I am indebted to Wing Commander (Retired) Graham Perry for his memories of flying in the right-hand seat of XS420.
Lightning Memories – Graham Perry
Graham at the conclusion of his flight aboard XS420. Note the No. 2T Squadron markings.
|
In 1974 and 1975, the Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Coltishall and the Lightning Squadrons at RAF Wattisham and RAF Leuchars were disbanded, leaving just two Squadrons (5 and 11) and the Lightning Training Flight at RAF Binbrook as the sole operators of the aircraft for the next thirteen years. All the RAF Lightnings were gathered at Binbrook and a rotating programme of storage/servicing/flying for each aircraft was devised so that the airframe fatigue life of the fleet could be managed to last for the required time. Much re-allocation of aircraft was needed between the Squadrons and the Engineering Wing to achieve a workable plan, and it was a turbulent period.
|
For stored aircraft, the depth of storage varied between ‘not available until a major servicing has been carried out’ to ‘serviceable and squadron-ready in days if needed’. Those in the latter category had to be test-flown every six months.
The first aircraft from Engineering Wing storage due to be flown in this way was Lightning T.5 XS420, the one on display at F.A.S.T. At the time I was the Senior Engineering Officer of No. 11 Squadron and, with one of our pilots nominated to fly it, apparently what I wanted to do more than anything else in the world was to occupy the right-hand seat.
The air test went well at first, the aircraft reaching 40,000 feet in under 3 minutes and the engines behaving well when shut down (one at a time!) and re-lit at that altitude. Then a check that both reheats and engine nozzle systems operated correctly, with all engine temperatures and pressures remaining within their permitted ranges. However, a hydraulic problem then asserted itself, so we made a precautionary return to Binbrook.
As this was the first such air test of a stored aircraft, a reception party and photographer were on hand to greet XS420 and this picture was taken at that time. Tea and medals followed shortly afterwards.
The first aircraft from Engineering Wing storage due to be flown in this way was Lightning T.5 XS420, the one on display at F.A.S.T. At the time I was the Senior Engineering Officer of No. 11 Squadron and, with one of our pilots nominated to fly it, apparently what I wanted to do more than anything else in the world was to occupy the right-hand seat.
The air test went well at first, the aircraft reaching 40,000 feet in under 3 minutes and the engines behaving well when shut down (one at a time!) and re-lit at that altitude. Then a check that both reheats and engine nozzle systems operated correctly, with all engine temperatures and pressures remaining within their permitted ranges. However, a hydraulic problem then asserted itself, so we made a precautionary return to Binbrook.
As this was the first such air test of a stored aircraft, a reception party and photographer were on hand to greet XS420 and this picture was taken at that time. Tea and medals followed shortly afterwards.
When I returned to RAF Binbrook in the early 1980s as the Engineering Wing boss, I was pleased to see XS420 on the Lightning Training Flight line every morning. The aircraft continued to give great service, helping to train the last group of RAF pilots who were lucky enough to have been chosen to fly the Lightning.