The English Electric Lightning | Lightning Preservation Group
Two words that accurately describe the English Electric Lightning: outstanding and unique.
Quote from test pilot, Roland Beamont:
“Without any equivocation the Lightning is the finest fighter aeroplane that’s ever been built. When it went out of service in 1988 it still had the performance and manoeuvrability to take on anything in the western world, in the American air force and, perhaps more importantly, anything in the iron curtain inventory.”
Quote from test pilot Jimmy Dell:
“Like going from a mini to a Ferrari, you never tire of it, you always want more.”
Why the Lightning?
No sooner had the Second World War ended in 1945 than we were immediately confronted by the start of the Cold War.
In aeronautical terms the Cold War threat took the form of high altitude Russian bombers carrying nuclear bombs.
English Electric who had originally manufactured aircraft from 1907 to 1930 came back into aviation in 1938 and spent the Second World War producing Handley Page Hampdens and Halifaxes, then between 1944 and 1952 completed 1,370 de Havilland Vampires.
Download the full article (pdf)
Thanks to Jim Maher of the Lightning Preservation Group (LPG) for these great images of the cockpit of the Lightning F.Mk.6, XR728 ‘JS’ based at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire. Thanks Jim
