Beefsteak 305 Posted May 7, 2007 Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 When on annual camp at RAF Marham at about this time there was a geniune intruder alert scramble at 4.30 am unfortunately our billets where near the end of the runway and I remember at least 10 windows being shatered by the shock waves as the Lightnings went up (We later found out that this was to be the last ever scramble of Lightnings. Perhaps last scramble from Marham... The last ever Lightning scramble was from RAF Binbrook in Autumn 1988. Cheers Robt P. The RAF base at Binbrook closed in 1988 the Lightnings having been phased out completely by 1985 (The last ones were at Binbrook) In 1989 the airfield was used to film" Memphis Belle" http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s1.html No. 85 Squadron, with Meteors and Canberra's for air fighting development duties, was at Binbrook for nearly nine years. Then in October 1965 English Electric Lightning's arrived for a re-born No.5 Squadron, joined by a second squadron, No.11, in 1972. The Lightning squadrons remained until May 1985 - the last in RAF service. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted May 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 The RAF base at Binbrook closed in 1988 the Lightnings having been phased out completely by 1985 (The last ones were at Binbrook)... Not so.... I, along with many others, saw 8 Lightnings scramble from RAF Binbrook on the 5th September 1988... Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted May 7, 2007 Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 At an air display? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted May 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 No, at the formal closure of the RAF base.... Around 20 Lightnings were also lined up by the taxiway awaiting collection for sale/disposal, some had already been cannabalised... Later, an empty 55 Sqn Victor Tanker landed to fill up with their fuel, and to deliver back to operational Marham.. In respect to your online research, I'll get my dates rechecked - but I'm 95% certain it was '88... Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted May 7, 2007 Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 No need I beleive you the RAF were never the best on dates LOL But I will forever live with the memory of that amazing sound as they took off on emegency thrust and then the split second later as the windows smashed, on top of a four pints of lager stuper it convinced us all never to drink NAAFI booze ever again (it lasted all of 2 days) LOL P.S. did you know that the Lightning still holds several speed records including climbing to altitudes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted May 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 Yes indeed, the sight and the sound had to be seen to be believed. IMO, the only comparable plane for 'impact' was the Phantom F4.. Both planes were among the first to have a an engine thrust in 'lbs' which was in excess of their own weight...meaning they could climb totally vertically, on their reheat, from 10 feet above the runway - and often did. Lightning Test Pilot Roland Beaumont also said that "...the fuel crisis [enough for about 20 minutes high speed flight] began at take-off..."! Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,616 Posted May 7, 2007 Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 Ayup all, I was at the last airshow at RAF Binbrook, rained most of the day and visibility was dreadful, but I refused to go home until I saw the Lightening flypast. By the way there's a lightening parked up behind RAF Conningsby,, well worth a look if you're interested Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 We have just had a programe on telly (channel 5 I think) called Rich boys toys and one of the lucky Bas***ds had a Lightning as his play thing .Unfortunately even with surround sound up full blast I couldn't recreate the window smashing experience of '76 But the bloody neighbours complained again LOL!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted May 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Get down to Bruntingthorpe, Leics, Ian.....Sunday 27th May. Both Lightnings on reheat down the 3000' runway, just short of lift off.. You are able to stand very near to the action.. http://www.lightnings.org.uk/ Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 I shall try but I can,t promise anything yet Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 GROAN! I am on 2-10pm! And its just down the road from me! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 I just checked my facts and I was wrong completly if any one read that little bit I entered about Bruntingthorpe sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zachariah 2 Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 I live in Bulwell near to the aerodrome at Hucknall so I often see the Spitfire flying about. Last couple of times it has been joined by a jet ( not sure what type but I'm sure someone can tell me) What a sight when they fly over your back garden eh! Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted September 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 The much vaunted return to the sky during the summer of Vulcan XH558 seems, rather strangely, to be deferred further than originally indicated. It was to be the centre-piece of the Falklands flypast over Buckingham Palace in June and then to do several airshow displays, thereafter. Reported that it was merely one late-delivered engineering part that was causing the delay but now, according to their web links below, much more needs to be done. Reckon it has become unlikely that she'll fly this year, after all.. All very odd... http://www.tvoc.co.uk/news.asp http://www.tvoc.co.uk/engineering.asp Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigal 3 Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 Well Rob I am unlucky enough to have an allotment backing on to Rolls Royce at Hucknall. Unlucky because the sound of the test beds some days is deafening - so deafening in fact that it does me the favour of drowning out the trivia on Radio Nottingham ( none worse). However there are the occaiona advantages of open days and air displays ( about one a year) One day in early August I saw the Vulcan circling in the skies over Hucknall town - there is no mistaking it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted September 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 'Fraid not Al... No Vulcan has left the ground since 1993... Airshows? Hucknall? - the last one was 32 years ago! Have you contracted Paviorestidolallyitis?? Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 I remember well going to 'Hucknall air display' we always used to save the pennies and go sit in Bulwell hall park to watch it. But 32 years since the last one !!!!!!!!! I am a lot older than I thought ,it only seems like yesterday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 August '75 Ian... Highlight being Sq Ldr Pete Martin beating up most of mid-Notts in his Binbrook Lightning! Usual Hurricane, Spitfire... No 'Red Arrows' - thank God - they were boringly repetitive, even then. Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank 13 Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 I think Bigal means the Hurricane not the Vulcan. I too saw it over the front of my house earlier this year, accompanied by a couple of Spitfires. They did a circle over Hucknall aerodrome and then headed NE - very low in the sky and a magnificent sight (and sound) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Yes indeed...wonderful pairing. Caroline Grace's Spitfire flew over Bingham about 30 mins ago... She often flies over mid-week, on her currency flights from Duxford. Drove past Duxford on the M11 last week...more aircraft parked up than usual. Reckon I saw a Luftwaffe Phantom F4! Perhaps because of the summer Air Show season. Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 I remember one year a Mosquito and that ugly two seat Me 109 trainer doing a mock dog fight at Hucknall. I still see that 109 occasionaly I think it must be owned by some one in the area and he is taking it to display somewhere (Bloody ugly them 2 seaters nothing like as shockingly beautiful as the single seat fighter.) As for the 'Fly past' at Hucknall wasn't there a celebration earlier this year for Reginald Mitchells birthday (Maybe what would have been his 100th) I know they did a lot of the early testing of the Spitfire at Hucknall Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 I know they did a lot of the early testing of the Spitfire at Hucknall Certainly so... Amongst Hucknall's several other claims to fame it was from where escaped German POW Franz von Werra stole - and flew away in - a parked fighter aircraft as part of his bid for freedom, to become the only German POW escapee of WWII! I once worked with a chap who was on guard duty that day...who turned to his mate and said "Where's that f****** plane going?" The escape was immortalised in the film The One that Got Away, starring Hardy Kruger as Von Werra. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050803/ Perhaps best remembered for the 'Flying Bedstead' development...precursor of the magnificent Harrier. Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Although in the film he doesn't get away from Hucknall he is recaptured trying to nick the Spitfire Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Yes...you are right...dramatic licence ran away with me! My ex-NCB workmate of the 60's must have been present at his capture. "...In Camp No 13, also known as the Hayes camp, von Werra joined a group calling themselves Swanwick Tiefbau A. G. (Swanwick Excavations, Inc.), who were digging an escape tunnel. After a month it was completed, on 17 December 1940. The camp forgers equipped them with money and fake identity papers. On 20 December, von Werra and four others slipped out of the tunnel under the cover of anti-aircraft fire and the singing of the camp choir. The others were recaptured only a few days later. Von Werra decided to go it alone. He had taken along his flying suit and decided to masquerade as Captain Van Lott, a Dutch RAF pilot. He claimed to a friendly locomotive driver that he was a downed bomber pilot trying to reach his unit, and asked to be taken to the nearest RAF base. In Codnor Park Station, a local clerk became suspicious, but eventually agreed to arrange his transportation to the RAF aerodrome at Hucknall, near Nottingham. The police also questioned him, but von Werra convinced them he was harmless. At Hucknall, a Squadron Leader Boniface asked for his credentials and he claimed to be based at Dyce near Aberdeen. While Boniface went to check this, von Werra excused himself and ran to the nearest hangar, trying to tell a mechanic that he was cleared for a test flight. Boniface arrived in time to arrest him at gunpoint. He was sent back to Hayes and put under armed guard. In January 1941, von Werra was sent with many other German prisoners to Canada. His group was to be taken to a camp on the north shore of Lake Superior, Ontario, so von Werra began to plan his escape to the United States, which was still neutral at the time. On 21 January, while on a prison train that had departed Montreal, he jumped out of a window, again with the help of other prisoners, and ended up near Smiths Falls, 30 miles from the St. Lawrence River. Seven other prisoners tried to escape from the same train, but were soon recaptured. Von Werra's absence was not noticed until the next afternoon. Von Werra made his way over the border to Ogdensburg, New York, U.S.A. and turned himself over to the police. The immigration authorities charged him with entering the country illegally, so von Werra contacted the local German consul. Thus, he came to the attention of the press and told them a very embellished version of his story. While the US and Canadian authorities were negotiating his extradition, the German vice-consul helped him over the border to Mexico. Von Werra proceeded to Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona, Rome and finally arrived back in Germany on 18 April 1941..." Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Vulcan rules the skies again after £6m facelift Last Updated: 2:50am BST 19/10/2007 A Vulcan bomber took off for the first time in 14 years on Thursday. In pictures: The Vulcan flies again The Avro Vulcan XH558 was the last of the model to fly in 1993 when it was retired to an airfield in Bruntingthorpe, Leics. The restored Vulcan bomber takes to the skies After a £6 million restoration project it was returned to flight. The 645mph monster flew for about 20 minutes burning fuel worth more than £1,000. How many of you have ever seen a WHOLE squadron of Vulcans taking off together? I remember them taking off in pairs! The second just slightly `staggered behind the first ,-my what a sight that was. I remember them also fully armed with nuclear bombs sitting on their dispersal pads with crews on board at the time of the Cuban crisis. one could sit on Ermine Street at the end of the extended main runway andbe amazed at the power. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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