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The Staff of SOH
centuryseries
SOH-CM-2023
Yes and 'that' Lightning is now at Duxford on display I believe! 
michael davies
Charter Member 2012
Better yet he did a whole follow on program about that one flight alone, showed training and actually flight, essential footage of cockpits for budding U2 builders, highly recommened if you like that sort of thing.
Best
Michael
Best
Michael
Hi Folks
I'd stopped watching the box 5 years ago.
ATB
Paul
Oooo... any links ?
I'd stopped watching the box 5 years ago.
ATB
Paul
wilycoyote4
Charter Member
http://www.patricksaviation.com/videos/perabrown/4264/
James training and some scenes from flight.
http://www.patricksaviation.com/videos/perabrown/4253/
James' flight in the U-2 trainer.
You can download from the site----see button under the screen---at about 43MB each. You must convert the file or play it with its proper player.
Hope this helps.
James training and some scenes from flight.
http://www.patricksaviation.com/videos/perabrown/4253/
James' flight in the U-2 trainer.
You can download from the site----see button under the screen---at about 43MB each. You must convert the file or play it with its proper player.
Hope this helps.
T
tigisfat
Guest
There are so many accounts here, and half of them have been disproven or challenged by yet more accounts. Who's to know what's true at this point? What's the secret to this aircraft's alleged incredible performance? What is so different about it? In terms of jet design, it looks rather primitive. Would someone who really knows please educate me as to it's real performance figures? They aren't secret anymore.
michael davies
Charter Member 2012
Well I had it saved on SkyHD but someone in the household thought Timmytime and Waybaloo would be a better usage of storage space !, so I cant tell any more, just that it was a program all about James May and what they had to do to get a flight in the U-2, let me get some sleep after nights and then dig around the web to see if I can see it anywhere, as I want a copy of it myself.
Best
Michael
Addendum, here you go http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/2009/wk25/unplaced.shtml#unplaced_moonseason3 not sure how to get a good DVD copy yet but it seems both, or at least the one you quoted, appear on you Tube in some guise.
Best
Michael
Addendum, here you go http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/2009/wk25/unplaced.shtml#unplaced_moonseason3 not sure how to get a good DVD copy yet but it seems both, or at least the one you quoted, appear on you Tube in some guise.
Hi Folks
Oooo... any links ?
I'd stopped watching the box 5 years ago.
ATB
Paul
michael davies
Charter Member 2012
I think its 'real' performance is still classified.
There is a local yarn around these (Suffolk) parts about a Wattisham Lightning.
For several months UFOs had been spotted near the East coast of Suffolk and RAF Bentwaters / Woodbridge, being as Wattisham was tasked with aerial defense they were often scrambled, but the standard approach left them either too slow or too low to make and effective intercept.
Some bright wag thought it might be good to head West for a few miles, about 20 the fable goes, and then turn 180, accelerate to max speed at low level and then zoom climb to intercept the UFO over the Suffolk coast.
Said tactic was duly applied and again no UFO intercept was achieved, however, about a mile each side of the high speed pass for much of the length of Suffolk had numerous broken windows due to the Lightning Mach 2 high speed run.
It is said this was never repeated and the idea quietly shelved
.
THe lightnings performance is sheer grunt, its power over mass, the piggy back engine layout produced a very clean and small fuselage, the nearest chronlogical equivalent would be the Phantom but the side by side engine layout presents quite a large frontal surface area and the Phantom is operationally much heavier, over 20,000lbs if fully loaded, both are close in empty weight and wet thrust and even top speed, but the Lightning gets there much quicker, especially the earlier F1 which is lighter yet.
What the Lightning never had though was endurance, it was said that in full AB zoom climb, the fuel went down as fast as the altimeter went up.
Some of the passion is obviously national chest thumping, like the Spitfire, Lancaster, Concorde, etc, back in the days when we had an industry to be proud of, but some was technical advantage and engineering skill.
Best
Michael
There is a local yarn around these (Suffolk) parts about a Wattisham Lightning.
For several months UFOs had been spotted near the East coast of Suffolk and RAF Bentwaters / Woodbridge, being as Wattisham was tasked with aerial defense they were often scrambled, but the standard approach left them either too slow or too low to make and effective intercept.
Some bright wag thought it might be good to head West for a few miles, about 20 the fable goes, and then turn 180, accelerate to max speed at low level and then zoom climb to intercept the UFO over the Suffolk coast.
Said tactic was duly applied and again no UFO intercept was achieved, however, about a mile each side of the high speed pass for much of the length of Suffolk had numerous broken windows due to the Lightning Mach 2 high speed run.
It is said this was never repeated and the idea quietly shelved
.THe lightnings performance is sheer grunt, its power over mass, the piggy back engine layout produced a very clean and small fuselage, the nearest chronlogical equivalent would be the Phantom but the side by side engine layout presents quite a large frontal surface area and the Phantom is operationally much heavier, over 20,000lbs if fully loaded, both are close in empty weight and wet thrust and even top speed, but the Lightning gets there much quicker, especially the earlier F1 which is lighter yet.
What the Lightning never had though was endurance, it was said that in full AB zoom climb, the fuel went down as fast as the altimeter went up.
Some of the passion is obviously national chest thumping, like the Spitfire, Lancaster, Concorde, etc, back in the days when we had an industry to be proud of, but some was technical advantage and engineering skill.
Best
Michael
The engineer officers flight, at least, is a proven. As for the "bounces" on the U2 - all I can say is that I have seen the gun cam photos. Unfortunately both the tower (where I saw the photos) and the U2 no longer exist. But that's for RAF Akrotiri personnel to know. As for the Lightnings - one or two are probably still being kept reasonably close to restorable I would guess.
As for the Urban legends that surround it... Here's another. You all know that aluminium "speed tape" that us techs love to use for a spot of BDR (Battle Damage Repair). Well that was tested on lightnings and didn't come off, no matter how fast it flew. Good stuff, that speed tape
And then there was the famous TV demonstration presented by Raymond Baxter (of Tomorrow's World fame). I think it was a Farnborough report and they dispatched a Lightning to take a photo of somewhere (Amsterdam?). The photo was presented live on TV eight flight minutes or so and a few darkroom minutes later.
Perhaps the Lightnig data is no longer classified, who knows. I'd go so far as to say that no one ever found out really. It wasn't called "Frightning" for nothing. With a name like that I'd even go so far as to say that the Empire Test Pilot School people christened it...
But if they did...
I am sure we'd just love to be amazed here
As for the Urban legends that surround it... Here's another. You all know that aluminium "speed tape" that us techs love to use for a spot of BDR (Battle Damage Repair). Well that was tested on lightnings and didn't come off, no matter how fast it flew. Good stuff, that speed tape
And then there was the famous TV demonstration presented by Raymond Baxter (of Tomorrow's World fame). I think it was a Farnborough report and they dispatched a Lightning to take a photo of somewhere (Amsterdam?). The photo was presented live on TV eight flight minutes or so and a few darkroom minutes later.
Perhaps the Lightnig data is no longer classified, who knows. I'd go so far as to say that no one ever found out really. It wasn't called "Frightning" for nothing. With a name like that I'd even go so far as to say that the Empire Test Pilot School people christened it...
But if they did...
I am sure we'd just love to be amazed here
there was one still flying in south africa as of a couple years ago, dont know if its still flying or not?
Quixoticish
Charter Member
There are four flying in South Africa, two T.5's and two F.6's if memory serves, along with a trio of Buccaneers, seven Hunters and a Strikemaster.
michael davies
Charter Member 2012
Ooops, sorry half asleep this morning LOL, thanks for the link, much appreciated.
Kindest
Michael
Kindest
Michael
As far as 'ballistic' altitude performance of the Lightning, I'm inclined to believe it. I talked to an old F106 driver years ago who claimed similar performance - as Pete stated above, you could climb in AB to a certain altitude, accelerate, and zoom climb to 90000 ft. I can't imagine it could sustain level, controllable performance at anything above the 50s though.
kilo delta
Charter Member 2015
ThunderCity in South Africa have received virtually every useful Lightning spare part in order to keep their fleet flying. They offer supersonic passenger flights to those that can afford the luxury. Sadly, it appears that a Lightning will never again fly in the UK.
centuryseries
SOH-CM-2023
Hey Michael, you can get the U2 stuff you mention at Amazon for £7 - its the dvd special feature. :ernae:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/James-May-M...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1250371618&sr=1-1
centuryseries
SOH-CM-2023
It may look primitive, but it's thrust to weight ratio was rather impressive hence the zoom climbs.
michael davies
Charter Member 2012
Excellent, will get them shortly, BTW hows that project of yours coming along, the one thats topical to this thread ? , I nearly had a moment of weakness and started one myself when this thread appeared LOL, but I must remain strong and resist the urge to add yet another project to the great unfinished pile that already exists LOL.
Kindest
Michael
, I nearly had a moment of weakness and started one myself when this thread appeared LOL, but I must remain strong and resist the urge to add yet another project to the great unfinished pile that already exists LOL.Kindest
Michael
D
dhazelgrove
Guest
The guys at Bruntingthorpe might choose to disagree with you there, but you're probably right.
The Lightning had a relatively small frontal area, it's true, but the trade-off was massive vertical slab sides. Take a look at the main undercarriage. Notice how thin the tyres are? Now - imagine trying to land in a 30-knot crosswind in the dark while it's raining..... :isadizzy:
RAF flying clothing is that colour for a reason.
Dave