Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Virgin reaches space

I believe the SA EE Lightning had a sad ending.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_City

I went and visited it in Cape Town years ago and bartered for ages but the guy was firm on his price. Given g.p.m. I had to respect him!

That's sad news for pilot and craft.
The only flying one here is at Boscombe Down but you have to be a test pilot to get a trip in that one, it's a rather elite school and the aircraft still has totally unique qualities.
I expect Peter J possibly sees it on occasions.

Can i go too

Thank you Richard, I did not realise there was still one airworthy and as close as it is as well. I might have to see if I can visit next time it is allowed out. It would be good just to see it.

Is there a long queue?

Yes it would be great to see this one flying one day Alistair I'd be up for that alright, I have found a link of interest on the Lightning whilst digging around.

Lightning

I seem to recall the Bruntingthorpe one does fast taxi runs also on certain dates, not the same of course.

I’ve seen the one at Bruntingthorpe some years ago doing a taxi run down the runway....pretty awesome. When I was a lad they use to fly up the estuary from the base in Warton (?) near Preston at a couple of hundred feet and then go vertical when they reached the viaduct. Almost made one wet ones pants!

There’s a lovely example hanging from the ceiling of the Cold War hall at RAF Cosford. It’s vertical and you can stand under its tailpipes.

Bruntingthorpe is well worth a visit.....I joined a number of Morgan owners there for a visit a few years ago.

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!!

During the early 60's the Tiger squadron 74 were based at Coltishall on permanent interception standby for the Russian interlopers overflying in the North sea area. To watch these take off and maximum climb with full reheat is unforgettable and as a youngster it etched itself into your brain like very few other experiences.

In the summer we would go to a road near the end of the main runway with a picnic and watch the dual one's carrying out their training role which was great, then if you were lucky you would see a scramble just spine tingling. This was the airfield my father was demobbed from so it had connections for him.