Lightning vs U-2 and Concorde!
The extraordinary story of the fastest English Electric Lightning in the RAF that managed to intercept the world's highest-flying spy plane, the U-2, and overtake the world's fastest airliner, the Concorde.
Visit my new audio book channel 'War Stories with Mark Felton': • One Thousand Miles to ...
Help support my channel:
www.paypal.me/markfeltonprodu...
/ markfeltonproductions
Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Thanks: Aeroprints.com; Africa23
Thumbnail: BAE Systems
Flt Lt Hale is my dad! He's told me these stories over and over in great detail, every part is just as amazing as it sounds!
Your old man has skills!.....
Good for your Dad! Is he still with us? what did he do afterwards?
Incredible I showed this my 10 year old son he was amazed !!
Much respect to your Dad! 🖖🏻
That's amazing, my father was an American Stationed at Upper Hayford maybe they knew each other.
Humanity is lucky to have folks like Dr Felton to teach history in an unbiased, digestible and informative way. (you won't find that in many mainstream outlets)
Indeed, if only people like him were in charge of running an entire nation or twenty.
I was never a history person but this man renewed my interest. I tend to read more upon the topics mark discuses in his videos.
Always the best content. Best videos on the web.
Dark docs and curious droid create great military history videos as well.
Yeah it’s my favourite channel on KZhead, I love his audio books too👍🍻🇦🇺
I am a retired USN Aviator, when I was a boy, at Aviano Air force Base in the 60's I saw a flight of three British Lightings at high speed at low level, perhaps, 2000 feet, Very Impressive, even by today's standards. They went from horizon to horizon in only a few seconds. it was awsome!
Mark wing block, can't let anyone go to prison can we 👽
Wow that is just nuts 😮
Unfortunately we have just lost a close friend who was a Lightning pilot at Binbrook. He told me numerous stories of just how crazy the Lightning was to fly. RIP Derek.
They only put wings on the lightning to keep the nav lights apart
Subsonic Mike My father knew a pilot that flew Lightnings, he said it basically go as fast as you had the nerve to take it ....one flight he returned and had melted the nav lights
It's a missile with a pilot strapped to it. No wonder Gerry Anderson's boys copied it to make Thunderbird 1.
lol good one...
Roy Cousins thunderbird 1 was miles faster, Mach 19.2 = 15,000mph
@@madbadger85 they obviously just. Ran it's engines on 8%
I distinctly remember my father taking me as a child to one of the Filton airdays, sometime in the 70's. Not a man prone to showing much emotion, I also remember his level of anticipation as the Lightning made passes over the airfield and sharing his sheer exhilaration as it went vertical, hit the reheat and very rapidly became a small dot in the sky before disappearing altogether. Time with my ol' man was all too short, so thanks Mark for enabling me to recall that particular moment. Fabulous channel.
@Jeffery Kitchen I too was at Farnborough air shows in the mid sixties. My biggest memory being 111 squadron taking off in formation them pulling vertical and roaring up and up, the later ones quivering in the heat haze of the first ones. Magnificent! There was always a singleton doing a speed of sound pass where the aircraft had passed us before the sound reached us. I miss that at air shows nowadays. It's all so tame now by comparison.
Thanks for sharing the time you spent with your day. Having lost my dad about a year ago I value other people memories with their father or mother as I do my memories.
I remember two Lightnings 👍🏼🇬🇧😀 flashing past my old Boarding School at treetop height, in Norfolk. (It was an old Country House) ...the shockwaves cracked some windows.👊🏼😲
yes I remember the Lightning going up into the clear blue sky until you lost sight and could only hear the faint rumble in the heavens.Was also lucky enough to see a 4 ship display of Canadian Starfighters at Greenham common many years ago, they started there display from behind the display line and flew over our heads, I will never forget that sound.
@@spaceskipster4412 sounds like tje Biggles version of Top Gun control tower buzz... "Lets rattle old Matron"
Man I love the lightning! Designed in the 1950s and still faster than most modern planes 😍 what a time to be British that must have been
Very short on range though.
@@beagle7622 and.....?
@@cornellkirk8946 he trying to prove to you that he knows something too..... or that your wrong, not entirely sure :P
@@beagle7622 It's range was limited, but you need to remember what it was designed for. It takes off, speeds towards threats, kills or misses, and comes back and lands. It wasn't an air superiority plane intended to hang around an area and dog fight. Having said that, I don't think the 1950s or 60s were that great a time for the UK, empire totally lost, and humiliated by our biggest ally over Suez...
@@zxbzxbzxb1 I know it was an incredible aircraft . I never saw one but was aware of its incredible performance. I assume that bulge on the underside carried fuel , on the later models it seemed to double in size. In the last couple of years with the net I have become aware of how spectacular its performance was.
U2 was astonishing, Lightninq was incredible, but Concorde was truly the most beautiful man made thing ever to fly.
No it wasnt, the spitfire is better looking in all ways
Celtic Bhoy no’nt
Raptor Games and blogz 1, learn how to spell and 2, the Concorde was big, bulky and ugly but the spitfire was sleek, elegant and simply beautiful
Celtic Bhoy 50, 50. The spitfire is probably the most beautiful plane, but for airliners and even some military aircraft standards, Concorde looks amazing.
@@chaoticproductions2522 fair enough
As the famous quote from a Lightning pilot said "You are in total control until you let the brakes off on the runway"
accobra427 - As a fellow member of the Bristol Aerospace Sea Angling Club, who had also been a Test Pilot once said to us - "It goes like sh*t off a shovel!".
Brilliant , go ! Lightning go!
A bit like the Cobra then 😉
Seriously? A gate decoration is a poor tribute to this historic craft. That plane should be in the Royal Museum and flying her real colors.
This is what pisses me off about the uk they don't respect things like say the USA do Yes it should be fully and safely preserved Also I bet no engineers got to do a like for like comparison to find out why it was so fast
@@somethingelse4878 ...yes, becease the US is perfect! ..and lets nothing rust in the open weather for 50+ years, even if they were amongst the last few remaing examples of a military vessel, vehicle, aircraft, prototype or other etc.
Yeah Cosford would be a great place for it. Flying i'd love to see. Never got the chance. But the South African incident springs to mind. Although I don't think they were maintained as well as it should've been. Which brings me onto lifespan of certain parts and whether it's actually viable.
@@razor1uk610 But they do have interest groups and so on to keep what's important to history I have always been pissed off that we didn't keep more Lancaster's and spitfires As a kid I loved the lighting but higher and faster that the u2 that's a hell of a aircraft and deserves better
There are Lightnings in U.K. Museums. I have seen them.
I remember seeing a programme back in the 80's, a German pilot was flying British military aircraft. He was chatting to the RAF pilot as they strapped themselves into a Lightening and he was saying what a remarkable aircraft the Harrier was and how he enjoyed the vertical take off. With that the Lightening left the ground, a massive roar, straight up and the RAF pilot replied "this is a Lightening's vertical take off" His passenger, quite a few grunts and Oh my god's.
The Harrier due to its vertical take off could hit lower altitudes faster than anything Lightning Phantom or any other jet. While they were going down the runway the Harrier was going straight up (as long as it was clean)
@@nigeh5326 Its not much of a boast when the Lightning would be going higher in a matter of seconds!
@@nigeh5326 Lightning could take off at 35mph & immediately go vertical, my guess is that it would pass a Harrier within 50 feet. Very different aircraft with very different roles, it's probably not useful to compare them.
@@alanhat5252one of the advantages with the harrier though, was that it could operate from a small clearing in a forest. Yes ok a lightning only needed to be doing 35mph to leave the ground, but still needed a good length runway to land. Horses for courses, both amazing aircraft in their own way, id say👍
Why can't you spell 'Lightning' and why do you think apostrophes play a part in plurals?
Living in Cape Town I have been privileged to see the Lightening from Thunder City at various airshows and watch her climb like a rocket. She made the Mirage and the South African Cheetah upgrade look agricultural by comparison.
Think they lost one of their lightning in an accident and they got in trouble over it's maintenance records. Pity, I'd love to see one flying
Gone are the days. Imagine our top fighter pilots flying Lightnings, when we needed them most. :(
@@Ob1sdarkside Look up ZUBEX
Shame it couldn't have been shipped over to Britain and temporarily repainted for the RAF 100 flypast in 2018. The cost involved would have justified its presence which, along with several other iconic British aircraft, was sorely missed.
From famous assassinations to record breaking aircraft, we Felton Fanatics are never disappointed. Great job Mark.
In short, Feltonatics.
@@MothaLuva This one should make the dictionary!
U2 pilot: Man it’s lonley up here... XR729 “Big Mother” : Ello’ mate! Bye mate! U2 Pilot: *WHAT THE?!*
And doing it while drinking a nice cup of tea and not wearing a space suit. Pip pip!
Think British this pilot was kind enough to tell the U2 pilot personally the kettle is on.
Lol...
Tally ho
LMAO. Funny!
My father in-law was Colin Cruickshanks! Test pilot. He loved this plane.
Neil - One of 'fellow members' of Bristol Aerospace Sea Angling Club, was a former test pilot, who had flown many types, including US and Soviet - his favorite 'rides' were on the Lightnings. His only regret was they didn't have a greater range or payload.
Always will love the Lightning, the look of the thing takes your breath away, shiney silver !!! That awesome style, swept wing and engine layout says I'm a total rocket and don't mess with me. The best interceptor ever built and it was wholly British 👍👍👍👍😁
It was powerful, had an original looks, and could achieve an unprecedented flight ceiling, but as an interceptor it was inferiour to the Mirages, Drakens, Migs, and the F series US interceptors. The time it could stay in the air was extremely limited. A plane with such characteristics, can't serve as an interceptor. Just have a look: 2 powerful engines, not enough volume in the wings to store so much needed fuel... maybe this was one of the reasons that it didn't last long in the RAF as a fighter. Sometimes I keep thinking what has ever happened to the exteremely brilliant British airplanes designers?
They had class back then
Still my favourite British jet of all time. ❤
My Grandad was on the design team for both Lightning and Concorde! He's a very clever man.
A fact to be very proud of!
I doff my cap.
You mean when clever people were actuly clever i also worked with some of the guys who worked on concorde and tsr2 when i was an apprentice at the RAE
I wonder what happened to that brilliant generation of British aircraft designers. Did the Americans absorb them? Or Airbus?
Cool
I grew up close to Binbrook, so spent many a day sitting on the wooden fence by Crash Gate 5 watching the Lightnings get airborne. Always dreamt of having a go, and indeed, this is what instigated my career. On January 11th 1987, at around 11:00am (not that I remember it well! ) my dreams were realised. I was in NUAS (Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron - big boys ATC) at the time, and had phoned SLOPS to ask if there were any chance of an attachment "to see how a front-line squadron worked" (this was the well-known code for "can I play with your planes Mister?") over the Winter holidays. I spent a week with 5 squadron, being odd-job lackey, tea-walla, and toasted sandwich maker. The first thing someone said when I pitched up on the Monday morning, was "No chance of a ride, the 'tub's' tech' and won't be fixed 'til next week" Undaunted, I carried on, generally brown-nosing, and making myself marginally more useful than a chocolate tea-pot! I did spend some time in the Sim, and had a medical - just in case though! The Lightning's were winding down at the time, but the lads were having a great time. Only the Lightning could carry the FireStreak and the RedTop missiles, and they had a ruddy great arsenal of the things they needed to get rid of. So, instead of the 'once in a career' (in peacetime) live fire, that most of the guys got, they were loosing off these things at a tremendous rate. So, arriving on the Friday morning, I was greated by all smiles, to be told that indeed, the 'tub' was now fixed and that I would be getting a ride after all. We were to be the camera ship for a live missile fire over at one of the ranges by Pembury. So we would get airborne, tanker, film the missile, tanker, and return to Binbrook!!! Woohoo!!! Had to go to the projection room to be briefed about the RedTop missile and what to expect (had to sign the Official Secrets Act again, too.) Came out of the film showing to be met by long faces. The missile ship had gone tech'. After a while, it became apparent that the 'mission' was going to be scrubbed. Luckily, the boss made a comment that it would be a shame to miss both of the tanker slots, as they were difficult to arrange in the first place for something like this (we had, by now, already missed the first), so the chap flying me was told to "show Phil what it can do" - He asked (don't ask me his name, I didn't log the flight on advice from my instructors - advice I now know to be bollocks)! what I wanted to do, so I asked if we could 'beat up' Teeside and Leeming (where NUAS were based) Sadly, they were foggy, as was most of the UK (Binbrook sits on a hill, so was above the fog in the valleys) so it was agreed that he would just do a few things he thought I would enjoy! Suited up, we went out to the aircraft, got assisted in strapping in, matey started her up, and we were away. Time passes, and things are a bit blurry here and there, you have to remember I was a spotty faced lad, only just out of my teens, with less than 100 hours of flying experience. In motoring terms, what was about to happen can be likened to someone who has just ripped up their L plates being taken round Monza in a Ferrari driven by Vettel, or some such! I remember taxiing out to the runway, canopy open, past Crash Gate 5 with the spotters doing what I used to just a few years before - and yes, of course I waved, like I was the coolest 'Top Gun' ace out there! What came next was, for me, the highest of the highlights (and they came thick and fast in the next hour or so!) Having lined up on the runway, I was again reminded to keep my hands clear of the stick and my right leg (I was sitting on the right) clear of the throttles! The 'tub' cockpit is only 9" wider than the single seaters, so it's awfully cosy; it has dual controls in that space, which means, if I were to leave my leg where it would naturally lie, it would impinge on the throttles (thrust levers) that were duplicated along the inside right hand wall of the cockpit. Anyway, carrying on, lined up, matey selects full 'dry power' against the brakes, as the engines reached full chat, brakes released and we shoot forward, reheat is selected (throttles through a gate on the quadrant) and it feels like we're slowing down! Bizarre! Then, Wham! Away we go again, only much, much faster! What happens when the reheat is selected, is that vanes at the rear of the engine open up, in readiness to allow the extra thrust out; but before the reheat ignites this has the effect of reducing the power from the engines. So, we didn't actually slow down as reheat was selected, we just weren't accelerating quite as quickly, and indeed, it is this contrast in rates of acceleration that gives the real 'push in the back' feeling when reheat is selected. So, we're now barrelling down the runway at a vast rate of knots, and we get airborne. He holds the aircraft low and raises the gear, so accelerating even faster. Approaching the end of the runway, he rotates, and up we go. It isn't, technically a vertical climb, it's actually 70degrees, but it feels pretty damned vertical. And it's totally smooth, now no sensation of speed. I can look back over my right shoulder and make out the airfield disappearing beneath us - I imagine looking down from a satellite with a powerful zoom lens and then widening it out would create a similar impression. We didn't have permission to enter upper airspace, so this initial climb stopped at 24,000ft, we simply pulled over onto our back and rolled upright. From brakes off to this manoeuvre was about a minute! Obviously we had traded some speed for height, so, in this case 50,000ft per minute doesn't seem unreasonable - I think if you kept a constant speed/Mach, the rate of climb would be somewhat less. (Even in the Airbus (which I was a Captain on as I originally wrote this) you can get 10,000fpm, for a short time, until you run out of energy!) The rest of the flight was fairly uneventful, we climbed up to 30 something thousand and found the tanker. That was very impressive, sitting under the tail of a VC10 in brilliant blue skies. The skill of my chap in 'plugging in' was, to me, very impressive too, as the basket seemed to bob and weave the closer we got, doing its darnedest to avoid being 'caught'. We then went supersonic, just so I could say I've done it, Mach 1.05. The only thing of note, was how the instruments jumped, as we went through the barrier itself. I was told that the instruments were now reading their correct values, as they were all calibrated for supersonic flight, not poodling around at subsonic levels. Then down low over the North Sea, 'attacking' gas platforms, showing me the radar (peering into a Wellington boot to see the screen!) The low-level acceleration was then demonstrated, we slowed to 250kts, then accelerated to 650kts. It took 20 seconds! The only thing I can liken it to is being in a sports car, accelerating hard, but with no gear changes, it just goes and goes. Wearing the bonedome, there was no chance of me getting my head away from the seat. Time to return to Binbrook. We enter the circuit and make a couple of low approaches and go-arounds; the Lightnings didn't practice 'touch-and-goes' as the tyres were so thin they wore out too quickly. And when they landed they tried to do so with minimum fuel (not difficult) again to preserve the tyres. So as a rule, if you touched the ground you stayed on the ground. Except for us.... Time to land, and we touched down. I wasn't really aware of what was going on at the time, but apparently our brake chute had disconnected, and we weren't going to stop. The T5 didn't have a hook, so taking the arrester cable wasn't an option, we could run off the end and take the RAG, or get airborne again. My bloke chose the latter. Fly off the end of the runway at Binbrook and you'll soon come to Waddington, which is what we did. Shutting down one engine on the way to conserve fuel, leaving the undercarriage down to cool off the brakes (he had already used them, trying to stop at Binbrook), putting out an emergency call, and giving me a recap of how to use the ejection seat! Waddington is lower down than Binbrook, and was still quite misty/foggy, only just within limits. Matey wasn't sure we'd get in, so briefed that we would point the aircraft out to sea, climb as high as our limited fuel state would allow, and then we'd eject! Needless to say, despite me spending the next few minute gripping tightly on to the yellow and black handle between my legs, we landed safely at Waddington. Followed closely by a multitude of fire trucks! There were no Lightning specific ladders at Waddington, to plug into the side, so, after my chap made the canopy and seats safe, I had to clamber out, over his seat, onto the refuelling probe, shuffle back to the wing, and then climb down a pair of step ladders, propped against the wing. We were then told to run away bravely from the aircraft, as the brakes were smoking badly and they were concerned the tyres might blow! After a couple of cups of coffee, the brakes had cooled, a new parachute had been driven over from Binbrook, we refuelled, and I had another flight in the Lightning! This time, no refuelling, but, as ever, a need to land as light as possible, what could we do to burn off fuel? My parents were treated to their very own air display, with me at the controls! Nothing low level, but starting a loop at 8000ft and going over the top at somewhere close to 20,000ft - "just keep pulling and maintain 450kts..." - was immense fun. Although not the neatest aeros I've flown, you can't see the wing, and with no reference I kept coming out of the loops sideways - but who cares, I was having the time of my life. Back for a couple of scoops in the mess afterwards, and probably the most memorable day of my life (don't tell my wife though!) was at an end.
Thanks for sharing - very interesting
Thank you for sharing that. You are a great story teller and I love the British slang, too!
Mark Felton Productions - thanks Mark. I did try to put some pre-amble in the post, but must have hit the KZhead word count limit, so you got the pretty much un-edited version. Obviously, real ex-Lightning pilots will be able to pick holes in the story, but it is certainly how I remember the day, some 33 years ago! Some of the guys are still floating around in the Airline world where I work, and have many much more interesting/entertaining stories than mine - as they are fond of saying ‘every flight in a Lightning was an emergency!’ Great YT channel by the way!
You lucky lucky bas......!
Great yarn! Thank you. I’ll save my hang glider near misses for another U-Tube as they just don’t compare to almost having to eject after such a sweet ride 👍✔️🇬🇧
Absolutely amazing, and awe inspiring aircraft. Mid 60’s - Farnborough - take off, re-heat, standing on it’s tail, the thunderous sound, that was felt in the chest, raw power, as it headed for the stratosphere.
When I was in the RAF in 1975 I heard tell of an intercept by a Lightning that got the attention of the USSR. During the Yon Kippur War of 1973 the Russians were sending Mig23's to Egypt. They were being cheeky and overflying Cyprus. The story went, in the Officers Mess, at RAF St Mawgan where I was based, that the chaps in Cyprus got fed up of this and agreed with the Greeks that they'd get good warning of an overflight so they could get a Ligthning up. This they did, supposed height over 60,000 ft. The story went was that the Russian pilot was suitably impressed with a Lightning descending onto his 6 where no aircraft was supposed to be able to touch him. They didn't do it again. I've had my tale quesitoned quite a few times but this film shows it was perfectly possible.
Mig-23 or Mig-25’s???
@@mvfc7637 Could conceivably have been a Flogger - their service ceiling was around 60000'.
MrHistorian123 incorrect, the USSR sent MIG-25’s to Egypt during that period and they overflew Israel on numerous occasions at 80,000 feet, what you’ve described sounds more like MIG-25’s then MIG-23’s as there’s no record of MIG-23’s being sent to Egypt at that time.
@@mvfc7637 With respect, my comment related ONLY to the fact that a Flogger COULD have been a Russian plane at 60000'. I made no comment about whether it could have been any other model.
MrHistorian123 yes, however the aircraft that were active in the area at the time were reconissance versions of the MIG-25 Foxbat, an aircraft designed with speed and height in mind as its role was to intercept the B-70 Valkyrie. MIG-23’s were the USSR’s tactical fighter force whose role was battlefield air interception, not high altitude reconissance.
Best channel on the KZhead TV
TV??
@@flybeep1661 yes in the original iPhone the built in KZhead logo was an old style TV. That's why channels in youtube are called channels I imagine. Just an old school way of saying it.
The History Guy is pretty good too.
Dark docs and curious droid are well worth a look.
top 3 for sure... there is nothing better than to binge watch Mark's videos....
"Gate guard." Sad end to an outstanding airplane. It should be preserved indoors in a museum.
Yes, it should be at Hendon.
@@wochee I think Hendon has one
At least whoever at the company that decided to take it had great taste
There is one at RAF Cosford, suitably hanging vertically!
There’s one at Carlisle too.
My Uncle built Lightnings at BAE Salmesbury. He told me that the only reason they fitted wings to it was to keep some distance between the Nav lights.
Don't see how mig gets so much credit and no one knows its daddy
Lol
Thanks Mark, I was a fitter and had the privilege of working on these fantastic aircraft. Serving at Binbrook, Coltishall, and latterly Akrotiri in the 60s. I remember them with infinite pride. They would be polished with Walpol to shine the skin , squeezing a few more knots out of them , though we stopped the practice as the metal skin was being eroded. Sadly they leaked like a sieve from the integral fuel tanks. On the before flight service we had a large container and a stop watch to time the drips. From the lowest point of the fuselage, 13 drips/ min was the cutoff, however 14 the a/c was deemed u/s. It would then enter the “Lightening fuel leak programme “ which resulted in patches of “ precision rubber compounds” being applied to the areas which were found to be leaking. The aircraft had the awful reputation of exploding as a result of leaked fuel from the main plane “ pickup” brackets sloshing around in the top engine bay. Thankfully few and far between. We lost some very good pilots as a result. That said this was my all time favourite a/c. British engineers at their best. We had BAC engineers who were advising us, one of whom worked in his youth with Barnes Wallace, I had the pleasure of being assigned to work with him, slightly eccentric but taught me engineering lateral thinking not a practice encouraged in the rigorous engineering world of the RAF. Such halcyon days, though I was not aware at the time. A fantastic period of my life.
My dad worked on these for a brief period at Binbrook during his RAF career and has told me similar tales of how hard they were to keep serviceable. Double stacked engines, tight spaces, high temps and hydraulics routed right where they shouldn't be etc. etc You guys did a fantastic job of keeping them flight worthy and should be rightly proud of you r place in aviation history.
Presumably the RAF keep hold of good fixes though as I'm sure the 'precision rubber compound' you talk of is what he supplied me with. and used to good effect fixing a leak in the bulkhead of my first car at the time a Mark 1 Astra.
You might have worked on one of the aircraft I flew over the channel
As a Yank in my youth I always loved the lines of the Lightning, her stats in the air were unmatched in so many ways. Wish I had kept those posters that lined the bedroom walls. Decades later while gaming with Brit friends, the subject of the Lightning came up. Oddly, those Brit friends found the F4 Phantom to be their favorite aircraft and had their bedroom walls lined with posters of that aircraft! Still have a great soft spot for the Lightning in my heart. Thanks for the lovely history of this incredible aircraft.
Lighting and F 104 Starfighter adorned my bedroom walls 🇬🇧🇺🇸
@@ducatiboy4951 Sorry, I had little respect for the Starfighter. It killed too many pilots.
Figaro de la Colline. ahh the Phantom touches our hearts in a big way that strange looking bird of prey with bent wings and droopy tail. That big lumbering beast of Rolls Royce Spey engines on full reheat. Wonderful machine thanks to our U.S. brothers we had a lovely aircraft that flew many reliable years with the R.A.F's best. Both Lightning and Phantoms flew missions together since the introduction of the F6 and the FGR-2A. Both types have been gate guard's at my old airfield.
As a kid living near to RAF Binbrook, the last active Lightening base, I grew up with them flying overhead. The noise from the engines on take off was immense when they went full reheat and then vertical
And then there was the mighty F-106. Just as fast and high, on a single turbine! Still, the world record holder for single engine turbine, at 1,525 MPH, or mach 2.4! The lightning was out of fuel so fast, that it could only intercept the U-2, 4 out of 16 attempts?
Designed using a pencil, drawing board and slide rule. Pretty damn clever I'd say 👍
Some older Engineers still like their slide rules and their pepper grinder calculators. 🤣
A wing commander showing a young pilot the Lightning for the first time explained that the wings were only there to keep the landing lights apart. Prior to a joint excersize the USAF stated that they didn't believe that the lighting could intercept the B52's before they bombed. The radios were put over the Tannoy at RAF Pembray. Not a single British voice was heard but there was the usual American gabble. Over that suddenly the words 'Jesus Christ' were heard. The squadron of Lightings went vertically through the B52's and went home, for tea and cakes no doubt.
RAF Pembray? You mean Pembrey surely, where Trust SSC was tested. Well the scale model to verify the CFD results.
Felton!!!
More likey a whisky or a stiff brandy, and possibly a cigar.
Mark lightning block
@@hughcdavies Trust SSC? You mean Thrust SSC surely!
I always loved the Lightning. Just a monster. XR-729 "noted as a very hot ship" must have been some beast. Always good to show the Yanks how it's done "the U-2 pilot gobsmacked". OK, so the Lightning could catch Concorde, but remember the Lightning was busting a gut to do it and the pilot was probably losing fillings while people were sipping champagne on Concorde. We forget how amazing Concorde was.
Ha Ha Ha 😀😀👍👍.
The interception of Concorde was when Concorde was being used to simulate an attack on the UK by supersonic high level enemy bombers. The RAF & NATO did not have any aircraft with the performance ( speed & range) to simulate the enemy bombers. The Concorde's were 'owned' by the RAF and had RAF registration numbers inside them.
Lightning, excuse me sir do you know why I intercepted you? Concorde, because I let you.....
@@mattwalden4020 I always wondered if the reason Concorde was banned from the USA after 9/11 was that the USA did not have any aircraft capable of intercepting it if it was hi-jacked. The intercept protocol requires the intercepting aircraft to fly alongside the airliner and perform various 'follow me' or you will be shot down maneuvers. Did any American fighter have the performance to perform the intercept and then perform the protocol maneuvers at Mach 2 before running out of fuel ?
@@johnmurrell3175 could be part of it. Not sure what was happening behind the scenes but Concorde was retired citing airframe time and airbus width drawing support.
Two bloody great engines with the bare minimum of aircraft holding them together... And a seat stuck on top.
And enough fuel to take off... perhaps make ONE interception...then land to refuel. I suppose that works for Island defence....
@@trooperdgb9722 That's what it was designed for.
They put those ungainly overwing tanks, a belly tank, and I think it had inflight refueling added if I am correct.
@@trooperdgb9722 ^
@@levischittlord6558 Totally ruined it. Military need should never take priority over aesthetics. What's a few atom bombs going off when compared to being totally fabulous?
*Lightning Intercepts U-2* “Allow me to introduce myself.” -Sr-71
The Swedes intercepted the SR-71 on many occasions with their Viggens. Piece of cake for the Lightning
Bartonovich52 Locking onto something is one thing but hitting it is another. Especially with a missile with a limited burn time.
When you lock on to something multiple times, surely you’d be able to hit it at least once. Also, some of you need to learn about zoom climbs and collision course interceptions. It’s all very well documented. Also the interceptions done by the Soviets.. including one where they put Mig-31s from every angle. It’s only because the SR-71 never actually penetrated Soviet airspace that it wasn’t immediately shot down.
Good luck with the interception, you have to deal with a plane that goes over Mach three at its operational altitude of 85,000 feet covering almost 37 miles in a minute requiring a rapid response to even get close to it. A Viggens operational ceiling is around 59,000 feet above that altitude performance starts to suffer because of thin air. The Sr-71 can maintain that speed for 90 mins before needing to refuel at its operational speed of Mach 3 the Viggen is just over Mach 2 so it would be hell to get ahead of a Blackbird or to catch up to one plus running the afterburner consumes a lot of fuel much faster than the Blackbird which becomes more efficient as it gets faster meaning a long pursuit means the Viggen might need to break off the chase. If a Viggen locks onto a Blackbird most likely with Longe Range Missiles the missile accelerates quickly but the burn time only lasts so long and in its final phase runs out of Propellant and starts to lose energy especially from a low altitude going upwards. The Blackbird meanwhile is able to keep up its energy for ninety minutes before needing a tanker. If a missile is faster than the Blackbird the closing speed would start to decrease as the propellant ran out reducing the missiles energy. Even slight corrections in the direction the Blackbird would be heading could cause it to bleed energy in the maneuver as well. Plus if it were a real operation the pilot and the people planning the operation would exploit gaps in air defense to reach the position where photos can be taken with the Blackbird flying so high and fast they could take photos from very far away from what it was reconing.
F P , that was the u2's attitude.
As a wee child I was regularly taken to RAF Coltishall to watch these things strut their stuff and those experiences have stayed with me ever since. This was the first (of now many ) Mark Felton Production videos I've watched
My dad did his National Service at RAF Binbrook as ground crew, arriving there shortly after the Lightnings. He always said that he had a huge fondness for the planes.
My dad was Captain, and squadron leader of 800 Squadron, in the FAA (Fleet Air Arm) of the RN. He was also selected to introduce the Harrier to the USA Navy and Air force in 1970. It saw the US special forces astonished with just what the Sea Harrier could really do. The US special forces then insisted that was the aircraft they wanted and needed. After many arguments and much squabbling, they eventually got their way, and he trained their first combat squadron. We also off loaded quite a few of our older and retired Harriers to the US, so they could learn all about its design, while training their engineers on its engines, airframe, and construction. 9 years we spent over there, helping the USA get the licence to jointly build the BAE Harrier II, but with a different government in the UK, that idea was shelved. And the US gained the licence to build the AV-8 series of the Sea Harrier, with the US only allowed to make very few modifications to the design because of the difficulty the British had had with the VTOL.
He also flew the Buccaneer’s (an aircraft I've been in many times, from the age of about 11) LOL... Well things were a lot different back then, and us kids would go to see the old man on Sundays if they were at our home bases, and whenever it was quiet we'd often talk our way into a flight on whatever aircraft they were with LOL. The old Fairey Gannets were awesome to fly in, what an incredible view! I've also flown in the Harrier GR 7, GR 9 also the Sea Harrier, plus nearly every helicopter you could think of, including the old, world speed record holder, the Lynx. I've flown many Gliders, but the most amazing and impressive of them all, was indeed the Buccaneer. You just can't describe what it feels like to travel at an altitude of only 10 - 15 feet, at speeds of 450 - 550 mph. Seeing garden hedges as blurs LOL, flying straight over them, skimming the branches, hahaha. That aircraft, the Buccaneer, I'll never forget, it scared the living life out of me.
How am I just finding this channel? Given my obsession with aviation, I'm surprised I had never seen it. One of the best channels on KZhead for sure.
I was stationed at Upper Heyford from 1987 to 1989 as an aircraft specialist working on F-111E models. Thank you for this bit of cold war history involving my first USAF/USAFE assignment.
I live 6 miles from Upper Heyford,really miss seeing the F-111's.
I saw a Lighting "go vertical" at the 1968 Farnborough air display, the same year as the last public, fixed wing, air display by the RN (the not so "Silent Service!") and the first time the Harrier flew in public. Three very memorable events.
I lived in London, England from 1963-1969, and was building a plastic model or as they called it "kit" one fine afternoon when I felt the house shake and heard a blast. I went out side and looked around, and it was a clear, sunny day. I came to find in the news a little later that they were testing breaking the sound barrier with the Lightning to find if people could tend having the Concorde going supersonic. No one wanted it, and they were afraid the blasts would break the houses and apartments down. Thus, the Concorde was not allowed to go supersonic over London.
Really cool to see the Cold War allies pushing each other with technology like this. As the proverb says, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted."
When I was learning to fly in the 1960s' there was an ag pilot flying for a company based on the same airfield. He had been a RAF pilot on Lightnings and spoke of intercepting the Russian aircraft. From brakes release to 50,000' + to intercept to recovery back on the ground - 15 to 20 minutes. Heady stuff for a teenager flying a PA 28.
Probably the greatest interceptor ever made!
I stood in a garden in Bracknell, Berkshire in 1989 and watched Concorde climbing having just taken off from Heathrow. The sound was absolutely thrilling. A truly wondrous thing to see. Very sad that they've disappeared into history.
Interesting video. First saw this aircraft when former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson bought a surplus one to use as a lawn ornament of all things.
Seriously? Clarkson has one of these in his yard?
SadWings Raging Clarckson has man things in his yard other than gnomes, think he had a harrier as well
@@89schofe I knew there was a reason I liked him even if he is a snob to Americans but he can get over it.
He used to have one I think I read somewhere he got shot of it, his then wife wasn’t keen apparently
@@sadwingsraging3044 There is a program on KZhead somewhere showing Clarkson ( and his missus of the time) taking delivery of the Lightning during the snow...it got bogged-down in the grass on his driveway.
Everybody: No other plane can intercept ours! Flt Lt Hale: *sips tea* Observe...
I still get rendered speechless at these stories. What a utter shame both Concorde and the Lightning are no longer flying.
+Dave Stubbs Flt Lt Hale: .... what the manual means with adequate performance, the BRRRRRRRRRRITISH way.
Dave Stubbs flt lt Hale hold my beer old bean
@@davidhollenshead4892 poor level of safety? Far from the truth. For 30 years Concorde had a brilliant safety record, a perfect zero. The debris on the runway was from a Continental Airlines plane and CA were found to be 'criminally responsible' for the crash.
@@WarhammerWings At a time when Britain still believed in itself, had not been deindustrialised, liberalised and multiculturised and many of its scientists and engineers still worked for the nation and not the global empire.
It would be an interesting story to find out why this particular lightning was so much better than all the others
There was a story I heard growing up of a kind of 'games day' that pilots would engage in when the base commander was away. One was to take and land as soon as possible but you had to look left while coming into land and salutte the referree(meteors). A games day occurred at a lightning base. They were to climb as high as posssible....or some such. One pilot, was so high the plane tumbled...when he returned to base there was no paint on the aircraft.
The Lightning!! My favourite aircraft, fantastic video!
I've got the MB ejector seat out of one for my computer chair, still with the lambs wool seat pad ;)
Coming home from work late, tired exhausted ready to get my mind off the trials of the day, another Mark felton video that brings me back to the past whether its the daring heroism of the world wars, or like this video of the great technological advancement during the golden age of jet aviation.
Lived close to Biggin as a boy. Never, never missed the annual airshow. Highlight was always the Lightning Display for me. Couldn't do it these days (H&S) but there was always a "surprise" lone Lightning which would break away from the main flight then suddenly appear from nowhere at an amazing speed at what seemed like 100ft over the runway. One didn't hear it until it had passed by then it would ignite both afterburners and go vertical with the most wonderful sound. The girls always used to scream, but you couldn't hear them of course! What a beautiful aircraft that was! Second favourite was of course the Vulcan display!
I think it was watching Lightning air displays that convinced me to join the RAF in 1979. Their sudden appearance from nowhere, shaking the air inside your lungs was utterly amazing
I was at the Biggin airshows in the late 60s, that screeching roar as the lightnings lit reheat and turned from aeroplane into rocket, and that shocking sillhouette going vertical made a lasting impression.
When to a show at Farnborough in the early 60's with my father! Saw the Lightning flown by R. P. Beamont. It absolutely scared the hell out of me! The noise and the 'ground rumble'!! My father never took me again!!
Again a bloody great video and great new stories on a great plane! Even as an eightyear old kid I was in awe of the EE Lightning at Farbrorough. And still am. Seeing this video again rightly so.
There was one aircraft the lightening was left standing by. Another British aircraft. The TSR2, piloted by Roly Beaumont with one Olympus on full reheat it left its lightening chase planes for dust. The best aircraft the RAF never had.
Yeah those Lightening's were on full reheat during that testing phase of TSR2
I do have to clarify that the TSR2 was designed specifically for low altitude speed, whereas the Lightning was designed to climb very quickly and then accelerate to high speed. This in no way decreases the impressiveness of the TSR2, it just serves to highlight that the lightning was most likely out of it's design envelope during these tests.
go see the TSR2 at RAF Cosford and leave traumatised - wondering why the bloody hell it was cancelled
Farmer ned 6 bureaucracy, politicians and budget cuts.
@@springbok4015 I know - I've had years find out about it I saw it first when I was about 11 , the damn thing looks so WRONG just being there,
Being such an important individual plane, that Lightning should be in the RAF museum in Hendon. Or on display preserved at Duxford.
Watched 4 of these at Marham take off at dawn back in the day.The vertical takeoff and the noise is something no one could forget,more like a rocket than a plane
This highlights a very curious aspect of mechanics - countless models can be made, all from the same parts and most generally have the same performance... only every now and then you get ones which are pure dogs and always will be, and every so often you get ones that seem to come together beyond perfect, like this plane, which not only can do no wrong, they constantly exceed spec. There are fine subtleties at work all around us, of which we are not aware, and of which we have no control.
I’ve heard of airframes that were a constant problem child... they would always be a vibration or buffeting coming from somewhere it flight and the engineers and manufacturers would never be able to find out where it came from. Interestingly when they tried to convert the Nimrod MR2 to MR4. British Aerospace found out that the new wings wouldn’t fit on half the Nimrods, as each airframe was slightly different. They were originally built using wooden jigs and these wood jigs would expand and shrink with temperature and humidity. The Comets / Nimrods built in winter being a different size to those built in summer.
I was wondering the same thing. I know that display Tucanos are selected from the herd by the chief as the best ones. I guess it must be an elusive combination of factors. I wish someone would rescue BM and find out WHY it was better ? HOW is it different from its siblings ?
Yes, it;s all a bit strange....as a former design engineer for production line equipment, we;d design and build say 10 identical systems all built at the same time and by the same people. 7 would perform as expected, 2 would forever need tweeking to function properly. One however would be better than we could hope for and would just keep the working perfectly without any attention at all. Electro mechanical systems do seem to have personalities.
Again I learned something new from Dr. Felton.
I'm sure Derek Meddings took inspiration from the Lightning when he designed Thunderbird 1.
Listening to these amazing feats of jet fighter flying with the Lightning almost suggests it ought to still be in service! Another fascinating story, thanks for posting.
Like electric cars, electric jets are the way forward. Until the "computer says no"
A related story: The Swedish Air Force managed to intercept and get radar lock on the SR-71 Blackbird with the JA 37 Viggen back in the 1980s. This was achieved by using the predictable flight plan of the SR-71 peace time sorties at the time, flying around the Baltic Sea, and carefully timing the intercept climbs in order to meet the SR-71 head on at the right moment. The Viggen was not designed for very high altitudes and could only manage to stay that high very briefly, so these intercept were very delicate. Radar lock was achieved by feeding the JA 37's targeting data from ground control radar stations via datalink, so when the JA 37 was in range it could switch on its own radar and have instant lock that the SR-71 couldn't jam. Simulated Skyflash missiles were fired, and were deemed to have a reasonable chance of hitting. But these intercepts were not done in anger, but rather just to see if it could be done since the SR-71 already had a reputation of being unreachable. Here is an interview with a Viggen pilot describing these intercepts: rtmCUsKkqNA
I believe the Viggen was also designed as a quick reaction interceptor with a very high rate of climb , especially since their perceived threat is very close by which explains the similar performance figures .
I remember when the Viggen used to appear at Farnborough Airshow back in the 70s. A very impressive, not to say unusual beast.
One pilot over Czechoslovakia locked SR-71 with MiG23.. sadly he was not allowed to fire missiles.. could be interesting test :)
@@pauldavidson6321 The Viggen airframe was designed to be multi purpose, and first developed into an attack version (AJ 37), then a reconnaissance version (S 37) and last a fighter version (JA 37). It was the latter version that did the SR-71 intercepts, as my original comment mentions. It was not intended or designed for the types of speeds and altitudes the SR-71 operates at, but rather the more typical parameters tactical aircraft operate within. They had to push the aircraft to the very edge of its capability and even then it could just barley do it. And this feat was at least, if not more, due to the aircrafts avionics and radar in conjunction with supporting ground radar. But that arguably only makes it more remarkable.
@@xmeda sadly? Could have ended up with a dead pilot and the world coming closer to world war 3 because of the increased tensions.
Again a great quality video ... U never fail to impress , a very well done indeed
When I was a young father I took my three-year-old Son to an airshow at Southend on Sea airport. There was both a Spitfire and an Hurricane, the Red Arrows and sundry other civilian and military aircraft. Another and much anticipated thrill was to be the arrival over the show of an RAF Llghting which was to take off from an airfield in Lincolnshire. The announcer: ‘ The lightning has just taken off’. He’ll be here in 8 minutes. Look to the North for his landing light. Tick tock tick tock, a pin prick of light and whoomph … she streaked in low, got to the middle of the airfield and stood straight up on her tail and about three seconds later disappeared into cloud at about 2000 ft. The noise… I cannot describe it. Incredible. The sense of pride in the entire show also indescribable. The only sad note is that my young Son had been terrified by the sudden cacophony of sound and cried bitterly. He was inconsolable and I had to take him home.
Another wonderful clip from Mark! I am always amazed at the photos and videos he draws out of some vault somewhere. Please keep them coming.
I love the fact that there was an inexplicably quick lightening.
But not by much.Most F4s couold achieve similar altitudes and speeds in excess of Mach 2.2.
@richard williams yes but faster is faster
@@Thesomersetgimp "yes but" not "inexplicably" so.
@@richardwilliams6132 But not intercept a plane with people drinking booze in casual attire!
I remember seeing photos of my father flying Lightnings in the late 50s and early 60s (it seems that they took photos of each other as souvenirs) and as a young boy, I was in absolute awe but I fully appreciated the Lightnings achievements until now ........... so thank you Mr Felton, very much enjoyed and I will send it on to the family's young-uns.
One ought to remember the designer of the Lightning Teddy Petter as well. Amongst others he had the Lysander, Whirlwind, Welkin, Canberra, Lightning & Gnat to his name. The Canberra derivative built by Lockheed Martin is still flown as a high altitude research aircraft by NASA. He was the Son / Grandson of the family of engineers that built the Petter Single & Twin cylinder diesel engines which have outlived most of the aircraft.
What an awesome “lead sled” the Lightning was. Love these old hot ships of the 50’s.
I was an Air Cadet in 1971 and sat in a Lightening at Binbrook during our summer camp - totally awesome.
I was an air cadet in 1982 but in a totally unrelated incident I sat in both a Lancaster and Vulcan cockpit when I was invited to pay a visit to 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton.
American U 2: I am immune to at this altitude! RAF: Hold my pint...
SR-71: “This Bud's for you.”
@@johntechwriter they for got that one lol
@@johntechwriter *smiles in Draken.... "Smile for the Skyflash!"
@@johntechwriter AJS-37: Laughs in Swedish
@70 Series Tires
Absolutely amazing! Thank you Mark for this one.
Before the Red Arrows there was a display team The Black Diamonds flying Lightnings. To see and hear them pulling tight turns with full afterburner was one hell of a spectacle.
This channel is one of the genuine gems on the internet.
Great stuff! Pilots used to say the altimeter gauge on Lightnings went, "50, 60, classified....."
Brought back some happy childhood memories that has, when I was a kid my Dad would take my Brother and I to RAF Binbrook, to watch the lightnings take off from crash gate no 3, the pilots used to wave to us, and we used to wave back, my Dad would take photo's, some i still have in the loft i think, then they would get clearance for take off, you heard those throttles opening and it was bye bye, awesome sound, happy memories !!
I remember 1983 being in a Transit van skiving off work for East Lindsey council at the end of the runway as the Lightnings dropped the tail and went vertical, the jet wash was incredible rocking the van spilling tea all over the place, the pilots always seemed happy to put on a show for the many folks who would gather to watch them at Binbrook, fantastic days and going to Donna Nook to watch the A10 Warthogs when we were still at school we would go out there looking for old shell cases and fragments of practice bombs, then pedal back all the way home with whatever we found
Thank you for sharing them.
micky mondo - ‘tea all over the place’ 😂😂
British grit, truly amazing; kudos to pilot Hale, RAF, Mark Felton.
Lightning's were awesome! Having an extra amazing one just wasting away in the Scottish weather is just so wrong!
It should be restored to its former glory & maintained, its a beacon of Great Britain 🇬🇧
@@davidbrooks187 There was one in a field next to the A1for decades, don't know if it's still there!
*Lightnings.
Now gone mate.Had been for years.Was cannibalised and stripped for souvenirs.Remember passing it just before it went,and it was in a sorry state.A real shame.....☹
@@sprinter1832 Paul, you're right. I lived there, at RAF Swinderby Camp which was adjoined to the airfield. The Lightening was left on the far end runway (which was what you were describing) and used for fire rescue and firefight training. My father who was stationed there took me over to it 2 or 3 times and that was about 45 years ago. It was pretty devoid of parts, even then.
Such interesting stuff, this really blows my mind, I didn’t know the lightening was this good!
Matt Rowland it was fast and had a great ceiling, but it didn't have the combat capabilities of the century series American fighters.
I forget the pilots name that said it but he was USAF back in the 60s and he said if the RAF weren't our allies the lightning was a plane to be scared of. In fact it might have been in this channel I heard it
Great story!
@@neildahlgaard-sigsworth3819 It was an interceptor and in that role it was unbeatable right up to being retired...
Neil Dahlgaard-Sigsworth .... To be fair the Lightning wasn’t a fighter, it was an Interceptor... It only had to “get up there bloody quick” which it obviously did😉😉 Therefore built for a different combat role initially..
That is amazing,for such an ungainly looking jet without the smooth lines of it's contemporaries it certainly blitzed them.
My dad’s still very much around. For those interested I could see if he would do a live q&a? He’s obviously a much older man now living a steady life, but still running his own business and actually teaching aviation at a college.
Awesome story as usual, from someone who understands the importance of history, thank you sir for all you do. 👍😎
As I've commented before, your ability to come up with fascinating videos with unique insights on subjects a lot of your subscribers thought they knew lots about already is brilliant! Loved this video.
I was an Air Radar tradesman when I was serving in the RAF. My first posting was on 5 Squadron at RAF Binbrook in 1971. I served on the Squadron until 1973 and got posted to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Shortly after my posting there I got detached onto 56 Squadron which was the resident Lightning Squadron at RAF Akrotiri at that time until the Squadron returned to the UK after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. I returned to the UK in 1975. The Lightning was a wonderful aircraft and I have happy memories of serving on both squadrons.
The more I learn about the Lightening (and her pilots), the more I am astounded. One hell of an Aircraft.
I remember going to RAF Abingdon air show in the early 80’s and crying because the Lightning was so incredibly loud you could feel your insides shake. We were outside the fence and several panes of glass shattered in a red telephone box as it flew low level. The power of those engines must have been huge.
Remember the raf ground crewman that took off in a lightning when a fueling tanker crossed in front of him while doing a break test
Taffy Holden, also missed a de Havilland Comet. Wasn't so much a brake test as trying to find an electrical fault.
There is a video about this on u tube
@@nigeh5326 the history guy
That was at RAF Lyneham.
I'll never forget seeing one at Finningley. Loudest thing I ve heard, took off and went vertical. Insane power.
I was at RAF St Athen Doing my driver training In those days it was a trade training base for apprentices etc , They had a lightning there that had some work done on it when they flew it out the noise was phenomenal !. The jaguar was the same but a very high pitch that was defining so was the Vulcan that we had for the fly over at the pass out parade at Swinderby . that was in 1974 .
I visited RAF Binbrook last weekend as I live in LIncolnshire not far from RAF Scampton and Waddington. There is barely any runway left at Binbrook, the hangers are still there and there are 1 Lightning complete and 1 in pieces, such a shame they withdrew them as they were the most amazing machines! I also visited a complete Lightning in a farmers yard which is also in Binbrook. great video, hard to believe it flew so high
I saw the U-2 fly into RAF Fairford last summer, a beautiful plane to see.
Yes, there are usually at least two based there, they fly most days out over my house heading north east .... then back again in the afternoon.
Saw Lightnings often flying low-level over northern Scotland - god the noise!
Possibly aircraft from 23 and 111 Squadrons based at RAF Leuchars. I was there with my dad from 73-76.
What a plane. Impressive...to say the least. We do not build aircraft like that any more..instead we give and sell all the information to others..we need to keep it here. I was always impressed with Vulcan Bombers...but now impressed with this video... Well done RAF...we salute all of you..my father was RAF...👍👏👏👏👍
One of the best channels on KZhead. Much appreciated.
Mark Felton: Top video. I always thought the U2 would use quite a lot of runway and lumber into the air: then I watched a few take - offs. I was rather surprised how quickly it climbed. It was also incredibly noisy. It was, of course, just one type of spy plane the US Airforce employed. See if you can find any references to Floordoor and Ruby Murray. A couple of years later I occasionally watched Lightnings taking off. I think the Blue Jobs had painted them an olive drab colour by that time, which did not suit the aircraft as much as the silver/aluminium colour. When a Luftwaffe F104 flew overhead we always used to shout "duck", due to it's perceived tendency to fall out of the sky.
Most of that perception was due to two factors. One, the downward firing ejection seats in the earlier models. Not the best Kelly Johnson moment for sure. Two, the Germans. There is a documentary out there called 'One More Walkaround' about General Alton D. Slay, free to watch on Amazon Prime, and in the documentary he talks about flying with the Germans when they had the Starfighter. I wont ruin it for you so watch the movie and the answer will be clear on why the Germans gave the 104 that reputation. If you love planes and great stories it is a must watch.
The F104 was known as the widow maker by the Germans and with good reason it had a poor accident record
@@nigeh5326 They trained flying too low. If you do stupid things there are consequences. Period.
@@sadwingsraging3044 they bought the wrong plane! The F-104 was never intended to be a low level interceptor.
@@juststeve5542 there is a time and place. Flying low level exceedingly fast in an F-104 ain't bloody it for sure. Watch the video I reference above. The General talks about this specific plane and what he witnessed while flying with the Germans.
Thank you for posting, Mark. I've been a Lightning fan since I was a teenager, along with it's rival, the Starfighter.
Visited a RAF base in 1972 with the Air Training Corps. Meet the lighting air crew .The lightning interceptor was waiting in a small hangar open both ends on its own runway. The air crew was relaxing in a nearby hangar a jeep parked outside ready for the dash to the waiting lightning.Then takeoff and intercept . Amazing aircraft. A fine example fo British creative design innovation.
Spent a week on Air Cadet camp at RAF Binbrook in the mid-1980's with 5 and 11 Squadrons and their Lightnings, fantastic bit of kit and a great week! Thanks again Mark.
My father always talked about the Lightning. At the time I preferred the F4 Phantom. I always thought the Lightning was ungainly. I knew it was fast, but never That fast? No wonder my dad loved it so much.
found out your old man had the need for speed eh
Agree with MusicMadMaurice - how is the Lightning ungainly in comparison to the F-4? The Lightning might not be the most elegant of craft (especially compared with the Concorde) but the F-4 was downright ugly, even it's biggest fans and loyal crews thought it to be so. Was a very capable and advanced design, a great fighter, but it's probably among the least attractive aircraft to ever bulldoze a hole in the sky.
@@quillmaurer6563 I once heard a Phantom driver describe the F4 as "Proof that if you put big enough engines on a brick, it'll fly."
@@HappyFlapps I've heard that, as well as descriptions of it as "a brick with afterburners." I have a friend who was an old F-4 driver, I've always thought of trying to make a patch or picture of some sort depicting a house-brick with afterburner flames coming from the holes, I think he'd find that very amusing.
@@richardvernon317 Interesting points of comparison. The ease of flying the Lightning is proven by the accidental flight by a mechanic with no or minimal flying qualifications, he managed to safely get it back on the ground - lot of fighters there'd be no hope of that, especially that era supersonic jets. For the rest of it, the Lightning was probably more specialized than the Phantom, as the Lightning was basically a point-defense-interceptor intended to catch incoming Soviet bombers, for that mission it needed to be really fast and climb quickly but didn't need to be particularly good in a dogfight against another fighter or heavily armed (generally bombers are regarded as sitting ducks once you get to them). The Phantom was more of an all-purpose aircraft, in fact it was originally designed for carrier ops for the Navy, which they used it for. More capable in a variety of missions, a Jack of all trades, master of none. This is true of anything, make something for one mission and it will be great at that and nothing else, something designed to do everything won't do anything particularly well, choose the compromise for your needs.
7:32 That really looks like Thunderbird 1 from that angle. My inner child just laughed with joy.
Back in the day when there was no restrictions at air shows, i'll always will remember the Lightning flashing past at Biggin Hill air show. The commentator told us to look right as the Lightning approached. It was going so fast, that the plane flew past us soundless and then as it climbed away a sudden roar hit us and on top of that it came back and hit the sonic boom. Those were the best air shows ever.
Great description - Me and my Dad went to a few airshows back then and experienced the same. The Lightenings always did high speed passes. I'll never forget the sound, and the sheer power of those things to literally shake the earth as they climbed away on full re-heat. Amazing.
As a military brat I lived approx 350 metres from the end of Changi RAF base (no fences!), we were regularly (weekly?) visited by Lightnings from RAF Tengah. Two in formation would stand on their tails, afterburners lit and go vertical. Showing off to Changi Transport Command I surmise, but just spectacular and the noise; brings tears to my eyes as I write.
This is probably the best channel on KZhead, you've taught me alot about aircraft and what happend during ww2, cold war and the Falklands war. 👏
love the Lightning!!! one of my all time favourite Cold War era jets
1970 - RAF Leuchars - Hot line refuelling Lightnings from a fabric tank next to the runway. Noisy and extremely risky because the pilots kept the engines running while refuelling took place. It was a challenging job but always great fun and they were halcyon days for me, a young man doing his military service. Thanks for those wonderful additional memories Vicky. Your dad's service helped to keep this country safe during the cold war years. You are rightfully and justifiably very proud of him.
What an airplane ! Greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪.Thanks.