Stewart Whitehead
With thanks to Stewart for sending me his memories of working with Lightnings.
I was seconded to the BAC Warton Service Department from BAC Filton Service Department in September 1966 and worked on Lightnings first as a Service Engineer/Fitter on Contractors Working Parties at Wattisham and Coltishall, then at Binbrook for a CAT3 repair of XM147 (Mk1A) involving a wing change. After that I was promoted to being a Technical Representative at one point back at Binbrook, living in 'Alcatraz', I returned to Filton Service Department to support Concorde pre-flight testing in late 1968.
Regarding XS420, no I didn't touch her, don't blame me if anything falls off, although the forward fuselage section of the Mk5s were manufactured at Filton.
The BAC Contractors Working Party would number up to about 100 in those days, some electricians and fitters were supplied through Fields and Star Aviation, recruited from adverts in the Daily Express and Daily Mirror. We were competing with Vickers at Barrow who were desperate for electricians, I think it was for HMS Repulse. We were bringing the Mk3 aircraft up to Mk6 standard to take the Red Top missile, install brushless alternators, add extra cooling to the engine bays and cure wing leaks. We didn't modify the Mk5s (or Mk4s, and Mk1s, the Mk2s were in Germany).
Each week we would receive the two QRA aircraft on Monday morning after they had woken everyone up on their dawn patrol. We would usually have those aircraft for two weeks, longer if they were leakers. The RAF armourers would unload the missile and the dummy, the canopy and ejector seat, sometimes the radar would be removed. Then we would level the aircraft, take the engines and jet pipes out and start our mod programme. There would be up to ten fitters and electricians to each aircraft. When the mods were complete, we would install the jet pipes and engines (being younger and leaner I could guide the upper engine IPN drain in to place, and exit over the radome).
The IPN starters would be bled and leak checked, the RAF armourers would then reinstate the ejector seat. Up to 1966 an NCO or Tech Officer could do the engine run but after 'Taffy' Holden took off at Lyneham, without a canopy and with pins in the ejection seat, only Lightning qualified pilots were allowed to do engine runs. If all was satisfactory, the RAF accepted the aircraft and we were ahead of schedule, we may get Friday off for a long weekend at home.
Good luck with the preservation.
Stewart Whitehead – Ex BAC/British Aerospace
Regarding XS420, no I didn't touch her, don't blame me if anything falls off, although the forward fuselage section of the Mk5s were manufactured at Filton.
The BAC Contractors Working Party would number up to about 100 in those days, some electricians and fitters were supplied through Fields and Star Aviation, recruited from adverts in the Daily Express and Daily Mirror. We were competing with Vickers at Barrow who were desperate for electricians, I think it was for HMS Repulse. We were bringing the Mk3 aircraft up to Mk6 standard to take the Red Top missile, install brushless alternators, add extra cooling to the engine bays and cure wing leaks. We didn't modify the Mk5s (or Mk4s, and Mk1s, the Mk2s were in Germany).
Each week we would receive the two QRA aircraft on Monday morning after they had woken everyone up on their dawn patrol. We would usually have those aircraft for two weeks, longer if they were leakers. The RAF armourers would unload the missile and the dummy, the canopy and ejector seat, sometimes the radar would be removed. Then we would level the aircraft, take the engines and jet pipes out and start our mod programme. There would be up to ten fitters and electricians to each aircraft. When the mods were complete, we would install the jet pipes and engines (being younger and leaner I could guide the upper engine IPN drain in to place, and exit over the radome).
The IPN starters would be bled and leak checked, the RAF armourers would then reinstate the ejector seat. Up to 1966 an NCO or Tech Officer could do the engine run but after 'Taffy' Holden took off at Lyneham, without a canopy and with pins in the ejection seat, only Lightning qualified pilots were allowed to do engine runs. If all was satisfactory, the RAF accepted the aircraft and we were ahead of schedule, we may get Friday off for a long weekend at home.
Good luck with the preservation.
Stewart Whitehead – Ex BAC/British Aerospace