Black Author of the book "Last of The Lightnings" I was one of the Sqn Engine Fitters but sadly was posted to Gutersloh by then
I was a mech on 55 Sqn at Marham and remember my Victor being later back than planned following a sortie tanking Phantoms and Lightnings, when they did arrive they filled the groundcrew in on what had unfolded, firstly glad the pilot got out and picked up as quickly as possible, never heard the radio before extremely professionally handled!
Awesome cool,must have been fantastic seeing all those beasts 🤟
“I’m going to throw it away”
Talks like I do about a crisp packet
Yup. This is something that military pilots are trained so well in. If the aircraft is no good to you any more then get out or make an emergency landing. Definitely something that GA pilots could learn a lot from as far too many die, and often take others with them, from situations that don't need to be fatal...
Their calmness is something that's still almost unworldly. They could almost be discussing what they're going to have for dinner that night when it's a real life-or-death situation...
Aircraft was months from being phased out of service anyway.
There was a lot of activity over Spurn when Binbrook was open because the point and the Grimsby dock tower opposite lined you up for the runway.
before ejecting was the remaining engine switched off?
14:55 He hits a duck.
But another duck ducked.
Awesome - thanks for posting
+fireflyrobert thanks - i must redo it as it jerks in places
Just listened again. That bird just didn't want to land despite all the damage.
Thats bravery...he had way too long to think about going out....amazing.
Audio is just epic, grear training aid
The Lightning had a fire warning system in the arse end ~ but no fire suppresion. No space for fire bottles.
It had 2 fire bottles fitted just aft of the number 1 engine. Had to roll the interpipe back to change them. As you say I don't think the back end was covered by suppression, only the engines. IIRC.
Yep, the hottest area , the re-heat pipes, had no fire bottles, Not the cleverest design ever !! Basically telling the Jockey "The good news is You are on Fire - Bad news is, Sod all you can Do" Have a nice day. 😏
@@andyb.1026 not a jockey but a skyrocket rider! Lol
Lots of 11 sqdn Lightnings. I enjoyed being at Binbrook and Malta.
how old are you sir?
@@sidv4615 68
Just goes to show a good kite can fly for ages without a Pilot
I'm ex 19 Squadron Lightning's at RAF Gutersloh, these guys are just cool and British.
col mullz at the time i am building a 1/48 desk model in take of position of the lightning f.6 version,i love that ugly beauty!
Manaritzis88 How I your model coming on?
Very good the model kit its an airfix kit!
+col mullz I was at Gutersloh 1967-69, we had 19 Squadron, and they were joined by 92 Squadron, ex Geilenkirchen, early in 1968.
Superb aircraft, loved watching them scrambling into vertical climbs on full reheat - awesome sight :)
Hi Col Nice to see another Ex Lightning guy Sadly One Pilot was British but the Pilot who Ejects was Flt Lt Dick Coleman and Royal Australian Air Force Ex-Change pilot the British Pilot "Blackie" is Flt Lt Ian Black the Author of the Book Last of the Lightnings and They are Both 11 Sqn Pilots not 5 Sqn
Great audio clip, really interesting. Thanx for sharing
The pilot of XR769 was an exchange RAAF pilot, he is now a QUANTAS pilot.
+Robert Mason seriously? what was his name?
F Hugh, if you're going to correct someone's mistake, at least provide the correct answer - quite ironic that your answer isn't correct either, lol. QANTAS = Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services. :-)
@@sailorman8668 Dick Colman
@@mcraidgod5846 Is that name supposed to mean something to me?
Sailor Man )
Just so glad he was OK 👌 ejection is a trip 😮How many humans ride a rocket 🚀
Interesting that the chopper uses the callsign prefix "Rescue". We were always "Pedro" on the whirlwinds.
It's one of the Sea Kings from Leconfield. They normally use callsign like 'Helicopter 128', becoming 'Rescue 128' when deployed.
Why all the dislikes, it is horrible to listen to . I get it . But at the same time shows a lot of bravery and skill.
Why show pics of an 11sqd Lightning when listening to the Pilot of a 5sqd aircraft ??
No problems, found it by accident really, in a box after 4 house moves and 25 years. Didnt want to lose it before tape degrades. I noticed its a little jerky, could do with re-recording it really. let me know if you want a copy. Have some video somewhere when we went to view the scrapped ones as well must convert it.
Can I ask where you got it originally ?
Please do
I was on 11 Sqn (Tornado F3s) when one evening it was decided to park an old Lightning (camo / XI) on the grass outside the Aircrew Soft and it sunk. 😂
Was it a Binbrook Lightning?
iremember being at Binbrook crash gate with friends and a scanner picked this up and recorded it we stud in shock at what we where hearing, and how long it flew before it crashed in the sea.
excellent stuff!
hmm where waS this incident ? was it in the uk ? or???? and what was the findings????? does anyone know????????
Just off Flamborough Head on the east coast of England.
Back end of the aircraft caught fire due to either a Fuel or Hydraulics leak. The fire destroyed the actuator that moved the slab tailplane making the aircraft unflyable. Ian Black had his camera onboard and got photos of both the fire and the ejection. Almost exactly the same thing as what happened to the Lightning in South Africa in the late 2000's, except in that case the Pilot couldn't eject due to maintenance errors and he was killed.
I blame the dog; jack russells will chew anything..
Note how the ejected pilot's wingman shuts his bottom engine down and requests priority landing clearance just in case his a/c pulls the same trick!
Probably just to conserve fuel, priority for the same reason.
Bingo 3 fellas…..did you hear that? he’s flying on fumes at that point!
One wild looking fighter…
Is the recorder/uploader the proud owner of some chickens per chance??? ;-)
Helo has a lock 🔐 incoming for pilot rescue 🙏
Woaw !
No live footage ?
Amazing!
Over 300 unlikes, why?? Cretins each and every one
I had a bus do something similar to me one night. Onboard fire. I ejected but turned out later it was just condensation.
Seen one crash at Scarborough the pilot killed but we all reckon he saved a lot of people on a packed beach that day .
I was walking along the north side after been at the corner cafe.
I remember watching it flying and smoke was coming out of it and went into the sea not far offshore.
Unfortunately, your views are somewhat mistaken. it was the manoeuvre he did to avoid the Beach that caused the aircraft to depart from controlled flight and crash. The display the pilot flew was unofficial and unauthorised, he was suppose to be flying from Binbrook to Teeside Airport to position the aircraft for the airport's Airshow the following day. Sometime in the past, the local Air Training Corps Squadron at Scarborough asked Binbrook if a Lightning display could be done while they did a ATC PR and recruiting display on the beach front during the Summer Holidays. RAF Binbrook had no problems with this and got the display pilot to do a short display when transiting to an other air show up north. Due to some reason or other, in 1983, HQ 11 Group, who controlled all UK based Air Defence assets, brought in a rule that no air display could be flown by any of their aircraft without permission of the Group HQ (most likely directly from the Air Officer Commanding). For some reason the request from Binbrook to fly this display which was put in well in advance was refused by 11 Group HQ. The pilot of the aircraft was the official RAF Lightning Solo Display Pilot, Flt Lt Mike Thompson, who was a very aggressive display pilot who flew the aircraft to its "slow" speed limits and was reckoned to be one of the best display pilots in the jet ever (He won the best solo display pilot award at the International Air Tattoo a month before). On the link below is a thread on the PPRUNE forum that covers the Scarborough crash with comments from an RAF Engineering Officer who was in the Flight Line office when the pilot had a blazing argument with HQ 11 Group over the phone when he tried to get to get the decision reversed before he took off and a RAF Officer who was on a day off and on the beachfront who saw the aircraft crash and assisted the Police in recovering the pilots body off the rescue boat who picked up the body (the pilot had pulled the Ejection Seat handle and the canopy was coming off the aircraft as it hit the sea). For some reason the Pilot decided on route to Teeside to do a display even after he had been told by his command authority not to do so. Had the Pilot Survived or landed at Teeside, its a good bet he would have been Court Marshalled. AOC's don't like anybody below disobeying their direct orders.
www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/73801-xs937-m-crash-2.html
Why did HQ 11 Group Say "No", Well in 1982 the Government pasted the 1982 Civil Aviation Act. One of the major changes in that bill were the CAA were mandated to regulate Air Displays in the UK, most likely after a horrific crash at the Biggen Hill airshow in 1980 where an A-26 invader, took fare paying passengers up for an air display which resulted in the aircraft flying into a hill and killing everybody on board. In the Modern MOD Military Air Regulations, Aircraft on the Military Register can only do air displays over non MOD land with pre planned permission of the CAA. (getting an RAF aircraft to do a single flypast, is a bit different as the CAA do not have to be asked first unless it will infringe controlled airspace). Seeing that the MoD are a bit slow in rewriting their rule books, the Group HQ's order for everybody to only fly displays when we allow it most likely were to allow a check with the CAA if the request was for an authorised airshow. If it wasn't HQ says NO.
I was there with my mum and dad that day and saw the whole thing. I was a young lad; it shook me up quite a bit.
The last of 24(!) Lightnings to catch fire inflight and crash.
Not quite, Last RAF one to catch fire. There was the last one that did not have a happy ending at all.
Great jet.One of the very best.Glad all was well.Shame about the " predictive text".
Bloody hilarious! :D
At low tide at the Dogger Bank, there's a heap of Lightnings breaking the surface.
You mean RAF Dogger bank.
@@sichere sorry but that is just NOT funny.
@@samrodian919 It is what it is know as by many in the RAF
@@sichere ok fair enough. British gallows humour lol
@@samrodian919 Or RAF Spurn Point was the other term used and I first heard the term on a Cadet Camp at RAF Binbrook in 1982 from Ground Crew who worked on the aircraft.
Super si le Pilot est Sauf ! c'est dommage aussi pour l'avion
Altitude! Altitude! Altitude!
An Australian throwing away one of Her Majestys valuable aircraft ? I hope they sent him the bill ! ( not seriously..just in case somebody takes it seriously You can never tell these days 😉)
15:37 ... shut up!
11 squadron lightning in pictures not a five squadron
Shame he never got clearance to shoot down the empty aircraft, seems a waste to miss the opportunity for a flying target :P
They don't fly armed on training sorties.
sad that so many people expect to see violence and when hit with something educational, dislike and leave
i'd love a copy please Andy also please post up the scrapper pics
Wtf with people putting vids were you can't wind them on! or should I say slide shows.
+1965CAPTKIRK
Back in "the old days" they only recorded the sound, not the video, that is why.
That was awesome, I’m am curious though (and I’d think any angry keyboard experts to reign it in)… the pilot nursed a doomed plane for a long time before ejecting. I’m surprised he get didn’t pull both fire handles just prior, to ensure the plane descended. He was over the sea at the time? The plane flew on for quite some time and fortunately crashed in the sea.
Sucks that a lightning went in.
Why does it say "lightening" in the title screen? Is it getting lighter?
Opps - Lightening (n) a drop in the level of the uterus during the last weeks of pregnancy as the head of the fetus engages in the pelvis.
Frrm RAF Binbrook linconshire
Total professionalism. I bet the Americans would have been a bit more shouty!
fuzzdmedic Gee thanks. Yeah we Americans don't know how to handle in flight emergencies. We just go to pieces. The sobbing and sniveling are unsettling. ;)
fuzzdmedic What a stupid remark.
You have obviously been watching too many Hollywood movies!
Unfortunately sarcasm doesn't carry well in text. I am sure an American pilot would have been just as professional!
fuzzdmedic Yeah it just didn't come through in your comment! :) Cheers from Pelican1984 a sobbing, frozen in place American aviator.
American military are highly professional. I apologise for the silly remark by a fellow Brit
The correct spelling is Lightning, the story concerns one from 5 Squadron that was lost but the pictures show 11 Squadron aircraft. I didn't bother watching any more.
Many Lightning's crashed,killing 14 pilots in the process.
Gloster Meteors killed 500 aircrew.
Да, корыто еще то было....
😢😢😢
Aussie pilot.
Bingo Bingo Bingo 😮Skoshi Fuel ⛽
15:37 15:50
The text does not accurately reflect the communication. It's mostly gibberish.
Soviet Mig-21
BS
This is not a video! Just a collection of pics and a recording of ground control and the pilot!
...and yet, here you are.
No shit Sherlock. What a prick you are.
What a wast of time using a video platform to post an audio and photo's, write a book
It's an audio platform too dumbass.
I guess you need top gun music too to keep you concentrated.
Mmmm I sense a bit of a french accent in you !
W⚓️
Other than the fact that it is just a few pictures shown over and over and over and over and over again, would have been a good video. Couldn't watch the whole thing. Got bored of the same pictures.
+Robert Hill No sound?
Way too much content, this video should have been edited to 18:30-22:44 minutes which still would have covered relative topic
Real life wasn't designed for convenience on youtube. This is exactly how this recording should be presented, in real time with the correct pauses.
Interesting radio commentary but let down by the lack of moving picture.
are you for fucking real dickhead?
No go-pros or mobile phone cameras in those days mate!
🙄
Unbelievable comment
Now go and pick up your crayons and sort them by flavour!
At least show the crash and plane flying, boredom
Found an audio tape - dont have footage?
Idiot sat behind a computer listening to sheer bravery in an audio recording and is 'bored'. Then go away and make a difference.