The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums - View Single Post - Lightning vs U-2 and Concord

SCP440 · 15th February 2020, 16:37

I was stationed at Binbrook in 5 sqn when this happened. Great times.

Some of the Lightnings were just better than others, we had some that would never go unserviceable and others seemed to be always in pieces having repairs.

I suspect if they had better range we could have sold a lot more of them, 600 gallons might sound like a lot but they would drink that easily in an hour or less, on full power they could empty the tanks in 20 mins.

We used to joke we had more Lightnings at Doggerbank than at Binbrook.

The final airshow in 88 the pilots really showed what they could do. Seeing an aircraft come across the airfield at less than 100 feet and go vertical above you was incredible as you could feel the heat from the jet wash.

Sadly the only place to see them still flying in South Africa if you have the money.

15th February 2020, 16:37	#4
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	I was stationed at Binbrook in 5 sqn when this happened. Great times. Some of the Lightnings were just better than others, we had some that would never go unserviceable and others seemed to be always in pieces having repairs. I suspect if they had better range we could have sold a lot more of them, 600 gallons might sound like a lot but they would drink that easily in an hour or less, on full power they could empty the tanks in 20 mins. We used to joke we had more Lightnings at Doggerbank than at Binbrook. The final airshow in 88 the pilots really showed what they could do. Seeing an aircraft come across the airfield at less than 100 feet and go vertical above you was incredible as you could feel the heat from the jet wash. Sadly the only place to see them still flying in South Africa if you have the money.