United Kingdom
United States
Saudi Arabia
Australia
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 English Electric 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 English Electric 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.
In the rationalisation and reorganisation of the aircraft industry in 1960 saw the amalgamation of English Electric into British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) and hence for the type became the BAC Lightning.
The first operational BAC 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 BAC 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 BAC Lightning was a closely guarded secret although it is said to be in excess of 60,000 ft and it is well renowned 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 BAC 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.
SPECIAL FEATURE:
Click here for the memories of Lightning Test Pilot Craig Penrice
of
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 Dhahran
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. |
|
English Electric 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. |
|
BAC Lightning F.1A
28 built
|
Single-seat fighter, delivered in 1961. Featured Avon 210R engines, an inflight refuelling probe and UHF Radio. |
|
BAC 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. |
|
BAC 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. |
|
BAC Lightning F.3
70 built
|
Single-seat fighter with upgraded AI-23B radar, Avon 301R engines, new Red Top missiles, enlarged and clipped tail fin due to aerodynamics of carriage of Red Top, and deletion of ADEN cannon. |
|
BAC Lightning F.3A
16 built
|
Single-seat fighter with extended range of 800 miles due to large ventral tank and new cambered wings. |
|
BAC 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. |
|
BAC 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. |
|
BAC 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. |
| BAC 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. |
|
BAC Lightning F.52
5 conversions
|
Slightly modified ex-RAF F.2 single-seat fighters for export to Saudi Arabia. |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
46 built / 1 conversion
|
Export version of F.6 with pylons for underwing bombs or rocket pods. |
|
BAC Lightning T.54
2 conversions
|
Ex-RAF T.4 two-seat trainers supplied to Saudi Arabia (two converted). |
|
BAC Lightning T.55
8 built / 1 conversion
|
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). |
| BAC 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 after-burning 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
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(S929)
|
RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus www.rafakrotiri.co.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.1A
(XM178)
|
Savigny-les-Beaune, France www.aviationmuseum.eu |
|
BAC Lightning F.2A
(XN730)
|
Luftwaffe Museum, Gatow, Germany www.kommando.streitkraeftebasis.de |
|
BAC Lightning F.2A
(XN782)
|
Flugausstellung Hermeskeil, Germany www.flugausstellung.de |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(53-418)
|
Kuwait Science and Natural History Museum, Kuwait City www.ksnhm.weebly.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(? )
|
Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, Kuwait |
|
BAC Lightning F.2A
(XN784)
|
PS Aero Museum, Baarlo, Netherlands www.psaero.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.52
(XN770)
|
Royal Saudi Air Force Museum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia www.mod.gov.sa/Services/SaqrAlJazira/Pages/default.aspx |
|
BAC Lightning T.54
(XN989)
|
Main entrance to King Abdul-Aziz Air Base, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia |
|
BAC Lightning T.55
(55-716)
|
Royal Saudi Air Force Museum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia www.mod.gov.sa/Services/SaqrAlJazira/Pages/default.aspx |
|
BAC Lightning P.1A
(WG760)
1st Prototype)
|
RAF Museum Cosford, England www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford |
|
BAC Lightning P.1A
(WG763)
2nd Prototype)
|
Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, UK www.msimanchester.org.uk |
| BAC Lightning P1B/F.1 (XG329) | Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum, Flixton, UK www.aviationmuseum.net |
| BAC Lightning P1B / F.1 (XG337) | RAF Museum Cosford, England www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford |
|
BAC Lightning F.1A
(XM135)
|
Imperial War Museum Duxford, UK www.iwm.org.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.1A
(XM192)
|
Thorpe Camp Museum,Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire,
|
|
BAC Lightning F.2A
(XN776)
|
National Museum of Flight, East Fortune, UK www.nms.ac.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.3
(XP706)
|
AeroVenture, Doncaster, UK www.southyorkshireaircraftmuseum.org.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.3
(XR713)
|
Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire, UK www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XR728)
|
Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire, UK www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.3
(XR749)
|
Score Group Integrated Valve and Gas Turbine Plant, Peterhead, UK www.score-group.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.3
(XR753)
|
RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, UK www.raf.mod.uk/rafconingsby |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XR770)
|
RAF Manston History Museum, Manston, Kent, UK www.rafmanston.co.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XR771)
|
Midland Air Museum, Coventry, UK www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk |
|
BAC Lightning T.5
(XS417)
|
Newark Air Museum, Newark, UK www.newarkairmuseum.org |
|
BAC Lightning T.5
(XS420)
|
Farnborough Air Sciences Trust, Farnborough, UK www.airsciences.org.uk |
|
BAC Lightning T.5
(XS456)
|
Skegness Water Leisure Park, Lincolnshire, UK www.skegnesswaterleisurepark.co.uk |
|
BAC Lightning T.5
(XS458)
|
Cranfield Airport, Bedfordshire, UK www.cranfieldairport.com |
|
BAC Lightning T.5
(XS459)
|
Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum, Wisbech, UK www.museumsnorfolk.org.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XS897 / XP765)
|
RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, UK www.raf.mod.uk/rafconingsby |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XS903)
|
Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, UK www.yorkshireairmuseum.org |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XS904)
|
Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire, UK www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XS925)
|
Castle Motors, Liskeard, Cornwall, UK www.castlemotors.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XS928)
|
BAE Systems, Warton Aerodrome, Lancashire www.baesystems.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.6
(XS936)
|
RAF Museum, London, UK www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF578 / XR753)
|
Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Tangmere, UK www.tangmere-museum.org.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF579)
|
Gatwick Aviation Museum, Charlwood, UK www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF580)
|
BAE Systems, Samlesbury, UK www.baesystems.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF581)
|
Bentwaters Cold War Museum, Suffolk, UK www.bcwm.org.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF583)
|
Solway Aviation Museum, Carlisle Airport Cumbria, UK www.solway-aviation-museum.co.uk |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF584)
|
Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum, Dumfries, UK www.dumfriesaviationmuseum.com |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF588)
|
East Midlands Airport Aeropark, Castle Donington, UK www.eastmidlandsaeropark.org |
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF592 as 53-686)
|
City of Norwich Aviation Museum, Norwich, UK
|
|
BAC Lightning F.53
(ZF594 / XS733)
|
North East Aircraft Museum, Sunderland, UK www.nelsam.org.uk |
|
BAC Lightning T.55
(ZF598 / 55-713)
|
Midland Air Museum, Coventry, UK www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk |
|
BAC Lightning T.4
(XL629)
|
MoD Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, UK |
Airworthy aircraft |
The following aircraft were listed for sale in 2020 and their current location is unknown. |
|
BAC Ligtning T.5
(ZU-BBD / XS452)
|
Offered for Sale 2020 |
|
BAC Ligtning T.5
(ZU-BEW / XR773)
|
Offered for Sale 2020 |
|
BAC Ligtning T.5
(ZU-BEY / XR693)
|
Offered for Sale 2020 |