The lightning can climb as high and as fast as any modern fighter. It’s a thing of beauty and it’s British
@jimdavis8391
4 жыл бұрын
I have never seen ANY other aircraft make the transition from horizontal to vertical so abruptly as the Lightning. Then to climb at that astronomical rate and yet enjoy remarkable manouverability, it was a phenominal machine.
@keithdonnellan5564
3 жыл бұрын
It's British before we joined the EEC (EU) pyramid scheme.
@LV_FUD80
3 жыл бұрын
The only other aircraft I've seen that could do something comparable, is the F-22.
@LeeHarris
3 жыл бұрын
@@keithdonnellan5564 Trolololoooo
@paulgreen6980
3 жыл бұрын
@@LV_FUD80 yes but the lightning was doing this in the 1950 untill the late 70s
@peteconrad2077
3 жыл бұрын
@@keithdonnellan5564 it had naff all range and naff all weapon load. Almost useless. Unlike the world beating Typhoon built in the EU and with our European partners.
@johnreed3638
7 ай бұрын
Could still eat a lot of modern aircraft for breakfast in speed and manoeuvrability. What a CLASSIC.
@rickrichards2829
5 жыл бұрын
A true British Icon , The last all British built interceptor, utterly a magnificent piece of aviation engineering
@buy.to.let.britain
5 ай бұрын
it won plane of the year in 1961
@johndavid5618
Ай бұрын
"The best dont make anymore.
@tallandhairy
4 ай бұрын
This just made me cry. Oh the memories and feelings and the unofficial air little mini shows the pilots would either coincidentally or deliberately give us over our little primary school in New Waltham near Grimsby in the last few days of the Lightnings at lunches and break times. Coming in fast and low over the houses and then a roar a brief flame and spurt of afterburner before tearing upwards into the sky, not just your rib cage shaking violently but every organ in your body including many you were not even aware that you had vibrating at different frequencies. As a young boy I bloody loved it, some of the younger kids and girls who ran back inside crying, perhaps not so much, but the law of averages kicks in. Oh what I would give for a time machine right now!
@JW-eu7br
3 жыл бұрын
I was stationed at Binbrook for the last four and a half years of my service - April 1969 to December 1973 and to see these great aircraft fly every day was a great pleasure.
@johnsmith-nk1tp
5 жыл бұрын
I was in the RAF in the 80's and once visited Binbrook for a cross country race. The lightnings were flying and i was awestruck by the power, noise, speed ..amazing.
@jeremylister89
5 жыл бұрын
Convinced these have more agility than modern fighters. Remember a display, slow pass then basically it just flipped vertical, seemed to be motionless over the runway and then just went up at tremenous speed with full power, full reheat ever faster until you could barely see it, a pinprick in the sky in about 40 seconds. Absolutely incredible. Similar to 5:25 on the footage, but a slower lower pass and more powerful climb. Shame HD cameras weren't around then..
@brianchester4218
5 жыл бұрын
Was at Binbrook 72 to 77 watched one of these bad boys scream across the runway then vertical clime gone in seconds awesome power
@britshop1
3 жыл бұрын
Worked on repairing the undercarriage to these bad boys.
@peteconrad2077
3 жыл бұрын
They can’t sustain the high alphas of some modern fighters, they really can’t. Also, the lightning had diabolical range and weapon capability.
@jeremylister89
3 жыл бұрын
@@peteconrad2077 yeah maybe.. it was a LONG time ago, but for a really ugly plane it was tremendous.
@cristinamorenolamin3217
5 жыл бұрын
Yes I remember going with my dad at a very early age to watch these babies. He flew them and was at RAF Binbrook, Got me forever fixated on aviation and I became a Tornado pilot. Happy days.Those RR Avon engines were a sound I will never forget.
@mattbates6887
5 жыл бұрын
Yes neither will I, happy days indeed.
@graycloud057
4 жыл бұрын
Christine Lamin - I really love those Tornados! I was in the gulf war 1991, on the battleship Missouri. We were in port at Bahrain and out of no where these two Tornados flew over us quite low. I nearly pissed my breeches!
@mpoyart
4 жыл бұрын
Those jets áre unforgetible!
@sichere
4 жыл бұрын
The Tornado was originally envisaged as the replacement for the Canberra bomber but from design stage it became apparent that it would be able to perform many of the roles needed by the RAF. The P1 Lightnings were very different to the F6 and the Tornado took a lot of the design data from the P7 and TSR. On it's introduction the Tornado was labeled as being a Jack of all trades and not being very good at any of them but as with all newly introduced platforms once they reached squadron they ironed out a lot of the bugs to ensure that it was the master of one - Being the Jack of all trades. Despite it not being as fast as the Lightning or as good at low level as the Buccaneer it was never designed for those purposes but it became a fantastic all weather weapons platform. In the hands of skilled pilots it was flying Truck with sports car performance I witnessed Two Tonkas @ less than 100 ft going supersonic on an simulated bomb run of RAF Odiham - the second pilot was inverted !!!!
@donaldellis3609
3 жыл бұрын
Wonderful bit of kit 👍
@trafficsnitch3505
3 жыл бұрын
5:10 That was how I remember Lightning take off at airshows as a child. Absolutely awesome flyovers of the crowd line
@vannessar32
3 жыл бұрын
I remember watching them at gaydon air displays. The Lightning would come down the runway at zero feet and go into a vertical climb until it disappeared from view, amazing..
@branofattrebates2847
2 жыл бұрын
@@vannessar32 absolutely the same at Greenham common with the phantom and starfighter. But Lightning tops them all . Its obvious jets are better now but for such a jet from the the 1950s perspective nothing else touched it . Sleek beautiful 50s futuristic design whats not to like .
@stevegreene9149
Жыл бұрын
Me too. It left an indelible mark on me seeing a Lightning go from horizontal to vertical so quickly and then seemingly accelerate vertically with full reheat on. As a teenager, it was the most awesome display of power I had ever seen!
@mattbates6887
5 жыл бұрын
Oh yes, I remember seeing the Lightning flying at the West Wycombe airshow, back in the 80's. The noise and speed to a vertical climb to altitude on one afterburner, was awesome to see and totally unforgettable!
@englishkernigit8294
6 жыл бұрын
Being a boy from Grimbob who grew up practically under Binbrooks flight path, this has brought back great memories. Always an exciting time going to the end of the runway (On a public road), standing on the 5ft fence post and feeling these bad boys screaming over your head. Absolutely fab. Deffo had an influence on my decision to join the RAF when I was 17
@tweeny55
6 жыл бұрын
If by Grimbob you mean Grimsby then I grew up on Sunk Island opposite side of the riverand remember the lightnings well,and the A10 warthogs practising at Cowden bombing range.you could hear the cannons miles away.
@englishkernigit8294
6 жыл бұрын
twe enyss yep. Grimsby. The days out at Donna Nook were also a blast. The Lightnings used to use Grimsby dock tower as their waypoint to landing. Met Chris Black (pilot and author) who told me that on occasion- just for the fun of it- they'd buzz the tower.
@tweeny55
6 жыл бұрын
We lived on a farm on the edge of the humber and my dad drove the combine,to this day he's convinced military jets used to practice target farm stuff on sunk.
@Simonize41
3 жыл бұрын
I was there with my father that day. In fact we used to visit Binbrook regularly. The memories that have come flooding back. Boy oh boy. Still the greatest military jet ever built.🙂
@patlee6
5 жыл бұрын
The days when we had a real Air Force.
@mikebusby1471
5 жыл бұрын
I went to Binbrook in the 70's for an ATC annual camp and was out flying in a Chipmunk parallel to the runway at I guess about a thousand feet when two Lightnings took off together with full reheat below. Awesome planes. A sight I won't forget.
@markrayton6385
6 жыл бұрын
Excellent. I spent some of the happiest days of my life up at Binbrook watching these. So sadly missed.
@gravydavy4188
5 жыл бұрын
7 Russian 'Bear' pilots disliked this video.
@paulgreen6980
3 жыл бұрын
and 14 yanks playing warthunder that think a phantom was faster!
@sezziek1
6 жыл бұрын
Wowwwwww absolutely wonderful footage with gorgeous sound!, I SO wish we could have these still flying today! ❤️❤️❤️
@martinwilson2660
5 жыл бұрын
sezziek1 completely agree. My heart hurts a little bit knowing we’ll never get a chance to see something like this again. Sad
@mattbates6887
5 жыл бұрын
Yes those certainly were the glory days of airshows for sure with the Lightning flying, forever missed, a great iconic RAF British interceptor.
@johnstevenson1709
4 жыл бұрын
They're beautiful but the w were bloody out of date by this stage of the game. Would you ou really have wanted to face a mig 29 in a lightning
@markbailey3508
5 жыл бұрын
Spent my last Air Cadet camp there in 1983 all week was spent with the linies on the flight line. Learning to fix lightning's at the the age of 16 was a fantastic experience
@ozzy8286
4 жыл бұрын
You must have been there about the same time as me. It was a brilliant camp and what an opportunity to get up close to the Lightnings. I was in 1271 Bathgate squadron.
@markbailey3508
4 жыл бұрын
@@ozzy8286 272 sqdn wisbech
@ozzy8286
4 жыл бұрын
@@markbailey3508 Happy days!
@edwardchivers3463
6 жыл бұрын
Some of my best memories from Binbrook 82-84. There is something magical about the Lightnings.
@hank11ish
6 жыл бұрын
I am so glad I was around to watch these magnificent beasts strut there stuff. Spent many many hours travelling between York and Binbrook ('87 to '88) to watch these bab es (The like of which we will NEVER see again AND it was all BRITISH)
@3204clivesinclair
5 жыл бұрын
Days gone by when the thought of ‘training costs’ wasn’t even considered.
@kevinpierce3458
4 жыл бұрын
EE Lightning’s and the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds ❤️
@Midasfan787
6 жыл бұрын
this brought back some great memories,my dad was based st binbook and had married quarters with my mam. These pictures brings it all back ,thanks
@binarybox.binarybox
5 жыл бұрын
During my electronics training , I spent a few weeks at Strand Road, Preston and sat inside a Lightning. The cockpit was very nicely finished off and I learned all the controls. I then went to Salmsbury, Preston where they we made ready to fly over to Warton. I saw them having engine tests and taking off...I was told one tail did hit the ground when it went vertical...I can quite believe it...a fantastic aircraft.
@neilpearson4887
Жыл бұрын
I can just about remember seeing them at Binbrook, when I was growing up, Me and my brother would sit and watch this in the seventies! Happy Days!!
@isthereanybodyoutthere9397
5 жыл бұрын
Beautiful and deadly and bloody quick! I was lucky to witness a supersonic flypast (Booommmm!!!) by one of these at Biggin Hill Airshow when I was a child. They will always give me goosebumps!
@martinwilson2660
6 жыл бұрын
Great bit of footage. Thanks for posting!
@alantoms3263
3 жыл бұрын
Fantastic footage - just 'found' this now. Pity it wasn't HD, but the content is superb. Thanks for sharing. Al.
@trevordixon4017
6 жыл бұрын
Lovely plane brings back memories sitting in that plane was awesome
@chrisgilbert4375
5 жыл бұрын
I went to this show named "The Last Lightning Show" as a 9 year old boy. I remember the sheer gut-wrenching power of the engines as it climbed vertically. What a plane.
@mandh14
4 жыл бұрын
Absolutely tipped it downed all day but still flew the diamond 9 and 2 solo F3 displays!
@truthseeker7242
3 жыл бұрын
@@mandh14 - Yes, I was there as well - regarding the Diamond 9, I recall the guy in the control tower commenting "Eat your hearts out Red Arrows!"
@tonyguest9744
11 ай бұрын
This was a daily scene at RAF Akrotiri in the late 60's early 70's. My father was a Sqd Ldr Doctor at the RAF Hospital and we were lucky to see the Lightning's and many visiting aircraft.
@deecamp8551
5 жыл бұрын
I was very lucky being in Air Traffic, i was often out on the runway, waiting for it to clear, so saw these take-offs very often- just another part of my day
@jameskirk578
2 жыл бұрын
Imagine being a liney on them! Bet the pan trash never got to finish a cup of NAAFI instant brown chicory between see off and see in. A fine display of the magnifcent dedication of gentlemen groundcrew.
@marjoriebacon376
4 жыл бұрын
This is a real jet that was a joy to see when we had areal Air Force
@petyrkowalski9887
4 жыл бұрын
I think the Lightning still holds the record for the greatest rate of climb. A true rocketship.
@laurencethornblade1195
3 жыл бұрын
No
@petyrkowalski9887
3 жыл бұрын
What does then?
@nigeh5326
3 жыл бұрын
The F15 can climb at an initial 67,250 feet per minute from sea level. A few others are also faster than the Lightning. In its day the Lightning was amazing but that day is long past 😔
@jockwood2398
3 жыл бұрын
@@nigeh5326 true, many modern jets have a higher initial rate of climb, however i believe that the lightning still has the record for sustained rate of climb
@sichere
11 ай бұрын
@@nigeh5326 That's a highly modified F15 and not a fully combat ready operational aircraft with full load - totally different beats. The EEL would get to 30,000 ft from standing in 120 seconds.
@curiouslarry6933
5 жыл бұрын
I saw the last [very tight and low] Diamond 9 formation achieved by Lightnings at Binbrook - it was the last Air Display Day there, the weather was lousy with a very low cloud base - the guy in the tower's comment was, "Eat your hearts out, Red Arrows!" A great, if short on legs, aircraft with ballsy pilots. A former test pilot I knew who had flown many types, including US and Soviet, said it was his favourite aircraft for speed, acceleration, and climb.
@evilelf5967
8 ай бұрын
40 odd years ago i had the fortune to not only get to steer a 4,000 gallon bitumen tanker delivering to binbrook down the runway,but also got to climb aboard a decomissioned lightning,no engines just the airframe.a giant tube with wings, never forget that day nor the lightning.
@rupertchandler
3 жыл бұрын
I love em.. Very special.. Used to be the absolute highlight of the air display at Greenham.. Wait ALL day for the big beast to do its display..
@ericdenyer4293
5 жыл бұрын
This was REAL POWER I believe the only jet of its time to achieve this kind of vertical speed " amazing "
@cerij4242
5 жыл бұрын
When I was a kid my father ex RAF always took me to RAF St Athan every time these did the vertical I had my hands over my ears hoping my innards wouldn't drop out the feeling though frightening at the time was incredible.
@paulpalmtree9295
3 жыл бұрын
What an amazing aircraft, I just love it.
@ThePorridgeGobbler
3 жыл бұрын
When I was on Phantoms @ RAF Leuchars in the early 80's as young L Tech AC J/T I had a secondary role of Lightning OTR Man F and they would fly in off the North Sea to be re-armed and fuelled and take off again within 1/2 hour, watching them do a combat takeoff was awesome as they went vertical, afterwards the Stn Commander would award us with a barrel of beer in the Sports and Social Club in the evening. Happy Days.
@tonywright8294
3 ай бұрын
The lightning growl ,superb !
@phillipneal9289
5 жыл бұрын
Such an iconic and fabulous aircraft
@bodieofci5418
5 жыл бұрын
I just remember them flying up and down the coast past Mablethorpe and Skegness. Happy days.
@truthseeker7242
3 жыл бұрын
bodie of ci5 - Not forgetting the AA Bloodhound 2s pointed seawards at RAF North Coats
@simonsimon2888
Жыл бұрын
Truly 'a master-piece' in the history of aviations. 'Catch me if you can'...lead you horizontally with a sudden vertical 'up-thrust'.
@adiedonoghue1
5 жыл бұрын
1 x Twin Rocket 1x cockpit & a mad pilot 2x wings strapped on The Lightning lol.....AWESOME
@eddiefinney8509
3 жыл бұрын
Fantastic iconic plane best ever thanks for shAring the video.
@myleschilton3473
5 жыл бұрын
Poor guys sitting there watching their fuel gauges plummet
@Adrian-jk4kx
3 жыл бұрын
120 Litres.....per min at low level. Thirsty............imagine seeing none of these in 1966! Fantastic
@andyhinds542
2 жыл бұрын
Just watching that really gave me goose bumps!
@eatthisvr6
6 жыл бұрын
5:15 !!!! wow
@TheClareybrown61170
5 жыл бұрын
Pure bliss!!! Nothing like it now.Probably never will be..............
@johnstill1451
5 жыл бұрын
Right on, Steve...I have some amazing footage from Farnborough 1967...I think. After- burner blow out, with a black stormy sky in the back ground! The Lightning was my favourite plane, EVER!! Caught up with one art RAF Duxford...in 2004 and 2013...I'm in Australia now, so don't get too many chances to see this awesome airplane...
@craigmoloney4486
2 ай бұрын
Reminds me of when the RAAF retired our F111s Mothballed airframes used for parts sitting there
@astral276
Жыл бұрын
5:28 That transition must reposition every organ in your body.
@buttonworld77
Жыл бұрын
That snap transition is pretty spectacular. Pulling some G there I imagine.
@simonsimon2888
Жыл бұрын
Four streaks of lightnings across the sky with the loudest ear-deafening claps of thunder.." when shall we meet again...in thunder, lightning or in rain".
@genefortney9133
Жыл бұрын
Fantastic aircraft!!
@xyzaero9656
Жыл бұрын
The Lightning is unexpectedly maneuverable 🤩
@johndavid5618
Жыл бұрын
"Truely epic till this day.
@rooramblingon895
4 жыл бұрын
That noise...that climb-rate! WOW
@ianjackson7515
2 жыл бұрын
That was a busy day !!! - end of their time so they just kept using-up the airframe hours. Best from NZ.
@suepenny5223
3 жыл бұрын
Love this beast, so sad never got to see one fly 😭😭😭😭
@stephenrice4554
3 жыл бұрын
I remember them flying over the R A E Farnborough and being always impressed
@dhakaboy1
2 жыл бұрын
Like many British aircraft, this was a magnificent piece of aeronautical engineering, with amazing performance statistics. but alas, a fuel guzzler with a limited combat radius. Kinda like the Concorde and the A380 if I may add. But, I am proud of the Lightning and love the vertical 'get-aways !!!
@Biffo1262
5 жыл бұрын
These monsters still make my chest flutter every time I see one. There has been nothing like them before or since. Yanks eat your heart out!
@distortedreality4603
4 жыл бұрын
Great video! Brings back memories of going to Finningly airshow as a young lad, loved the Lightning! It did have genuinely blistering performance for it's time, however there's a lot of comments here suggesting that nothing can beat it in a climb ect, the Typhoon beats it hands down! That's not taking anything away from the Lightning
@stanleybuchan4610
3 жыл бұрын
The Lightning was designed in the 50's, so don't praise a European mash up please.
@distortedreality4603
3 жыл бұрын
@@stanleybuchan4610 Think you need to read my comment properly
@claudemarchand1196
Жыл бұрын
I miss these birds so much. I have cry almost every day since they retired these gems shame on Art. b. schworst for that bad move.these babies could have protected the empire for another half century by jove !!!
@shaunwalker2557
Жыл бұрын
i think it was about 1963 when i was 6 that i got to sit in a ENGLISH Electric Lightning at an air show..
@noodles169
4 жыл бұрын
Nothing is gonna beat one of these badboys in a dragrace to the clouds
@distortedreality4603
4 жыл бұрын
Typhoon 😉
@cryptohunt2552
6 жыл бұрын
Brilliant!
@Pedro8k
7 ай бұрын
It was a one man rocket with wings I remember it as a kid going over similar to the vulcan
@trespire
5 жыл бұрын
The way these Lightnings accelerate down the runway is insane. I don't think any other jet can match it in power to weigh.
@@All_Noing Maybe but watch this kzitem.info/news/bejne/mXqau6t_oXtejXY These figures may be correct but it doesn't reflect reality
@sichere
11 ай бұрын
@@All_Noing That's the TWR of early F6 EEL's with the Avon 301 engines - By the 1970's they had Avon 302r's that produced over 25% more thrust.
@raycarter6037
2 жыл бұрын
Wonderful video 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
@nervo6321
2 жыл бұрын
2022 still breathtaking
@tommoseley9262
3 жыл бұрын
Spent many a weekend at crash gate 3. My dad was an engineer for 11 (Mucky Ducks) Squadron
@texhow1
6 жыл бұрын
Two went vertical at the center of the Runway after arriving from each end at a Woodford Airshow outside Manchester.
@urmo345
5 жыл бұрын
Altitude, Speed, Maneuver, Fire - Pokryshkin formula. This plane fulfilled at least two: altitude and speed. It could out climb anything
@clintfalk
5 жыл бұрын
But, did it ever shoot anything down?
@gravydavy4188
5 жыл бұрын
@@clintfalk it didn't have to, it was ready if it was needed.
@KeplersConjecture
3 жыл бұрын
"Like a bullet out of a gun" was how pilots described taking off in the Lightning.
@Radio478
2 жыл бұрын
The best of British
@anderman1970
Ай бұрын
I bet she’d give a few modern birds a run for their money.
@simonpeart7981
Жыл бұрын
They’re 11Sqn Lightnings, they fly Typhoons from Coningsby now
@lesthiele4921
2 жыл бұрын
Why can't the RAF still have one or two still flying? as part of a memorial flight, similar to the BOB Memorial flight. Hey just a thought and a question.
@Gez492
5 жыл бұрын
Wow great footage, you really get a true impression of the sheer power of this amazing aircraft. Still can't be beaten for climb rate and the ceiling was classified but many have suggested over 60,000ft. So much power to weight! Wasn't it the only fighter capable of catching Concorde but none could stay with speedbird for long as the fighters were on reheat most of the time. Two sublime aircraft though.
@distortedreality4603
4 жыл бұрын
Lightning had a fantastic climb rate and was excellent in it's day but the Typhoon beats it
@terrysmit4629
3 жыл бұрын
After another 40 years of fighter development, this is hardly surprising !@@distortedreality4603
@distortedreality4603
3 жыл бұрын
@@terrysmit4629 That's true, and I'm not taking anything away from the Lightning, it's just there's a lot of comments saying nothing can beat it's performance, nothing comes close ect ect. 👍
@teamdarkhorse
10 ай бұрын
@distortedreality4603 it woild be interesting to know where the tsr2 features in the performance stakes, i watched a documentary featuring roland beamont ( tsr2 test pilot) who stated that would leave the lightning on one engine in the day, yhere was a sad story of politics ruining another great piece of british aviation history
@teamdarkhorse
10 ай бұрын
kzitem.info/news/bejne/qI6asKygr4OLimk
@Radio478
3 жыл бұрын
I worked for EE Bae, we were the best
@NIGUAVIUS950
Жыл бұрын
Fast boi
@buy.to.let.britain
5 ай бұрын
the pilots called them frightnings due to the speed the fuel would disappear. *which was 1ltr per minute and 1.2ltr per minute afterburner.
@charliehmi76
6 жыл бұрын
The Lightning’s had ridiculous performance
@keithwaites9991
3 жыл бұрын
Whoops just read it back, it should of course be 'interceptor' ..my bad for relying on spellchecker and not proof reading before pressing 'transmit'
@andywilliams949
Жыл бұрын
A fuel critical Beast like the lightning has to taxi two miles before it gets to the runway.then they soak on the runway waiting for clearance to take off doesn't make any sense.ive never seen F15 waiting.i love this aircraft though the best of ( British ) engineering what a beast
@danhunt992
5 ай бұрын
Fly- bys are real good!
@DirectDemocrat
11 ай бұрын
Fabulous! Binbrook is no longer though
@robertpowell5639
10 ай бұрын
I was there right at the end on ASF, wonder what C/T Chris Story is doing now ?
@The_BIG_salad
5 ай бұрын
Holy climb rate batman
@waiotahi52
3 жыл бұрын
Lovely...
@paulboyle6857
7 ай бұрын
And the Lightening was doing this in 1960! So much for the Eurofighter?
@keithwaites9991
3 жыл бұрын
People on the vids criticising the Lightening for being 'thirsty' and lack of range and so on, forget it was an INTERSEPTER and needed to climb up to its target as quickly as possible- which it did with alacrity. Range? It wasn't built to cross the Atlantic. It could do what it was designed to do and it could cruise at lower speeds giving it an adequate range for its required missions.
@Radio478
3 жыл бұрын
Vertical climb, the F15s did well but after a few years had to be modified because front section broke off!!!
@rgadave
5 жыл бұрын
As one pilot said "Now you know what the wings are for..........to separate the navigation lights" !.
@mattbates6887
5 жыл бұрын
Just to add, it's just as well the Lightning was only using one afterburner, because it was very near to the speed of sound lol!
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