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XR724 Lightning F6
United Kingdom
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 23 พ.ย. 2023
Follow the restoration of English Electric Lightning XR724 at Ex-RAF Binbrook.
From delivery in July 1992, she has been mostly outside enduring the tough winter conditions at RAF Binbrook, until recently when we have erected a purpose built shelter to protect her and us while we bring her back to life.
Her Rolls Royce Avon engines will once again reverberate against the old hangars of RAF Binbrook!
Watch our journey!
From delivery in July 1992, she has been mostly outside enduring the tough winter conditions at RAF Binbrook, until recently when we have erected a purpose built shelter to protect her and us while we bring her back to life.
Her Rolls Royce Avon engines will once again reverberate against the old hangars of RAF Binbrook!
Watch our journey!
Engineering Day 12th October 2024
Another very productive day on "The Hill".
Weather was awful but inside the shelter, we barely noticed.
The main focus this weekend was to continue the preservation inside both leading edges. This has been ongoing for almost a year now as some of the screws are very reluctant to be removed. As you can see the Port leading edge internals are once again looking pristine now it has ACF50 preservative added as a barrier to moisture and hence any corrosion forming in the future.
The Aircraft Electrician continued to trace a fuel gauging problem, while the Ground Electricians continued to provide us with lighting in the containers prior to winter.
Personnel were also dispatched to retrieve much needed spares from storage and we all got involved with turning over the ventral tank prior to it being painted.
A well earned "debrief" was enjoyed by all after the work was completed for the day.
Weather was awful but inside the shelter, we barely noticed.
The main focus this weekend was to continue the preservation inside both leading edges. This has been ongoing for almost a year now as some of the screws are very reluctant to be removed. As you can see the Port leading edge internals are once again looking pristine now it has ACF50 preservative added as a barrier to moisture and hence any corrosion forming in the future.
The Aircraft Electrician continued to trace a fuel gauging problem, while the Ground Electricians continued to provide us with lighting in the containers prior to winter.
Personnel were also dispatched to retrieve much needed spares from storage and we all got involved with turning over the ventral tank prior to it being painted.
A well earned "debrief" was enjoyed by all after the work was completed for the day.
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วีดีโอ
3rd Ground Run
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After a few minor problems were fixed, we managed to run at fast idle this time with no major problems. We strive for perfection and we WILL get there.
Open Day at Binbrook 24th August 2024
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The first Open Day at Binbrook in many years was attended by BBC Look North
XR724 Number 1 Engine Ground Run
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This ground run was to confirm that a fuel modification we carried out was successful and thankfully it was. Onwards and upwards.
5 Squadron Reunion
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On the 22nd of June 2024 The Lightning Association hosted veterans from 5(F) Squadron. It was a great day with glorious weather.
XR724 In Pictures.
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A short montage of photographs by our very own photographer, Verm. Some very nice pictures showing XR724's journey of restoration starting from before we had the shelter to work in and beyond having just completed the first ground run of the No.1 engine. (See previous videos)
What a great day at Binbrook
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After 17 years and a lot of hard work we have have finally reached the stage to attempt the first engine ground run on XR724. Only a short run was planned to ensure the aircraft systems integrity after so long. A great success at first attempt.
XR724 First Engine Run
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This is what we have all been working hard towards. What a great day it was.
Dry Start
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After many months of preparation, check, checks and more checks, we were finally ready to attempt the first dry start of the number 1 engine in 17 years.
Just another day at Binbrook. (Or was it?)
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After months of preparations, checks, checks, and more checks we were finally ready for something rather special to happen.
The Painting begins again
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After many months of preparation, under the guidance of Steve, the team are finally ready to recommence the task of applying the under coat. Much more to follow in the near future.
The English Electric Lightning Development
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The English Electric Lightning Development
The Lightning Association Rally 21st September, 2003
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The Lightning Association Rally 21st September, 2003
The Lightning Association Rally 3rd October,1999
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The Lightning Association Rally 3rd October,1999
The Lightning Association Rally 6th September, 1992
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The Lightning Association Rally 6th September, 1992
The Lightning Association Rally 2nd July, 1989
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The Lightning Association Rally 2nd July, 1989
The big paint restoration has begun.
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The big paint restoration has begun.
LAMS Lightning Aircraft Maintenance Shelter Open Day
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LAMS Lightning Aircraft Maintenance Shelter Open Day
English Electric Lightning XR724 Then & Now The Shelter Journey PART 1
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English Electric Lightning XR724 Then & Now The Shelter Journey PART 1
Bravo to all involved! I used to fly in the EW variant Canberra (T17) as navy aircrew to give these guys (and weren't they special?) intercept training over the North Sea in a jamming/spoofing environment. We tuned our jammers to the AI23 radar on "sweet and sour" calls from the Lightning to give best effect. Occasionally for a bit of fun we'd join up briefly before returning to our various bases, and it must have been quite a sight the F6 alongside the "warts and all" (some say ugly as sin but not those of us in it) Canberra. Happy days, and of contributing to a clear defence objective. Best of luck going forward with the project!
I stood next to XS904 a few years back doing a static reheat demonstration. It was so loud it felt like my ears were being stabbed with a spike. The fast taxi runs were the best. Nothing rumbles your insides like a Lightning…
Try sitting on the tailplane when in reheat as we had to do in service. Great job in winter though.
@@XR724LightningF6 👍🏻😂
Do you plan to fly it at some stage ? Such a scary machine .
No, even if the CAA allowed it, this airframe is out of it's fatigue life.
Never realised about the mass of cables & pipes behind the leading edge, proper eye opener.
Every bit of space utilised. Even has fuel in the flaps.
The Lightning is NOT allowed to fly in UK airspace. If one is put back into flying condition it will need special permission or fly outside the UK. We live in hope!
The CAA don't like the air gearbox for some reason.
This Plane was nicknamed buy the pilots as "The Frightened"
It had a few nicknames but that wasn't one of them.
Simply grand to see good folks doing good work and preserving the last all British Sports Car. Big sympathy to your Sparky!
Good morning just watched the third engine run such an awesome sound . I'm sure this has been asked before but here goes will you be doing fast taxi runs in the future or is the runway no longer in a good enough condition to allow this to happen . Looking forward to more engine runs and possibly visit on any future open days you have . Yours Geoff
Unfortunately most of the runway and taxiways are under the A46 Lincoln bypass so no where to taxi. We'll just make progressively more noise.
Your team is doing a fantastic job on such a beautiful Aircraft. A BIG THANK YOU.
They had one on the stocks at RAF 8 school tech training Weeton Lancs.
Such a purposeful looking beast!Beautiful 🎉
双胴の悪魔に次ぐライトニング、確か中学生の頃(１９７０から１９７３）にタミヤのカタログに模型写真載っていましたね。
she is suprisingly big , close up ! she looks great in that blue/grey . I was lucky enough to see the Firebirds fly ! what a show .
The best noise in the world when you're sitting in one about to " slip the surly bonds of earth " and reach for the stars . It was a daylight flight , but the stars were there somewhere.
Is this aircraft being restored to airworthiness or just running condition?
Just running condition only, as this particular airframe is out of fatigue life.
@@XR724LightningF6 Too bad,I’d love to see one in the sky.
Funny thing is that no matter how much money you have, qualified ground support, parts or qualifications you have to fly this aircraft you can't. It's illegal to fly this in the UK. The government doesn't want anyone to own an aircraft that can fly faster than any of their current fleet. The lightning even though it's old can fly at mach 2,2. The fastest we have is the Typhoon at a top speed of mach 2. Can't have the citizens owning an aircraft faster than what the government has. You'd be out of British airspace before they took off. They say it's because of sonic booms but we all know the real reason.
It’s because it’s too complex to be considered safe, as clearly demonstrated in South Africa. The rest is pure rose tinted.
@@keithstapleton7805 Like I said, even if you had all the qualified ground support and parts you still couldn't fly it. Even if you managed to acquire it's COA They'd never let you fly it. It's clearly not about safety.
@@Kit_Bear it’s 100% about safety.
@@keithstapleton7805 Ah, so owning and flying a harrier is safer than a lightning even though it's unstable and has a higher loss rate than the lightning? Hmmmmm? Interesting!
@@Kit_Bear no harriers in private ownership flying in UK. Nor is it 35 years since any last flew. Struth can't you accept what has been for that length of time?
Very well done guys.great to see and hear the old girl singing
Fascinating aircraft, in many ways ahead of its time. I believe she STILL holds climb records, among others.
As a US military aviation enthusiast I must say that the English Electric Lighting is on my top 10 list of all world Air Forces. The British have come up with some real winners, Sea Vixen ,Vulcan and many WWII planes ( my area of major interest) just to name a few. I love the unconventional. The only Lighting I have had the joy of visiting in person is the example at Warner Robins Museum in Georgia. Living in Florida it is the closest one that I know of. I would LOVE to see one in flight. Beautiful work so far. Good luck folks. Take care and God Bless from Florida. P.S. New subscriber. It appears I have some binge watching to do. COOL.
Welcome to the channel. Our journey to this point has been a long one but we enjoy what we do which is a bonus. Enjoy binge watching. 😀
@@XR724LightningF6 Thank you. 🙂
Cant beat the old AVPIN starter! I was an RAF airframe tech during the cold war when these beauties were in service BEST FIGHTER EVER BUILT! If i win the lotter Im buying one AND flying it - Im doing my PPL atm!
Excellent stuff! I flinch whenever I hear the F35 referred to as a Lightning. The only two aircraft that deserve that name are the English Electric machine and the P38.
Can't a Jaguar or tornado electrics be retro fitted to a lightening assuming that jaguar and tornado systems are more serviceable than the lightning and also more people alive that can still work those systems , assuming again the problem with flying a lightening is similar to flying the Vulcan ? A lack of qualified people
The problem is no manufacturer support from BAe or Rolls Royce plus the CAA won't allow it to happen even if the aircraft was 100% serviceable. Nothing to do with qualified people.
Middleton st george in the sixties brill...that's when Britain was Britain and people weren't gutless...
You'll have seen XR718?
Brought tears to a grown man,s eyes!Fantastic.👍
That's what Avpin smoke does, mate. Trust me on this.
@@chrisfox3161 It certainly does Foxy. I got a face full on the 2nd run. Lovely!
I agree mate!
Amazing ....is the end goal to get her in the air?
Unfortunately will never happen. This particular aircraft is out of fatigue life.
Its sad to see these beauties when I think I actually was around to see these in service and at airshows.... That sound is magic and its one you dont forget.
I have a picture of me taken around 1973 sat in the cockpit of a lightning on families day, my uncle was in 5 sqn
beautiful aircraft always a favourite
Fantastic work guys, it takes an incredible amount of dedication to get an old warbird to this stage. Keep up the good work, I never worked on Lightning's as they were before my time. But I did end up working on Hunters in Oman and I have a soft spot for 50,s British aircraft.
Ex Thuggie eh! T3 for ever
@@paulbarker5179 So was I on Jags
@@XR724LightningF6 small world.
Love seeing iconic old bits of kit like this being lovingly bought back to life!. Nice one!. 🙂
Something about the English Electric Lightning, it just looks so good. Well done to you guys. Hopefully one day she may fly again? What a perfect day that would be.
Unfortunately this one will never fly. In fact no Lightning in UK will ever fly.
@@XR724LightningF6 Never say Never
Looks good just like Thunderbird 1
That's a shame. Because of that crash in SA?
@@daveworthing2294 I believe that is why they flew in SA, because of the restriction in UK.
There's pretty. 😉
Well done all involved! Just great to hear a Lightning again.... Luverly!
🐷♥️
To think that it was once allowed to do mach 2.
Keep up the great work! Nice pics Verm.....
Well done Sooty! Gave me goosebumps. Well done chaps. What a beauty.
One of the best aircraft in the world,the best looking fighter it sounds so good 👍👍👍👍👍
Oh what a beautiful sound. Well done...
Wow that was a perfect clean start, no residual fuel or any smoke and for an engine only doing ground start thats impressive and won't spoil the few lbs of bacon in the jet pipe for snacks ?. Enjoy your endeavours and keep posting a bit more engineering, maintenance stuff for us boomers. Bet to all.
I could listen to a Lightning start all day. Memories. Keep up the brilliant work 👏🏻 👍 🍻
Not so good when you are in the hangar and the aircraft is on jacks!!! Someone forgot to remove the fuses one evening when doing Avpin flow checks. Luckily the guy in the cockpit realised what was going on and shut it down quickly.
I often wonder if you guys wished you'd still had a runway to fast taxi her ? Shame the runways are gone now, if you ask me ALL the runways from ALL bases throughout the UK which served to save us in WWII should have been left well alone being made flat listed buildings, so everyone remembers Bomber Command & Fighter Command and what purpose they served.
How many gallons of paint does it take? Wishing you all well in your endeavours. Enthusiasm knows no bounds. Shame she will never fly again.
Approx 4 gallons (18ltrs) for 2 coats of Dark Sea Grey. 1 gallon (5ltrs) for 2 coats of Medium Sea Grey. 0.5 gallon (2.5ltrs) for 2 coats of Barley Grey. Tins supplied in 5 and 10ltrs.
By Far the fastest and most agile British jet interceptor of all time. Well done all you guys for trying to keep her legend alive and running.
Looking good Soon be ready for the fury dice and flame decals...... The most successful projects are the ones that take their time and there is group of proficient enthusiast resurrecting this fine machine. Next an English Electric Canberra ?.
She will soon look stupendous in her new paint coating , instead of the weathered look she had previously! Keep up the good work guys. Regards Stephen Alberta Canada.
Your Lightning is really coming on. Thank you for restoring this legend of aviation
Is this plane expected to fly again?
No, Just Engine running status.
Well done all, not a bad turnout only let down by WX, for once the media did a reasonable job at reporting. I remember the EE's high speed pass over Manby in the 60's transition into a vertical climb. Vulcans (white) , Canberra and Jet Provost everywhere. I used to peddle my bike up the centreline to the perimeter where a retired Gloster Meteor sat awaiting fire training but for the meantime was mine. Best
When we had an air force.. What a babe!
Absolutely loved the English Electric Lightning.