Rotting Lightning on the A1

[central]

...just outside Newark.

Recent -



Early 1990s -

"It was purchased as a gimmick by a haulage company owner, but now sits amongst old cars and scrap."



I've heard it's been there since the 1970s.

Does anyone know any more details?

[FourWheelDrift]

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

and links to other photo sites.

[insurance_jon]

passed it last week, thought it was a waste

[aeropilot]

central said:

I've heard it's been there since the 1970s.

Does anyone know any more details?

What do you want to know...?

It's F.2A XN728, spent almost all of it'sservice life with 92 Sqn and when the RAFG Lightnings were replaced by Phantoms in 1977, it made it's last flight to RAF Coningsby on 4th April 1977 for use as an airfield decoy, and then for BDR.

It has been in the A1 yard slowly deteriorating since 1983.

[central]

Thanks guys

[spitfire-ian]

Happier times...

[louiebaby]

aeropilot said:

It has been in the A1 yard slowly deteriorating since 1983.

Sounds about right, it's been there as long as I can remember. I was born in 1980 and lived up the road until 1998.

It's been a shame to see it slowly decay.

[central]

On the other thread -

crofty1984 said:

central said:

By the A1 near Newark

That was parked up good as new a week ago.

[Ravell]

central said:

...just outside Newark.

Recent -



Early 1990s -

What I don't get is how it got in the state from that early pic to the current one. I passed it a few years back and decided to see how close I could get. The whole yard around it is fenced off and has a bunch of guard dogs, so how the hell did it get grafitied over and parts go missing?!?

[anonymous-user]

IIRC a lot of the damage was done in the early 1990's. I think the yard was purchased by someone else a couple of years back. This may explain the increase in security. Can't be 100% sure on the above, but I seem to remember rumours going around about a change of owners of the yard.

[thatone1967]

very sad... if there is one aircraft I would love to see returned to UK Skies, it's the lightning... (although I fear this one is slightly beyond redemption...)

[central]

thatone1967 said:

very sad... if there is one aircraft I would love to see returned to UK Skies, it's the lightning... (although I fear this one is slightly beyond redemption...)

Not according to Crofty1984.

[aeropilot]

thatone1967 said:

(although I fear this one is slightly beyond redemption...)

Just a bit

[Ravell]

central said:

thatone1967 said:

very sad... if there is one aircraft I would love to see returned to UK Skies, it's the lightning... (although I fear this one is slightly beyond redemption...)

Not according to Crofty1984.

Probably a really stupid idea, and I doubt I'm the first to suggest it, but...

Seeing as there is a lot of interrest in this plane an people are always asking/hoping it can be rescued. Why don't a bunch of us pool resources and money to restore it, or at least investigate if it's too far gone or not. Similar to what was done with the Avro Vulcan at Bruntingthorpe?

It would be an awesome sight to see it resurected and to know each of up helped in some way to make that happen.

... like I said, probably a stupid idea, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

[Eric Mc]

The plane is beyond restoration - certainly to flying condition. Major structural damage has been inflicted on the airframe and large elements are missing completely.

[dr_gn]

Ravell said:

central said:

thatone1967 said:

very sad... if there is one aircraft I would love to see returned to UK Skies, it's the lightning... (although I fear this one is slightly beyond redemption...)

Not according to Crofty1984.

Probably a really stupid idea, and I doubt I'm the first to suggest it, but...

Seeing as there is a lot of interrest in this plane an people are always asking/hoping it can be rescued. Why don't a bunch of us pool resources and money to restore it, or at least investigate if it's too far gone or not. Similar to what was done with the Avro Vulcan at Bruntingthorpe?

It would be an awesome sight to see it resurected and to know each of up helped in some way to make that happen.

... like I said, probably a stupid idea, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

Give me your address, I'll start the ball rollling with £2.74 (which is all the change I've got to my name at the moment).

[skyslimit]

Save your money I'm afraid. They chopped the wings in totally the wrong place for future integrity on that aircraft when they transported it.

Structually alone, she can NEVER fly again

[dr_gn]

skyslimit said:

Save your money I'm afraid. They chopped the wings in totally the wrong place for future integrity on that aircraft when they transported it.

Structually alone, she can NEVER fly again

I think it's pretty obvious it won't fly again, and not only for structural reasons...

It's apparently still sound enough to stand on its main gear though. What would be relatively cheap and simple, would be to bodge some fibreglass panels onto it, along with a new shock cone and canopy, give it a nice flash paintjob, and stick it vertically on a couple of the longest telegraph poles you could find. Now *that* would be a good advert for your scrapyard...and it would be better than just letting it rot to nothing.

[skyslimit]

dr_gn said:

skyslimit said:

Save your money I'm afraid. They chopped the wings in totally the wrong place for future integrity on that aircraft when they transported it.

Structually alone, she can NEVER fly again

I think it's pretty obvious it won't fly again, and not only for structural reasons...

It's apparently still sound enough to stand on its main gear though. What would be relatively cheap and simple, would be to bodge some fibreglass panels onto it, along with a new shock cone and canopy, give it a nice flash paintjob, and stick it vertically on a couple of the longest telegraph poles you could find. Now *that* would be a good advert for your scrapyard...and it would be better than just letting it rot to nothing.

Sadly, not even good enough for that now according to the thunder and lightnings site, it's rotted too far.

Dreadful waste of an example of an iconic, all British, record setting aircraft.

Edited by skyslimit on Monday 7th December 22:09

[Simpo Two]

There's a certain type of person who like to surround themselves with rusting junk. Never understood why.