The Summer of 1968 I was a member of the ATC. I was lucky enough to be chosen to go the RAF Guttersloh, the nearest RAF base to the border with East Germany, for a week's summer camp.
Lightnings from 19 and 92 Sdn provided a "Quick Response Alert Pair", housed at the end of the main runway and ready for take off at 3 mins warning: Pilot in the cockpit, all checks completed and ready to go.
The pair were scrambled every day, take off was with full reheat from rotation, the noise and sight of 4 Avons as the F2a Lightnings seemed to climb vertically to the skies is something I'll never forget.
They came back after about 20 mins, low on fuel........!
An amazing aircraft, capable of just about reaching 80,000ft and Mach 2.1, possibly the only interceptor able to intercept the U2s and Concorde!!
