I have never seen ANY other aircraft make the transition from horizontal to vertical so abruptly as the Lightning. Then to climb at that astronomical rate and yet enjoy remarkable manouverability, it was a phenominal machine.
@@keithdonnellan5564 it had naff all range and naff all weapon load. Almost useless. Unlike the world beating Typhoon built in the EU and with our European partners.
I was stationed at Binbrook for the last four and a half years of my service - April 1969 to December 1973 and to see these great aircraft fly every day was a great pleasure.
@JW-eu7br. I was on detachment at Binbrook at the beginning of my RAF service. I worked in the wheel bay and hydraulic bay. As you say, it was a great pleasure (and a privilege)to watch these amazing aircraft, flown by brilliant pilots. It’s also good to see someone use the word “aircraft” and not “plane” which, of course, is a woodworking tool!
This just made me cry. Oh the memories and feelings and the unofficial air little mini shows the pilots would either coincidentally or deliberately give us over our little primary school in New Waltham near Grimsby in the last few days of the Lightnings at lunches and break times. Coming in fast and low over the houses and then a roar a brief flame and spurt of afterburner before tearing upwards into the sky, not just your rib cage shaking violently but every organ in your body including many you were not even aware that you had vibrating at different frequencies. As a young boy I bloody loved it, some of the younger kids and girls who ran back inside crying, perhaps not so much, but the law of averages kicks in. Oh what I would give for a time machine right now!
I never got that close, but i was an Airfix nut in the 60s/70s my favourite was the Spitfire M1X and the Lightning 111 sqn with the lightning bolts decals. here in Scotland in the 60s anyway, that contrail moving so fast, and so high could only be a Lightning
Convinced these have more agility than modern fighters. Remember a display, slow pass then basically it just flipped vertical, seemed to be motionless over the runway and then just went up at tremenous speed with full power, full reheat ever faster until you could barely see it, a pinprick in the sky in about 40 seconds. Absolutely incredible. Similar to 5:25 on the footage, but a slower lower pass and more powerful climb. Shame HD cameras weren't around then..
I was in the RAF in the 80's and once visited Binbrook for a cross country race. The lightnings were flying and i was awestruck by the power, noise, speed ..amazing.
Hi there, I to worked at Binbrook in the 80's as a civil painter and decorator. By any chance did you know the cleaning lady in Alcatraz Living Quarter?????? I knew her well but forgot her name these days. Think she went on to Huntingdon after Binbrook with her husband. I used to paint the lines on runways and parking of aircraft, the lightening was special.
Why can't the RAF still have one or two still flying? as part of a memorial flight, similar to the BOB Memorial flight. Hey just a thought and a question.
Yes I remember going with my dad at a very early age to watch these babies. He flew them and was at RAF Binbrook, Got me forever fixated on aviation and I became a Tornado pilot. Happy days.Those RR Avon engines were a sound I will never forget.
Christine Lamin - I really love those Tornados! I was in the gulf war 1991, on the battleship Missouri. We were in port at Bahrain and out of no where these two Tornados flew over us quite low. I nearly pissed my breeches!
The Tornado was originally envisaged as the replacement for the Canberra bomber but from design stage it became apparent that it would be able to perform many of the roles needed by the RAF. The P1 Lightnings were very different to the F6 and the Tornado took a lot of the design data from the P7 and TSR. On it's introduction the Tornado was labeled as being a Jack of all trades and not being very good at any of them but as with all newly introduced platforms once they reached squadron they ironed out a lot of the bugs to ensure that it was the master of one - Being the Jack of all trades. Despite it not being as fast as the Lightning or as good at low level as the Buccaneer it was never designed for those purposes but it became a fantastic all weather weapons platform. In the hands of skilled pilots it was flying Truck with sports car performance I witnessed Two Tonkas @ less than 100 ft going supersonic on an simulated bomb run of RAF Odiham - the second pilot was inverted !!!!
Being a boy from Grimbob who grew up practically under Binbrooks flight path, this has brought back great memories. Always an exciting time going to the end of the runway (On a public road), standing on the 5ft fence post and feeling these bad boys screaming over your head. Absolutely fab. Deffo had an influence on my decision to join the RAF when I was 17
If by Grimbob you mean Grimsby then I grew up on Sunk Island opposite side of the riverand remember the lightnings well,and the A10 warthogs practising at Cowden bombing range.you could hear the cannons miles away.
twe enyss yep. Grimsby. The days out at Donna Nook were also a blast. The Lightnings used to use Grimsby dock tower as their waypoint to landing. Met Chris Black (pilot and author) who told me that on occasion- just for the fun of it- they'd buzz the tower.
We lived on a farm on the edge of the humber and my dad drove the combine,to this day he's convinced military jets used to practice target farm stuff on sunk.
I am so glad I was around to watch these magnificent beasts strut there stuff. Spent many many hours travelling between York and Binbrook ('87 to '88) to watch these bab es (The like of which we will NEVER see again AND it was all BRITISH)
Oh yes, I remember seeing the Lightning flying at the West Wycombe airshow, back in the 80's. The noise and speed to a vertical climb to altitude on one afterburner, was awesome to see and totally unforgettable!
I remember watching them at gaydon air displays. The Lightning would come down the runway at zero feet and go into a vertical climb until it disappeared from view, amazing..
@@vannessar32 absolutely the same at Greenham common with the phantom and starfighter. But Lightning tops them all . Its obvious jets are better now but for such a jet from the the 1950s perspective nothing else touched it . Sleek beautiful 50s futuristic design whats not to like .
Me too. It left an indelible mark on me seeing a Lightning go from horizontal to vertical so quickly and then seemingly accelerate vertically with full reheat on. As a teenager, it was the most awesome display of power I had ever seen!
I went to Binbrook in the 70's for an ATC annual camp and was out flying in a Chipmunk parallel to the runway at I guess about a thousand feet when two Lightnings took off together with full reheat below. Awesome planes. A sight I won't forget.
I was there with my father that day. In fact we used to visit Binbrook regularly. The memories that have come flooding back. Boy oh boy. Still the greatest military jet ever built.🙂
Spent my last Air Cadet camp there in 1983 all week was spent with the linies on the flight line. Learning to fix lightning's at the the age of 16 was a fantastic experience
You must have been there about the same time as me. It was a brilliant camp and what an opportunity to get up close to the Lightnings. I was in 1271 Bathgate squadron.
I was at RAF Laarbruch in the late sixties when it was announced that the RAF were to get Phantoms. Spangdahlem sent acouple of F4s to LBH for a "friendly" fly off to show off their prowess. Needless to say the Frightning tore them to shreds and, one occassion, following a F2A/F4 pairs takeoff the F2A was airborne and waiting for the F4 to get off the groumd before he called a guns kill (being a gentleman!). A USAF Colonel (smug git that he was) walked away in disgust muttering to himself. All his illusions about F4 superiority totally shattered. We still ended up with F4s. On a later "friendly" flyoff between RAF and USAF F4s I witnessed the same Colonel (now a Brigadier) walk off muttering again after a 6 nil defeat by the RAF. Oh dear, how sad,never mind!
A fuel critical Beast like the lightning has to taxi two miles before it gets to the runway.then they soak on the runway waiting for clearance to take off doesn't make any sense.ive never seen F15 waiting.i love this aircraft though the best of ( British ) engineering what a beast
The F15 can climb at an initial 67,250 feet per minute from sea level. A few others are also faster than the Lightning. In its day the Lightning was amazing but that day is long past 😔
@@nigeh5326 true, many modern jets have a higher initial rate of climb, however i believe that the lightning still has the record for sustained rate of climb
@@nigeh5326 That's a highly modified F15 and not a fully combat ready operational aircraft with full load - totally different beats. The EEL would get to 30,000 ft from standing in 120 seconds.
During my electronics training , I spent a few weeks at Strand Road, Preston and sat inside a Lightning. The cockpit was very nicely finished off and I learned all the controls. I then went to Salmsbury, Preston where they we made ready to fly over to Warton. I saw them having engine tests and taking off...I was told one tail did hit the ground when it went vertical...I can quite believe it...a fantastic aircraft.
Beautiful and deadly and bloody quick! I was lucky to witness a supersonic flypast (Booommmm!!!) by one of these at Biggin Hill Airshow when I was a child. They will always give me goosebumps!
I saw the last [very tight and low] Diamond 9 formation achieved by Lightnings at Binbrook - it was the last Air Display Day there, the weather was lousy with a very low cloud base - the guy in the tower's comment was, "Eat your hearts out, Red Arrows!" A great, if short on legs, aircraft with ballsy pilots. A former test pilot I knew who had flown many types, including US and Soviet, said it was his favourite aircraft for speed, acceleration, and climb.
When I was a kid my father ex RAF always took me to RAF St Athan every time these did the vertical I had my hands over my ears hoping my innards wouldn't drop out the feeling though frightening at the time was incredible.
The useful parts had likely been stripped already to use on the remaining airworthy aircraft. ..the Lightning was retired the next year and from the early 80's active and reserve aircraft were rotated to eek out the remaining hours on each airframe
People on the vids criticising the Lightening for being 'thirsty' and lack of range and so on, forget it was an INTERSEPTER and needed to climb up to its target as quickly as possible- which it did with alacrity. Range? It wasn't built to cross the Atlantic. It could do what it was designed to do and it could cruise at lower speeds giving it an adequate range for its required missions.
This was a daily scene at RAF Akrotiri in the late 60's early 70's. My father was a Sqd Ldr Doctor at the RAF Hospital and we were lucky to see the Lightning's and many visiting aircraft.
5:10....no computer control or digital trickery to make this break & climb - just a pilot with 2 RR Avons. If you did that today, it would be worthy of a "See what this crazy pilot does next" headline. Granted, it wouldn't know which way an F-35 or Typhoon went but that's less than a minute to get airborne and back in front of the camera
Like many British aircraft, this was a magnificent piece of aeronautical engineering, with amazing performance statistics. but alas, a fuel guzzler with a limited combat radius. Kinda like the Concorde and the A380 if I may add. But, I am proud of the Lightning and love the vertical 'get-aways !!!
Imagine being a liney on them! Bet the pan trash never got to finish a cup of NAAFI instant brown chicory between see off and see in. A fine display of the magnifcent dedication of gentlemen groundcrew.
40 odd years ago i had the fortune to not only get to steer a 4,000 gallon bitumen tanker delivering to binbrook down the runway,but also got to climb aboard a decomissioned lightning,no engines just the airframe.a giant tube with wings, never forget that day nor the lightning.
I miss these birds so much. I have cry almost every day since they retired these gems shame on Art. b. schworst for that bad move.these babies could have protected the empire for another half century by jove !!!
Four streaks of lightnings across the sky with the loudest ear-deafening claps of thunder.." when shall we meet again...in thunder, lightning or in rain".
I went to this show named "The Last Lightning Show" as a 9 year old boy. I remember the sheer gut-wrenching power of the engines as it climbed vertically. What a plane.
all the aircraft in the royal air force were unique, avro lancaster, spitfire, harrier, vulcan and each one built by brains not computers, he who is about to die, i salute u, pax romano
You wont find a video of a lightening not going vertical after takeoff!. 18 tonnes of thrust pull back and your on the fastest elevator on the planet. 😂
I was very lucky being in Air Traffic, i was often out on the runway, waiting for it to clear, so saw these take-offs very often- just another part of my day
A true British Icon , The last all British built interceptor, utterly a magnificent piece of aviation engineering
it won plane of the year in 1961
"The best dont make anymore.
Could still eat a lot of modern aircraft for breakfast in speed and manoeuvrability. What a CLASSIC.
I have never seen ANY other aircraft make the transition from horizontal to vertical so abruptly as the Lightning. Then to climb at that astronomical rate and yet enjoy remarkable manouverability, it was a phenominal machine.
It's British before we joined the EEC (EU) pyramid scheme.
The only other aircraft I've seen that could do something comparable, is the F-22.
@@keithdonnellan5564 Trolololoooo
@@LV_FUD80 yes but the lightning was doing this in the 1950 untill the late 70s
@@keithdonnellan5564 it had naff all range and naff all weapon load. Almost useless.
Unlike the world beating Typhoon built in the EU and with our European partners.
The lightning can climb as high and as fast as any modern fighter. It’s a thing of beauty and it’s British
The days when we had a real Air Force.
I was stationed at Binbrook for the last four and a half years of my service - April 1969 to December 1973 and to see these great aircraft fly every day was a great pleasure.
@JW-eu7br. I was on detachment at Binbrook at the beginning of my RAF service. I worked in the wheel bay and hydraulic bay. As you say, it was a great pleasure (and a privilege)to watch these amazing aircraft, flown by brilliant pilots. It’s also good to see someone use the word “aircraft” and not “plane” which, of course, is a woodworking tool!
7 Russian 'Bear' pilots disliked this video.
and 14 yanks playing warthunder that think a phantom was faster!
This just made me cry. Oh the memories and feelings and the unofficial air little mini shows the pilots would either coincidentally or deliberately give us over our little primary school in New Waltham near Grimsby in the last few days of the Lightnings at lunches and break times. Coming in fast and low over the houses and then a roar a brief flame and spurt of afterburner before tearing upwards into the sky, not just your rib cage shaking violently but every organ in your body including many you were not even aware that you had vibrating at different frequencies. As a young boy I bloody loved it, some of the younger kids and girls who ran back inside crying, perhaps not so much, but the law of averages kicks in. Oh what I would give for a time machine right now!
I never got that close, but i was an Airfix nut in the 60s/70s my favourite was the Spitfire M1X and the Lightning 111 sqn with the lightning bolts decals. here in Scotland in the 60s anyway, that contrail moving so fast, and so high could only be a Lightning
Convinced these have more agility than modern fighters.
Remember a display, slow pass then basically it just flipped vertical, seemed to be motionless over the runway and then just went up at tremenous speed with full power, full reheat ever faster until you could barely see it, a pinprick in the sky in about 40 seconds.
Absolutely incredible.
Similar to 5:25 on the footage, but a slower lower pass and more powerful climb.
Shame HD cameras weren't around then..
Was at Binbrook 72 to 77 watched one of these bad boys scream across the runway then vertical clime gone in seconds awesome power
Worked on repairing the undercarriage to these bad boys.
They can’t sustain the high alphas of some modern fighters, they really can’t. Also, the lightning had diabolical range and weapon capability.
@@peteconrad2077 yeah maybe.. it was a LONG time ago, but for a really ugly plane it was tremendous.
Excellent. I spent some of the happiest days of my life up at Binbrook watching these. So sadly missed.
Poor guys sitting there watching their fuel gauges plummet
120 Litres.....per min at low level. Thirsty............imagine seeing none of these in 1966! Fantastic
I was in the RAF in the 80's and once visited Binbrook for a cross country race. The lightnings were flying and i was awestruck by the power, noise, speed ..amazing.
Hi there, I to worked at Binbrook in the 80's as a civil painter and decorator. By any chance did you know the cleaning lady in Alcatraz Living Quarter?????? I knew her well but forgot her name these days. Think she went on to Huntingdon after Binbrook with her husband. I used to paint the lines on runways and parking of aircraft, the lightening was special.
Wowwwwww absolutely wonderful footage with gorgeous sound!, I SO wish we could have these still flying today! ❤️❤️❤️
sezziek1 completely agree. My heart hurts a little bit knowing we’ll never get a chance to see something like this again. Sad
Yes those certainly were the glory days of airshows for sure with the Lightning flying, forever missed, a great iconic RAF British interceptor.
They're beautiful but the w were bloody out of date by this stage of the game. Would you ou really have wanted to face a mig 29 in a lightning
Why can't the RAF still have one or two still flying? as part of a memorial flight, similar to the BOB Memorial flight. Hey just a thought and a question.
Yes I remember going with my dad at a very early age to watch these babies. He flew them and was at RAF Binbrook, Got me forever fixated on aviation and I became a Tornado pilot. Happy days.Those RR Avon engines were a sound I will never forget.
Yes neither will I, happy days indeed.
Christine Lamin - I really love those Tornados! I was in the gulf war 1991, on the battleship Missouri. We were in port at Bahrain and out of no where these two Tornados flew over us quite low. I nearly pissed my breeches!
Those jets áre unforgetible!
The Tornado was originally envisaged as the replacement for the Canberra bomber but from design stage it became apparent that it would be able to perform many of the roles needed by the RAF. The P1 Lightnings were very different to the F6 and the Tornado took a lot of the design data from the P7 and TSR. On it's introduction the Tornado was labeled as being a Jack of all trades and not being very good at any of them but as with all newly introduced platforms once they reached squadron they ironed out a lot of the bugs to ensure that it was the master of one - Being the Jack of all trades. Despite it not being as fast as the Lightning or as good at low level as the Buccaneer it was never designed for those purposes but it became a fantastic all weather weapons platform. In the hands of skilled pilots it was flying Truck with sports car performance I witnessed Two Tonkas @ less than 100 ft going supersonic on an simulated bomb run of RAF Odiham - the second pilot was inverted !!!!
Wonderful bit of kit 👍
EE Lightning’s and the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds ❤️
Being a boy from Grimbob who grew up practically under Binbrooks flight path, this has brought back great memories. Always an exciting time going to the end of the runway (On a public road), standing on the 5ft fence post and feeling these bad boys screaming over your head. Absolutely fab. Deffo had an influence on my decision to join the RAF when I was 17
If by Grimbob you mean Grimsby then I grew up on Sunk Island opposite side of the riverand remember the lightnings well,and the A10 warthogs practising at Cowden bombing range.you could hear the cannons miles away.
twe enyss yep. Grimsby. The days out at Donna Nook were also a blast. The Lightnings used to use Grimsby dock tower as their waypoint to landing. Met Chris Black (pilot and author) who told me that on occasion- just for the fun of it- they'd buzz the tower.
We lived on a farm on the edge of the humber and my dad drove the combine,to this day he's convinced military jets used to practice target farm stuff on sunk.
I am so glad I was around to watch these magnificent beasts strut there stuff. Spent many many hours travelling between York and Binbrook ('87 to '88) to watch these bab
es (The like of which we will NEVER see again AND it was all BRITISH)
Days gone by when the thought of ‘training costs’ wasn’t even considered.
Oh yes, I remember seeing the Lightning flying at the West Wycombe airshow, back in the 80's. The noise and speed to a vertical climb to altitude on one afterburner, was awesome to see and totally unforgettable!
5:10 That was how I remember Lightning take off at airshows as a child. Absolutely awesome flyovers of the crowd line
I remember watching them at gaydon air displays. The Lightning would come down the runway at zero feet and go into a vertical climb until it disappeared from view, amazing..
@@vannessar32 absolutely the same at Greenham common with the phantom and starfighter. But Lightning tops them all . Its obvious jets are better now but for such a jet from the the 1950s perspective nothing else touched it . Sleek beautiful 50s futuristic design whats not to like .
Me too. It left an indelible mark on me seeing a Lightning go from horizontal to vertical so quickly and then seemingly accelerate vertically with full reheat on. As a teenager, it was the most awesome display of power I had ever seen!
5:28 That transition must reposition every organ in your body.
I went to Binbrook in the 70's for an ATC annual camp and was out flying in a Chipmunk parallel to the runway at I guess about a thousand feet when two Lightnings took off together with full reheat below. Awesome planes. A sight I won't forget.
I was there with my father that day. In fact we used to visit Binbrook regularly. The memories that have come flooding back. Boy oh boy. Still the greatest military jet ever built.🙂
5:15 !!!! wow
Spent my last Air Cadet camp there in 1983 all week was spent with the linies on the flight line. Learning to fix lightning's at the the age of 16 was a fantastic experience
You must have been there about the same time as me. It was a brilliant camp and what an opportunity to get up close to the Lightnings. I was in 1271 Bathgate squadron.
@@ozzy8286 272 sqdn wisbech
@@markbailey3508 Happy days!
this brought back some great memories,my dad was based st binbook and had married quarters with my mam. These pictures brings it all back ,thanks
Some of my best memories from Binbrook 82-84. There is something magical about the Lightnings.
The best of British
This was REAL POWER I believe the only jet of its time to achieve this kind of vertical speed " amazing "
I was at RAF Laarbruch in the late sixties when it was announced that the RAF were to get Phantoms. Spangdahlem sent acouple of F4s to LBH for a "friendly" fly off to show off their prowess. Needless to say the Frightning tore them to shreds and, one occassion, following a F2A/F4 pairs takeoff the F2A was airborne and waiting for the F4 to get off the groumd before he called a guns kill (being a gentleman!). A USAF Colonel (smug git that he was) walked away in disgust muttering to himself. All his illusions about F4 superiority totally shattered. We still ended up with F4s. On a later "friendly" flyoff between RAF and USAF F4s I witnessed the same Colonel (now a Brigadier) walk off muttering again after a 6 nil defeat by the RAF. Oh dear, how sad,never mind!
That snap transition is pretty spectacular. Pulling some G there I imagine.
1 x Twin Rocket
1x cockpit & a mad pilot
2x wings strapped on
The Lightning lol.....AWESOME
As has been said:- “..I was with it all the way. Until brakes off..”
They’re 11Sqn Lightnings, they fly Typhoons from Coningsby now
Whoops just read it back, it should of course be 'interceptor' ..my bad for relying on spellchecker and not proof reading before pressing 'transmit'
And the Lightening was doing this in 1960! So much for the Eurofighter?
Reminds me of when the RAAF retired our F111s Mothballed airframes used for parts sitting there
A fuel critical Beast like the lightning has to taxi two miles before it gets to the runway.then they soak on the runway waiting for clearance to take off doesn't make any sense.ive never seen F15 waiting.i love this aircraft though the best of ( British ) engineering what a beast
Not bad for an aircraft with its design roots in the 1940s.
I think the Lightning still holds the record for the greatest rate of climb. A true rocketship.
No
What does then?
The F15 can climb at an initial 67,250 feet per minute from sea level. A few others are also faster than the Lightning. In its day the Lightning was amazing but that day is long past 😔
@@nigeh5326 true, many modern jets have a higher initial rate of climb, however i believe that the lightning still has the record for sustained rate of climb
@@nigeh5326 That's a highly modified F15 and not a fully combat ready operational aircraft with full load - totally different beats. The EEL would get to 30,000 ft from standing in 120 seconds.
During my electronics training , I spent a few weeks at Strand Road, Preston and sat inside a Lightning. The cockpit was very nicely finished off and I learned all the controls. I then went to Salmsbury, Preston where they we made ready to fly over to Warton. I saw them having engine tests and taking off...I was told one tail did hit the ground when it went vertical...I can quite believe it...a fantastic aircraft.
These monsters still make my chest flutter every time I see one. There has been nothing like them before or since. Yanks eat your heart out!
Beautiful and deadly and bloody quick! I was lucky to witness a supersonic flypast (Booommmm!!!) by one of these at Biggin Hill Airshow when I was a child. They will always give me goosebumps!
Must have been an emotional time. The end of Binbrook and rhe might Lightning
i think it was about 1963 when i was 6 that i got to sit in a ENGLISH Electric Lightning at an air show..
In those days the Russians were scared, 2022, we've let our guard down
They operated from Singapore in the sixties and seventies ,who and what were they going to intercept there ?
This is a real jet that was a joy to see when we had areal Air Force
It was a one man rocket with wings I remember it as a kid going over similar to the vulcan
I love em.. Very special.. Used to be the absolute highlight of the air display at Greenham.. Wait ALL day for the big beast to do its display..
I bet she’d give a few modern birds a run for their money.
I was there right at the end on ASF, wonder what C/T Chris Story is doing now ?
I saw the last [very tight and low] Diamond 9 formation achieved by Lightnings at Binbrook - it was the last Air Display Day there, the weather was lousy with a very low cloud base - the guy in the tower's comment was, "Eat your hearts out, Red Arrows!" A great, if short on legs, aircraft with ballsy pilots. A former test pilot I knew who had flown many types, including US and Soviet, said it was his favourite aircraft for speed, acceleration, and climb.
iworked on the lightning above wing fitter
Fabulous!
Binbrook is no longer though
When I was a kid my father ex RAF always took me to RAF St Athan every time these did the vertical I had my hands over my ears hoping my innards wouldn't drop out the feeling though frightening at the time was incredible.
No wonder they had short range, they were yonks on the runway.
Back in the days when we had an air force, which I served in from 83 to 99..... not the standing joke that we've become now.
Time to get going, we were the best, we are the best
Missed the steep ascent - rubbish video
When this country had some teeth!
Holy climb rate batman
Fly- bys are real good!
Where can I rent one😊
Great bit of footage. Thanks for posting!
The Lightning’s had ridiculous performance
Wow....High Alpha angle of attack has increased massively.....
Those aircraft sitting on the tarmac in the foreground look like they're being stripped of parts.
The useful parts had likely been stripped already to use on the remaining airworthy aircraft. ..the Lightning was retired the next year and from the early 80's active and reserve aircraft were rotated to eek out the remaining hours on each airframe
Gear up. Bingo fuel.
I just remember them flying up and down the coast past Mablethorpe and Skegness. Happy days.
bodie of ci5 - Not forgetting the AA Bloodhound 2s pointed seawards at RAF North Coats
Lovely plane brings back memories sitting in that plane was awesome
Nothing is gonna beat one of these badboys in a dragrace to the clouds
Typhoon 😉
Love this beast, so sad never got to see one fly 😭😭😭😭
Altitude, Speed, Maneuver, Fire - Pokryshkin formula. This plane fulfilled at least two: altitude and speed. It could out climb anything
But, did it ever shoot anything down?
@@clintfalk it didn't have to, it was ready if it was needed.
"Truely epic till this day.
People on the vids criticising the Lightening for being 'thirsty' and lack of range and so on, forget it was an INTERSEPTER and needed to climb up to its target as quickly as possible- which it did with alacrity. Range? It wasn't built to cross the Atlantic. It could do what it was designed to do and it could cruise at lower speeds giving it an adequate range for its required missions.
This was a daily scene at RAF Akrotiri in the late 60's early 70's.
My father was a Sqd Ldr Doctor at the RAF Hospital and we were lucky to see the Lightning's and many visiting aircraft.
5:10....no computer control or digital trickery to make this break & climb - just a pilot with 2 RR Avons. If you did that today, it would be worthy of a "See what this crazy pilot does next" headline. Granted, it wouldn't know which way an F-35 or Typhoon went but that's less than a minute to get airborne and back in front of the camera
Like many British aircraft, this was a magnificent piece of aeronautical engineering, with amazing performance statistics. but alas, a fuel guzzler with a limited combat radius. Kinda like the Concorde and the A380 if I may add. But, I am proud of the Lightning and love the vertical 'get-aways !!!
Imagine being a liney on them! Bet the pan trash never got to finish a cup of NAAFI instant brown chicory between see off and see in.
A fine display of the magnifcent dedication of gentlemen groundcrew.
40 odd years ago i had the fortune to not only get to steer a 4,000 gallon bitumen tanker delivering to binbrook down the runway,but also got to climb aboard a decomissioned lightning,no engines just the airframe.a giant tube with wings, never forget that day nor the lightning.
I miss these birds so much. I have cry almost every day since they retired these gems shame on Art. b. schworst for that bad move.these babies could have protected the empire for another half century by jove !!!
I can just about remember seeing them at Binbrook, when I was growing up, Me and my brother would sit and watch this in the seventies! Happy Days!!
Four streaks of lightnings across the sky with the loudest ear-deafening claps of thunder.." when shall we meet again...in thunder, lightning or in rain".
I went to this show named "The Last Lightning Show" as a 9 year old boy. I remember the sheer gut-wrenching power of the engines as it climbed vertically. What a plane.
Absolutely tipped it downed all day but still flew the diamond 9 and 2 solo F3 displays!
@@mandh14 - Yes, I was there as well - regarding the Diamond 9, I recall the guy in the control tower commenting "Eat your hearts out Red Arrows!"
That was a busy day !!! - end of their time so they just kept using-up the airframe hours.
Best from NZ.
Fantastic footage - just 'found' this now.
Pity it wasn't HD, but the content is superb.
Thanks for sharing.
Al.
Vertical climb, the F15s did well but after a few years had to be modified because front section broke off!!!
Truly 'a master-piece' in the history of aviations. 'Catch me if you can'...lead you horizontally with a sudden vertical 'up-thrust'.
When Britain made something.these days they wouldn't have a clue now.
Takes off ---hits the target ---lands---have a nice cuppa tea ---all over with in eleven minutes---still, never been bettered
all the aircraft in the royal air force were unique, avro lancaster, spitfire, harrier, vulcan and each one built by brains not computers, he who is about to die, i salute u, pax romano
The way these Lightnings accelerate down the runway is insane. I don't think any other jet can match it in power to weigh.
Thrust to weight ratios...
1.30 - Su-35BM
1.29 - F-15K
1.26 - Su-27S
1.25 - Eurofighter
1.24 - Mig-35
1.23 - Su-27SK & J-11A
1.19 - Rafale C
1.19 - Mig-29M/M2
1.19 - F-15C
1.18 - F-22 (T/W = 1.37 with Round nozzles)
1.16 - Su-30MKK
1.15 - F/A-18E/F
1.15 - Mig-29B (9-12)
1.14 - Su-30MKI
1.13 - Rafale M
1.13 - Mig-29 (9-13), S, SD, SE & SM
1.10 - Mig-29 BM & SMT (T/W = 1.15 during Emergency Thrust*)
1.09 - F-16E Block 60
1.09 - Mig-29K
1.09 - F-18C
1.09 - J-8III(or J-8C)
1.08 - F-35A
1.08 - F-14 B & D
1.06 - F-16C Block 52 (Block 50: T/W = 1.055)
1.05 - J-8IIm
1.04 - AV-8B+ Harrier II
1.03 - F-2A (F-2B: 1.02)
1.03 - JH-7
1.02 - F-16A Block 10
1.01 - J-8II & J-8IIb & J-8IId
1.00 - F-35B
1.00 - Harrier GR7A
0.99 - Su-34 & Su-32FN & Su-27IB
0.99 - Sea Harrier FA2 & FRS51
0.99 - F-16A Block 20
0.98 - J-10A
0.97 - Su-15T
0.95 - MiG-23 P, ML, MLA & MLD
0.94 - F-35C
0.94 - Gripen NG
0.94 - F-4E
0.94 - J-8
0.93 - Mirage 2000-5
0.93 - Su-15TM
0.93 - F-101B
0.92 - Harrier GR7
0.92 - E E Lightning F6
0.91 - F-16C Block 25
0.91 - Yak-28 I & P
0.91 - F-111F
0.91 - Su-24
0.90 - Su-15
0.88 - Mirage-2000 C & H
0.87 - LCA
0.87 - F-14A
0.87 - Mig-23 MF & MS
0.87 - Su-24 M, MK & M2
0.86 - ****-1
0.86 - Su-9
0.84 - Su-11
0.84 - Su-17M
0.83 - Tornado F3 Air Defence Variant
0.83 - Tornado GR1
0.83 - Su-20
0.82 - JF-17 (T/W = 0.86 during Emergency Thrust*)
0.82 - Su-22
0.81 - Gripen A
0.81 - Su-7B
0.81 - F-20
0.80 - Gripen C
0.80 - Mig-27K
0.80 - Su-7BM
0.79 - Mig-21 Bis (T/W = 1.11 in Emergency Thrust mode**)
0.79 - JA-37 Viggen
0.79 - Mig-27
0.79 - Su-17M2
0.78 - Mig-23BN
0.78 - Su-7 BKL & BMK
0.78 - Javelin FAW MK9
0.77 - Mig-23S
0.77 - J-7IIIa
0.76 - Mig-27 D & ML
0.76 - Mig-23M(E)
0.76 - F-106A
0.76 - F-7MG & F-7BG & F-7PG & J-7E & J-7G (WP-7N: T/W = 0.69)
0.76 - Q-5D
0.75 - Kfir C.7
0.75 - Kfir C.2
0.75 - AJ-37 Viggen
0.75 - J-7III
0.74 - Mig-21SM
0.73 - Su-17
0.73 - Mig-21MF
0.73 - Su-17M3
0.73 - Mig-19S*** (MTOW T/W = 0.86)
0.72 - Yak-27K
0.72 - Su-17M4
0.72 - F-104G
0.71 - Mig-19P*** (MTOW T/W = 0.84)
0.71 - Mig-21PF
0.71 - Supermarine Scimitar F.1
0.71 - Cheetah C
0.70 - Mig-21M
0.70 - Su-25SM
0.69 - Jaguar GR1
0.69 - J-35F Draken
0.69 - Mig-21F
0.69 - Mig-21 F-13
0.69 - J-7II
0.69 - Su-25 or Su-25T
0.68 - F-105F/G
0.68 - Mirage 50
0.68 - F-7M(or F-7MP or F-7MB) & F-7P
0.67 - F-1
0.67 - F4D-1/F-6 Skyray
0.66 - Mirage F-1
0.66 - F-8P
0.64 - F-102A
0.63 - Sea Vixen FAW.2
0.63 - Su-25TM or Su-39
0.62 - Yak-27
0.61 - Yak-38M (TWR during STOVL/VTOL takeoff: 1.20)
0.61 - Mirage-5A
0.61 - J-32B Lansen
0.60 - A-4S1
0.59 - Mirage-III E & D
0.58 - Yak-38 (T/W during STOVL/VTOL takeoff: 1.16)
0.58 - IAI Nesher
0.58 - F-5E Tiger-II
0.56 - F-100D
0.56 - A-6E
0.55 - A-7E
0.51 - Super Étendard
0.50 - F3H-2 Demon
0.49 - A-10A
0.49 - F-11A
0.49 - AMX
0.47 - Étendard-IV M
0.46 - F-89D
0.46 - Super Mystère B.2
0.46 - Hunter F 6
0.45 - Marut Mk.1
0.43 - Yak-25
0.43 - F-94C/F-97A
0.43 - F9F-8/F-9J Cougar
0.41 - A-37B
0.37 - Mystère IVA
0.37 - FJ-4 Fury
0.36 - F7U-3M
0.34 - F-84F
0.33 - J-29F Tunnan
0.33 - P-80C
0.32 - Supermarine Attacker F.1
0.31 - F2H-3 Banshee
0.30 - Ouragan M.D.450B
0.30 - F3D-2 Sky Night
0.29 - Venom FB.1
0.29 - F-84G
Pure Interceptors
1.30 - Mig-31M
1.30 - Mig-31BM
1.28 - Mig-31B
1.27 - Mig-31FE
1.27 - Mig-31E
1.22 - Mig-31
1.21 - Mig-25M
1.00 - Mig-25 P & PD
0.93 - Mig-25BM
0.74 - Tu-128
@@All_Noing Maybe but watch this
ua-cam.com/video/8DdUwIhI-ZA/v-deo.html
These figures may be correct but it doesn't reflect reality
@@All_Noing That's the TWR of early F6 EEL's with the Avon 301 engines - By the 1970's they had Avon 302r's that produced over 25% more thrust.
You wont find a video of a lightening not going vertical after takeoff!. 18 tonnes of thrust pull back and your on the fastest elevator on the planet. 😂
Spent many a weekend at crash gate 3. My dad was an engineer for 11 (Mucky Ducks) Squadron
Yes a beautiful piece of British engineering. Shame we sold them all to the Egyptian airforce
You probably can't believe that this jet is about the same length and weight( taller and wider) as a juggernaut!
I was very lucky being in Air Traffic, i was often out on the runway, waiting for it to clear, so saw these take-offs very often- just another part of my day
Just to add, it's just as well the Lightning was only using one afterburner, because it was very near to the speed of sound lol!