Derek Rowlands
Derek Rowlands
A lovely memory of just what an impression a Lightning could leave on those who witnessed them in flight.
From his son Andy Rowlands - (Derek served with the RAF and was posted to the Canal Zone in the Suez Crisis in 1956)
I asked Dad today about Lightnings. He did say when he was at a company called Muzak in the early 60s, he was fitting some PA equipment at RAF Gaydon & he saw a Lightning come in at low speed with wheels down, then wheels up and it stood on it's tail and "burned a hole through the clouds vertically", which I believe was a trademark of the Lightning in particular. He said you could see the 'dancing diamonds' in the exhaust and it was the loudest thing he's ever heard
From his son Andy Rowlands - (Derek served with the RAF and was posted to the Canal Zone in the Suez Crisis in 1956)
I asked Dad today about Lightnings. He did say when he was at a company called Muzak in the early 60s, he was fitting some PA equipment at RAF Gaydon & he saw a Lightning come in at low speed with wheels down, then wheels up and it stood on it's tail and "burned a hole through the clouds vertically", which I believe was a trademark of the Lightning in particular. He said you could see the 'dancing diamonds' in the exhaust and it was the loudest thing he's ever heard
Derek - stood on the wing of a Sunderland Flying Boat during his time with the RAF