Lightning down.

[Beefsteak 305]

Just heard the tragic news that Dave Stock of the Thunder City Flying group from South Africas has been killed in a crash of one of the only surviving , flying, English Electric Lightnings in the world. The crash happened at Overberg Air Force Base yesterday afternoon

Condolences to his family and freinds

[plantfit 7,661]

Tragic news as you say, how did it happen air show, practice, testing?

Rog

[Beefsteak 305]

It was at an Airshow Rog.

http://www.news24.co...hes_at_air_show

apparently his final two calls went out on the PA system, "Hydraulic failier",,,"Ejector seat failier"!!!

[firbeck 860]

Very sad to hear about the death of Dave Stock and the loss of this unique aircraft.

I recall the Lightnings, or as they were known then, the P1, being tested at Hucknall in the 50's, even going supersonic over the city with the resultant sonic boom.

Lets not forget though, that this aircraft design was based on sheer brute force and ignorance. The lovely Hunter was not designed to be supersonic, but was elegant and aerobatic, the Lightning, that superceded it, had none of these atributes. It was created on the drawing board to be extremely powerful, fast and intimidating. No airshow in the 60's to the 80's was complete without a noisy and exciting display by a Lightning, it made a very loud appearance, flew up and down a bit in straight lines, no aerobatic attributes whatsoever, then performed it's vertical climb swansong, if conditions were right. The American equivalent was surely the Starfighter, same sort of performance, but the USAF were sensible enough not to take this flying death trap on as their principle fighter.

The CAA were correct in not allowing this outdated and dangerous beast to be given a certificate of air worthiness, quite frankly it was a flying brick, lets not forget that any technical support for what is in effect a masterpiece of 50's engineering, must be a nightmare to work on with its odd engine arrangement and put into action.

A team in the USA are currently restoring another T whatever into flying condition, hopefully they will now be having second thoughts.

It was a dangerous child of the 50's Cold War, a glam fighter to show that Britain could mix it with the best, could they really, I've seen the Soviet equivalent, the Mig 21 fly in a combat situation, it would have had the Lightning for breakfast.