Lightning XP745

[Keep it stiff]

There are plans to put this airframe on display.

http://www.aviation-picture-hangar.co.uk/xp745.htm...

It has been in storage for quite a few years, previously it was the gate guardian at RAF Boulmer. It would be good to know more history. Google searches list it as having been in J56 Sqdn and H29 Sqdn. I'm looking for any information on where it would have been based, operations it may have been deployed on and any other relevant history. If there are any sites you can point me in the direction of or indeed if there is any first hand knowledge it would be much appreciated.

[keo]

Sorry I can't help, but i love the Lightning

[aeropilot]

Keep it stiff said:

I'm looking for any information on where it would have been based, operations it may have been deployed on and any other relevant history. If there are any sites you can point me in the direction of or indeed if there is any first hand knowledge it would be much appreciated.

First flown 18.3.64 by Dizzy deVillers
To 56 Sqn on 20.5.65 coded ‘J’.
Cat 3 damage 24.6.66 retured to 56 Sqn 31.10.66.
Went with 56 Sqn to RAF Akrotiri .
To 60 MU for major service 16.9.69.
To 29 Sqn Wattisham coded ‘H’ 15.4.70.
Cat 3 again, fire damge during engine start 4.6.71..
Returned 29 Sqn 7.3.72.
Cat 3 yet again, returned to 29 Sqn 17.10.73.
To Wattisham store 1.1.75 with disbandment of Wattisham Lighnings units.
On display RAF Boulmer 13.12.76.

[Keep it stiff]

aeropilot said:

First flown 18.3.64 by Dizzy deVillers
To 56 Sqn on 20.5.65 coded ‘J’.
Cat 3 damage 24.6.66 retured to 56 Sqn 31.10.66.
Went with 56 Sqn to RAF Akrotiri .
To 60 MU for major service 16.9.69.
To 29 Sqn Wattisham coded ‘H’ 15.4.70.
Cat 3 again, fire damge during engine start 4.6.71..
Returned 29 Sqn 7.3.72.
Cat 3 yet again, returned to 29 Sqn 17.10.73.
To Wattisham store 1.1.75 with disbandment of Wattisham Lighnings units.
On display RAF Boulmer 13.12.76.

Fantastic, thanks.

[aeropilot]

Meant to add, what plans to put it on display..??

Last I knew was it was still owned by Vanguards in Greenford (I had a personal viewing of it there in storage some 20+ years ago, not long after they obtained it)
They had originally intended to crane it up onto the roof, as they do with the Hunter they also own, but even without engines etc., the Lightning was too heavy. The enxt plan was to display next in the grounds of the Pub which had had it's name changed from the Nuffield Arms to The Lightning, but these plans never came to fruition either, and a few years ago, the pub was demolished.
The nose section was restored some time back and Vanguards used to tow that around trade shows etc.

[sanf]

My Dad was on 29sqn From August 1970-Sept 1972. Going through his log book (quickly), he flew XP745 on many occasions. Some dates he flew it:

August 18th 1970 - 1st time he flew it - Duty = S3D + Vis
May 11th 1971 - Last trip in it before fire noted fire - Duty = 1v1
May 30th 1972 - 1st trip after return to sqn noted above - Duty = W4E
August 15th 1972 - Last trip in XP745 - Duty = W10E

There are a lot of other trips listed - so if you're after any particular dates let me know and I'll have a look.

My dad went to 2(T) sqn from late 72-early 74, then off to Valley - where unfortunately he was killed flying the Gnat, shame having done 2 Lightning tours!!

There is a very good book - English Electric Lightning - Martin W Bowman published by Crowood Aviation Series that has many photo's and history's of each Lighting. Good luck pulling you info together.

[Keep it stiff]

It is still owned by Vanguard and there are plans to suspend it in an atrium as a feature for a new building.

[aeropilot]

This is probably one of the last photos taken of it in the air, prior to the disbandment 29 Sqn in late 74. Taken in Aug 74.

[Halmyre]

Every time I see a Lightning with gear down I think, "wow, those are some skinny wheels". My shirt buttons have a wider profile. I wonder if it encouraged the pilots towards landing as gently as possible?

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

No.

The Lightning came over the fence at around 185 Kts. The landing technique was to put it down 'firmly' to assist in killing the energy.

IIRC you got around 5-7 landings out of a set of tyres; less in a cross-wind.

[aeropilot]

Ginetta G15 Girl said:

IIRC you got around 5-7 landings out of a set of tyres; less in a cross-wind.

The weather conditions at Binbrook could easily trash a fresh set of tyres in a single cross wind landing, I remember the late Furz Lloyd saying to a group of us at a Lightning Association event once.

[Simpo Two]

Halmyre said:

Every time I see a Lightning with gear down I think, "wow, those are some skinny wheels". My shirt buttons have a wider profile. I wonder if it encouraged the pilots towards landing as gently as possible?

Looks like they have to be that thin to fit in the wing.

[Keep it stiff]

PLans are moving on to refurbish XP745 and suspend it as a permanent display in a new building in Bristol.

XP745 has been in storage for over 25 years, we recently gathered all the key parts together both to check that we have everything and to take a good look at the condition. Overall it is in excellent nick, there is some isolated damage to attend to and various loose ends that will need attention.

The gate guardian life of XP745 was pretty short and the fact that it has been inside for so long has meant that there is very little corrosion. Our plan is to deal with the various light repairs in the warehouse over the next few months in readiness for painting next year. Several people have volunteered to assist.

There are lots of details to work out and not least how to orientate it in the building. Dyson have recently put a Lightning on display in their restaurant, theirs is suspended with the nose up, we have less space to play with and our thoughts are to have it slightly canted over and nose down to give the best perspective from ground level.

Here are a selection of photos, with apologies for the poor phone quality, I will update this thread as we make progress and I will do better with the photography!

[BrettMRC]

Looks like one section was sawn apart?

[aeropilot]

BrettMRC said:

Looks like one section was sawn apart?

It was all saw apart I suspect, standard way for crash n smash at the time when dealing with airframes being moved to Gate Guardian duties - especially ones that were very complex and time consuming to take apart 'correctly' and seeing as they were never going to fly again, then putting a saw through the wings/tailplanes etc was route one to doing the job.

Of all the Lightnings still extant, its only a relatively small number that have been dismantled properly for a move. Almost all the ex-gate guardian examples have been 'cut'.

[BrettMRC]

Crying shame - looks like it was done with a knife and fork as well

[spitfire-ian]

The important thing is that it looks like the wings were removed correctly which means it will sit on its own wheels. Some Lightnings whose wings were cut inboard of the undercarriage required additional supports / strengthening.

[aeropilot]

BrettMRC said:

Crying shame - looks like it was done with a knife and fork as well

Usually one of these was used.....

[Keep it stiff]

aeropilot said:

It was all saw apart I suspect, standard way for crash n smash at the time when dealing with airframes being moved to Gate Guardian duties - especially ones that were very complex and time consuming to take apart 'correctly' and seeing as they were never going to fly again, then putting a saw through the wings/tailplanes etc was route one to doing the job.

Of all the Lightnings still extant, its only a relatively small number that have been dismantled properly for a move. Almost all the ex-gate guardian examples have been 'cut'.

Both tail planes were cut before our ownership, as pointed out, something of a botch! They are however repairable and we have been offered undamaged replacements. This is the only significant area of damage.

We are planning to use 56 Sqn Firebird per XP746 as shown on this link:

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/...

[Keep it stiff]

When it was on gate guarding duties the undercarriage was down. For our display it will be folded away, we are planning to remove the wing wheels, to reduce weight, and take the front undercarriage out for the same reason. The wings were removed by the Vanguard Engineering team that collected it for transport/storage, a complex task by all accounts, this was done correctly which is going to be a huge benefit to putting it back together again.