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Lightning P1A (WG760) taking off at Warton during the Press Day 1955
The English Electric supersonic interceptor (WG760), piloted by Roland Beamont, first flew at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire as the P1 on 4th August 1954.
Initial designs were led by WEW ‘Teddy’ Petter although the aircraft is mostly credited to his successor Freddie Page (later Sir Frederick Page and Chairman of the Aircraft Group of BAC and eventually, British Aerospace).
The Lightning’s highly swept wing (60 degrees) combined with 2 x Rolls-Royce Avon engines (initial flights of the P1 utilised un-reheated Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engines), configured in a unique stack-staggered arrangement within the fuselage, provided the aircraft with a speed of Mach 2 and an unrivalled rate of climb which was often described as being 'a pilot sitting on two rockets'.
Only 3 P1 aircraft were completed (2 flying aircraft and 1 static test aircraft) and with the introduction of the variously modified successor aircraft, they were retrospectively designated as P1A’s.
The later ‘P1B’ variants were officially renamed as the English Electric Lightning in May 1956. The first production variant was the F1, of which 19 were built. These were then followed by a further 28 F1A variants.
The first operational Lightning's saw service as an interceptor to defend the V-Force airfields during the Cold war although the range of early variants proved to be restrictive in other roles. The ultimate Lightning in RAF service was the F.6 which could carry two 260 gallon 'ferry' or 'drop-tanks' on pylons fitted above the wings.
The official ceiling of the Lightning was a closely guarded secret although it is said to be in excess of 60,000 ft and it is well reknowned for its exceptional rate of climb at 20,000 ft per minute.
English Electric Lightning P1B RAF XA847
Although never credited with an official 'kill' the Lightning did shoot down one aircraft when it was called upon to deal with a Harrier which unintentionally continued to head for the East German border after the pilot had ejected following apparent engine failure.
The English Electric Lightning continued in service with the RAF until 1988 and some 337 aircraft were built in its 34 year history. Other military operators included the Kuwait Air Force and the Royal Saudi Air Force
Although proposed, the Sea Lightning FAW1 was never built.
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EE Lightning F.1 with Roland Beamont Flight Test Crew
EE Lightning F.1 RAF (XM145) ground engine runs at night
EE Lightning F.1 (XM149) landing with chute deployed
EE Lightning F.2 RAF (XN776 & x3 others) fuselage assembly
EE Lightning F.2a (XN783), F.3 (XP739), F.3 (XP746) & F.2 (XN779) in formation
EE Lightning F.2a RAF (XN793 & x1 other) in close formation
EE Lightning F.6 RAF (XP697) air to air
EE Lightning F.6 with Beamont at controls 1964
EE Lightning F.6 (XS919) air to air
EE Lightning F.63 Royal Saudi Air Force (53-683 & 53-689) on approach to Dar es Salaam
Variants
|
English Electric P.1A
3 built
|
Single-seat supersonic research aircraft. |
|
English Electric P.1B
3 built
|
Single-seat operational prototypes to meet Specification F23/49, 20 development aircraft ordered in February 1954 - Type was officially named 'Lightning' in October 1958. |
|
Lightning F.1
20 built
|
Development batch aircraft, single-seat fighters delivered from 1959. Nose-mounted twin 30 mm ADEN cannon, two Firestreak missiles, VHF Radio and Ferranti AI-23 "AIRPASS" radar. |
|
Lightning F.1A
28 built
|
Single-seat fighter, delivered in 1961. Featured Avon 210R engines, an inflight refuelling probe and UHF Radio. |
|
Lightning F.2
44 built
|
Single-seat fighter (an improved variant of the F.1), delivered in 1962 - 31 later modified to F.2A standard, five later modified to F.52 for export to Saudi Arabia. |
|
Lightning F.2A
31 conversions
|
Single-seat fighter (F.2s upgraded to near F.6 standard); featuring Avon 211R engines, retained ADEN cannon and Firestreak (replaceable Firestreak pack swappable with ADEN Cannon Pack for a total of four ADEN Cannon), arrestor hook and enlarged Ventral Tank for two hours flight endurance. |
|
Lightning F.3
70 built
|
Single-seat fighter with upgraded AI-23B radar, Avon 301R engines, new Red Top missiles, enlarged and clipped tailfin due to aerodynamics of carriage of Red Top, and deletion of ADEN cannon. |
|
Lightning F.3A
16 built
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Single-seat fighter with extended range of 800 miles due to large ventral tank and new cambered wings. |
|
Lightning T.4
22 built
|
Two-seat side-by-side training version, based on the F.1A with two aircraft converted to T.5 prototypes and two aircraft later converted to T.54. |
|
Lightning T.5
22 built
|
Two-seat side-by-side training version, based on the F.3. One former RAF aircraft later converted to T.55 for Saudi Arabia. |
|
Lightning F.6
39 built
|
Featured new wings with better efficiency and subsonic performance, overwing fuel tanks and a larger ventral fuel tank, reintroduction of 30 mm cannon (initially no cannon but later in the forward part of the ventral pack rather than in the nose), use of Red Top missiles. Nine aircraft were converted from F.3 and 15 from F.3A. |
| Lightning F.7 | Proposed single-seat interceptor featuring variable geometry wings, extended fuselage, relocated undercarriage, underwing hardpoints, cheek-mounted intakes, new radar and use of the Sparrow/Skyflash AAMs. Never built. |
|
Lightning F.52
5 conversions
|
Slightly modified ex-RAF F.2 single-seat fighters for export to Saudi Arabia. |
|
Lightning F.53
46 built / 1 conversion
|
Export version of F.6 with pylons for underwing bombs or rocket pods. |
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Lightning T.54
2 conversions
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Ex-RAF T.4 two-seat trainers supplied to Saudi Arabia (two converted). |
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Lightning T.55
8 built / 1 conversion
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Two-seat side-by-side training aircraft (export version of the T.5), 6 for the Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force, two T.55Ks for the Kuwaiti Air Force and one converted from T.5 that crashed before delivery). |
| Sea Lightning FAW.1 | Proposed two-seat Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier capable variant with variable-geometry wing; not built. |
Specifications (F.6)
| Powerplant | 2 x Rolls-Royce Avon 301R afterburning turbojets (16,000lb with AB) |
| Span | 34 ft 10 in (10.6m) |
| Maximum Weight | 45,750lb 20,752kg) take-off weight |
| Capacity | 1 Pilot (1 student & 1 instructor in training variants) |
| Armament | 2 x 30mm Aden cannons with hard point mountings for Air to Air missiles. |
| Maximum Speed | Mach 2.0 (1,300mph / 2,100 kph) at 36,000 ft |
| Maximum range | 850 miles (1,370km) |
Number built
| 337 | All variants and prototype |
Survivors
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Lightning F.6
(XS929)
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RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus www.rafakrotiri.co.uk |
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Lightning F.1A
(XM178)
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Savigny-les-Beaune, France http://www.aviationmuseum.eu |
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Lightning F.2A
(XN730)
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Luftwaffe Museum, Gatow, Germany www.kommando.streitkraeftebasis.de |
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Lightning F.2A
(XN782)
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Flugausstellung Hermeskeil, Germany www.flugausstellung.de |
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Lightning F.53
(53-418)
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Kuwait Science and Natural History Museum, Kuwait City www.ksnhm.weebly.com |
|
Lightning F.53
(? )
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Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, Kuwait |
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Lightning F.2A
(XN784)
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PS Aero Museum, Baarlo, Netherlands www.psaero.com |
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Lightning F.52
(XN770)
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Royal Saudi Air Force Museum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia https://www.mod.gov.sa/Services/SaqrAlJazira/Pages/default.aspx |
|
Lightning T.54
(XN989)
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Main entrance to King Abdul-Aziz Air Base, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia |
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Lightning T.55
(55-716)
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Royal Saudi Air Force Museum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia https://www.mod.gov.sa/Services/SaqrAlJazira/Pages/default.aspx |
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Lightning P.1A
(WG760)
1st Prototype)
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RAF Museum Cosford, England www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford |
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Lightning P.1A
(WG763)
2nd Prototype)
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Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, UK www.msimanchester.org.uk |
| Lightning P1B/F.1 (XG329) | Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum, Flixton, UK www.aviationmuseum.net |
| Lightning P1B / F.1 (XG337) | RAF Museum Cosford, England www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford |
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Lightning F.1A
(XM135)
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Imperial War Museum Duxford, UK www.iwm.org.uk |
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Lightning F.1A
(XM192)
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Thorpe Camp Museum,Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire, UK https://thorpecamp.wixsite.com |
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Lightning F.2A
(XN776)
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National Museum of Flight, East Fortune, UK www.nms.ac.uk |
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Lightning F.3
(XP706)
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AeroVenture, Doncaster, UK www.southyorkshireaircraftmuseum.org.uk |
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Lightning F.3
(XR713)
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Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire, UK www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com |
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Lightning F.6
(XR728)
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Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire, UK www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com |
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Lightning F.3
(XR749)
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Score Group Integrated Valve and Gas Turbine Plant, Peterhead, UK www.score-group.com |
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Lightning F.3
(XR753)
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RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, UK www.raf.mod.uk/rafconingsby |
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Lightning F.6
(XR770)
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RAF Manston History Museum, Manston, Kent, UK www.rafmanston.co.uk |
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Lightning F.6
(XR771)
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Midland Air Museum, Coventry, UK www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk |
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Lightning T.5
(XS417)
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Newark Air Museum, Newark, UK www.newarkairmuseum.org |
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Lightning T.5
(XS420)
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Farnborough Air Sciences Trust, Farnborough, UK www.airsciences.org.uk |
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Lightning T.5
(XS456)
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Skegness Water Leisure Park, Lincolnshire, UK www.skegnesswaterleisurepark.co.uk |
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Lightning T.5
(XS458)
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Cranfield Airport, Bedfordshire, UK www.cranfieldairport.com |
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Lightning T.5
(XS459)
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Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum, Wisbech, UK www.museumsnorfolk.org.uk |
|
Lightning F.6
(XS897 / XP765)
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RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, UK www.raf.mod.uk/rafconingsby |
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Lightning F.6
(XS903)
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Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, UK www.yorkshireairmuseum.org |
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Lightning F.6
(XS904)
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Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire, UK www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com |
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Lightning F.6
(XS925)
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Castle Motors, Liskeard, Cornwall, UK www.castlemotors.com |
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Lightning F.6
(XS928)
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BAE Systems, Warton Aerodrome, Lancashire http://www.baesystems.com |
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Lightning F.6
(XS936)
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RAF Museum, London, UK www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london |
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Lightning F.53
(ZF578 / XR753)
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Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Tangmere, UK www.tangmere-museum.org.uk |
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Lightning F.53
(ZF579)
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Gatwick Aviation Museum, Charlwood, UK www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk |
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Lightning F.53
(ZF580)
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BAE Systems, Samlesbury, UK https://www.cornwallaviationhc.co.uk |
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Lightning F.53
(ZF581)
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Bentwaters Cold War Museum, Suffolk, UK www.bcwm.org.uk |
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Lightning F.53
(ZF583)
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Solway Aviation Museum, Carlisle Airport Cumbria, UK www.solway-aviation-museum.co.uk |
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Lightning F.53
(ZF584)
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Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum, Dumfries, UK www.dumfriesaviationmuseum.com |
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Lightning F.53
(ZF588)
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East Midlands Airport Aeropark, Castle Donington, UK www.eastmidlandsaeropark.org |
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Lightning F.53
(ZF592 as 53-686)
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City of Norwich Aviation Museum, Norwich, UK
|
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Lightning F.53
(ZF594 / XS733)
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North East Aircraft Museum, Sunderland, UK www.nelsam.org.uk |
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Lightning T.55
(ZF598 / 55-713)
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Midland Air Museum, Coventry, UK www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk |
|
Lightning T.4
(XL629)
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MoD Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, UK http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk |
Airworthy aircraft |
The following aircraft were listed for sale in 2014 and their current location is unknown. |
|
Ligtning T.5
(ZU-BBD / XS452)
|
Thunder City, Cape Town, South Africa www.thundercity.com |
|
Ligtning T.5
(ZU-BEW / XR773)
|
Thunder City, Cape Town, South Africa www.thundercity.com |
|
Ligtning T.5
(ZU-BEY / XR693)
|
Thunder City, Cape Town, South Africa www.thundercity.com |