English Electric Lightning F6, XS904 / 95250, British Aerospace PLC
This picture is © Martin Laycock and may not be used or published without permission.
Registration: XS904
Construction Number: 95250
Model English Electric Lightning F6
Operator: British Aerospace PLC
Airport: Boscombe Down (EGD / EGDM), UK - England
Airshow: Boscombe Down - Air Tournament International - 1992
Photographer: Martin Laycock
Date Taken: 13/06/1992
Date Submitted: 21/03/2010
Photographed in the static display during Air Tournament International 92 at Boscombe. This Lightning first flew on the 26th August 1966 and was delivered to 11 Squadron in April 1967. Apart from a brief period with 5 Squadron she spent her entire RAF career with 11 Squadron. After the Lightning was retired from RAF service on the 30th July 1988, she was one of five Lightnings operated by BAe at Warton and used in the Tornado F3's Foxhunter radar development trials as radar targets. For these flights the overwing fuel tanks were fitted, most likely to increase the duration of the test sorties, the Lightning being notoriously short-legged, however, it was said in some quarters that with the tanks fitted the Lightning had almost exactly the same radar signature as the Soviet Tu-22 'Backfire' bomber. She was finally retired in December 1992 and was acquired by the Lightning Preservation group at Bruntingthorpe being flown there on the 21st January 1993. The LPG maintain her in running condition alongside another Lightning F6 XR728.
Picture ID:1221695