English Electric Lightning

English Electric Lightning			Photo Gallery
Introduced in 1954, the English Electric Lightning was the United Kingdom's only Mach 2 fighter. Operators were the RAF, the Kuwait Air Force, and the Royal Saudi Air Force. It was designed as an interceptor to defend the V Force airfields equipped with Vickers Valiant, Avro Vulcan and Handley Page Victor bombers from attack by Tupolev Tu-22, Tupolev Tu-16, and Tupolev Tu-95 Soviet bombers. Unusual was the vertically staggered configuration of its two Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines within the fuselage. 337 aircraft were built.
Lightning F.6 Construction number 95247. Reg. No. XS901 Delivered 20 February 1967, scrapped June 1995. Lightnings of 5 Sqn and Avro Vulcan B2 of the Waddington Wing, August 1968. Lightning of 5 Squadron based at RAF Binbrook. Lightning F.3, 1983. Lightning F.6 XS904, 2012. 56 Sqn Lightning loading with Firestreaks, Akrotiri, 1963. RAF Lightning F.1A at Yeovilton, September 8, 1973. Saudi Air Force T.55 at RAF Coltishall, for training Saudi pilots, 1968.