Some more Lightning goodness ...











Waiting to be re-built ..





This is where the LPG - Lightning Preservation Group - keep there beloved Lightnings, in a QRA - Quick Reaction Alert - shed they acquired from RAF Binbrook and re-assembled at Bruntingthorpe. These sheds, located at the end of the runway, would have housed two fully fuelled and armed Lightnings, and their crews, ready to take-off at a couple of minutes warning (usually to intercept Russian Bears heading for UK airspace across the North Sea).

In colour ...


..or B&W; which do you prefer?

Lovely, man I would love to get over for one of those fast taxi runs!
Eric are you a member of the English Electric Lightning Appreciation Group on Facebook?


I've sat in a Lightning once at RAF Leuchars many years ago, and before I met my wife I had been planning on heading off to Thunder City to go have a flight, alas it was not to be, and now with a wife and family to support I can't afford that level of self-indulgence, and I have been grounded from anything dangerous after a high speed accident in a performance car a few years ago

Some fantastic there photos FlatEric, thanks for taking the time to share them with us. Tearing down that runway in a Lightning would be a blast, although maybe a little bit too tempting to ease back on the stick .

Hi Alicatt, no, I don't use Facebook I've sometimes wondered about Thunder City - however, I think I'd choose to go up in a Buccaneer; I imagine there would be a greater 'sense' of speed flying at a slower speed low down, rather than at a higher speed higher up. Besides, the Buccanneer has a better safety record than the Lightning - like you, as I get older I have a greater sense of my own mortality

Thanks for your comments Paul - they did ease back on the stick (accidentantly!) a few years ago when carrying out a take off run in the Victor. I'm sure the Lightning boys are similarly tempted...

Change of tack now - here's a few shots of the RC Canadian Snow Bird that took to the air:









Where's the pilot gone ...?

As an aside, not sure Thunder City do Lightnings anymore, and not for a few years. Still not sure if they operate at all? Nice shots again though mate. Did you sit in the cockpit? I'm only a little fella, but there was not much room.

Youtube trawling, enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnG0IoWbnwg&feature=youtu.be

archermav, you're correct - just checked and they ceased taking paying customers in 2009 after the fatal Lightning crash

No, I didn't get to sit in the cockpit - queue was long and I was too busy taking photos

Also at Bruntingthorpe was the RAF's equivalent of the Canadair CT-114 Tutor used by the RCAF Snow Birds (see above), the BAC Provost.

Three were scheduled to do take-off runs, but one suffered a mechancial problem at the last minute:

Just a quick comment re the Lightning. I saw the P1A prototype at an airshow at Yeadon in Yorkshire about 1955 I think. I was with my Dad, and remember being just blown away by the speed of aircraft as it flew over.

Talking of the Provost http://jpdisplay.co.uk/

Last year Ian Black was off down to Thunder city to do some shows around Africa with one of their lightnings, I think it fell through at the last minute due to a servicing problem, but Ian had done some of the work ups before the shows and before it was cancelled at the last minute.

About the Jet Provost, there is one here on a tall pole outside a clothing outlet near here


Note the Mig 21 waiting in ambush

in the woods just opposite the shop there are quite a few old army surplus items including a anti aircraft gun of about 3" or so, it has been a few years since I seen it and it is not visible from the road, the Mig 21 has gone now since the google man took the picture.

archermav, thanks for the heads up about the Provost display team. I'm only about 30 minutes away from North Weald, so must make a visit sometime!

Alicatt, a 'gate guardian' for a clothing outlet - what a cool idea

Now for some of Bruntingthorpe's larger jets - the VC10 and the TriStar ..



There are more VC10s and TriStars hiding behind the 747s on the other side of the airfield. Note how the Victor is completely dwarfed by the Jumbos ..


Preparing the VC10 for her take-off run..




Throttles open..


..and we're off..


.. returning from her run..


.. posing for the cameras ..






'Didn't your mother teach you that it's rude to point..?' ..

As well as real VC10s at Bruntingthorpe, the visiting RC model club also brought along their own flyable VC10:











Even had retractable refueling hoses ...












I understand why some folks take small step ladders to airshows to see over the heads of the crowds in front, but taking a 'cherry picker' seems a bit OTT if you ask me ...






Text book landing ...

Final few of the VC10, plus some of the TriStars

VC10 passenger walk throughs now boarding..








TriStar - like the VC10, it served as both a transport and refuelling aircraft with the RAF:










The re-fuelling gear ..

Lovely stuff.I like the close up shots showing the detail of these wonderful aircraft.

+1, Beautiful detail and the B&W shots are pretty cool too, well done

Thanks guys, glad you like them

Some more RC models ...

Handley Page Victor wearing a very fetching coat of 'anti-flash white' - looked especially cool against the grey skies:



















The 'real deal' in the background ..

that's one sweet RC plane

More RC 'goodness', A10 style ..

A mix of 'real' and RC Hawker Hunters.

The 'real deal' was built as the third production T.7 aeroplane by Hawker Aircraft Ltd at its Kingston-upon-Thames factory and first flew on 3rd February 1958. It was initially used by the Ministry of Supply, and then later by Rolls Royce on various trials work. It eventually served with both the RAF, Royal Navy and the Institute of Aviation Medicine at Farnborough. It remained in service at RAF Lossiemouth until 1991, when it retired to Shawbury and was subsequently put up for disposal.

The RC model represents Hunter XG 152, an F.6A variant which served in both the UK and RAF Germany. In 1993 it was donated to the Luftwaffen Museum at Uetersen, and then in 1996 transferred to the Gatow Museum in Berlin.