You are at netAirspace : Forum : Air and Space Forums : Military Aviation

The prototype, known as the English Electric P.1, was built to satisfy the British Air Ministry's 1947 specification F23/49 and flew for the first time from RAF Boscombe Down on 4 August 1954. This specification followed the cancellation of the Air Ministry's 1942 E.24/43 supersonic research aircraft specification which had resulted in the Miles M.52. The Lightning shared a number of innovations first planned for the Miles M.52 including the shock cone and all-flying tailplane, the latter described by Chuck Yeager as the single most significant contribution to the final success of supersonic flight.

The P.1's designer was W. E. W. Petter, formerly chief designer at Westland Aircraft. The design was controversial and the Short SB5 was built to test wing sweep and tailplane combinations. The original combination were proved correct.

The Lightning was specifically designed as a point defence interceptor - essentially a guided missile-armed, air superiority fighter optimised to defend mainland Britain against incoming bomber attacks. In order to reduce cross sectional area of the fuselage and improve performance, the fuel capacity was highly restricted. It was armed with two 30 mm ADEN cannons and two air-to-air missiles, at first the Fairey Firestreak and later the Hawker Siddeley Red Top.

A unique way of minimising the drag of the twin engine installation was put forward by Petter. This involved stacking the engines vertically (staggered to avoid too much weight aft, with the lower engine forward of the upper), effectively tucking them behind the cockpit, fed from the nose and achieving minimum frontal area. This effectively gave twice the thrust of its contemporaries for an increase in frontal area of only 50%.

Limitations of fuel capacity dominated this aircraft's design as its fuselage was nearly all engines and ducting, and thus could not hold much fuel. Hence all available room was adapted to the purpose of holding fuel. The flaps were even used as fuel tanks, and the landing gear had very narrow tyres that retracted outward so that there could be greater tankage inboard. This also meant that when the addition of drop tanks for greater range was considered, they could not be placed beneath the wing and were mounted on top instead. When the aerodynamic principle of the area rule became standard practice, a ventral tank was added to the fuselage, so the plane could carry more fuel while being more aerodynamic.

The first operational aircraft, a Pre-Production P.1B (XG336), arrived at RAF Coltishall in Norfolk in December 1959. From 1960 the production mark F1 served initially with 74 Squadron. An improved variant the F2 first flew on 11 July 1961 and entered service with 19 Squadron at the end of 1962. The F.3 was first flown on 16 June 1962 and the longer-range F.6 on 16 June 1965. The versions sold to Saudi Arabia were essentially similar to the T.5 and F.6 models in UK service and this final production batch reverted to the classic natural metal external finish which lasted well in the drier Arabian climate.

During the 1960s, as strategic awareness increased and a multitude of alternative fighter designs were developed by Warsaw Pact and NATO members, the Lightning's shortcomings in terms of range and firepower became increasingly apparent. The withdrawal of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms from Royal Navy service enabled these slower but much longer-ranged aircraft to be added to the RAFs interceptor force alongside those withdrawn from Germany which were being replaced by Sepecat Jaguars in the ground attack role. Later the Tornado F3s also arrived to defend UK airspace. While slower and less agile than the Lightning, the Tornado carries a much larger armament load and much more advanced avionics. Lightnings were slowly phased out of service between 1974 and 1988, although much testing and modification was needed to keep them in air-worthy condition due to the high number of flight hours accumulated.

In their final years of UK service all RAF Lightnings were based at RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire and many were camouflaged to make them less conspicuous when flying at low level. They tended to defend the Flamborough Head Sector of airspace above the North Sea. These later aircraft were the single seater F.3 and F.6 and the twin seat trainer variant T.5, all constructed by British Aircraft Corporation and distinguished from earlier versions by their flat topped fins. In their last year of service their pilots regularly pushed the aircraft to their limits as they used up the remaining hours of fatigue time. Many Lightnings are conserved in museum collections where they delight visitors with their clean sleek lines, evocative of the high speeds that they once attained.

Performance comparison
The Lightning's speed and climb performance were excellent not just by 1950s or 1960s standards but even compared with modern operational fighters. Its initial rate of climb was 50,000 ft per minute (15 km/min). The Mirage IIIE climbed initially at 30,000 ft/min (9 km/min), the MiG-21 managed 36,090 ft/min (11 km/min), and the Tornado F-3 43,000 ft/min (13 km/min).

The official ceiling was a secret amongst the general public and low security RAF documents simply stated 60,000+ ft (18,000 m), although it was well known within the RAF to be capable of much greater heights. Recently the actual operating ceiling has been made public by a former RAF Lightning pilot and ex-Lightning Chief Examiner, who reports taking an F-53 Lightning up to 87,300 feet (26,600 m) at which level "Earth curvature was visible and the sky was quite dark". In 1984, during a major NATO exercise, Flt Lt Mike Hale intercepted an American U-2 at a height which they had previously considered safe from interception. Records show that Hale climbed to 88,000 ft (26,800 m) in his F3 Lightning. Hale also participated in time-to-height and acceleration trials against F-104 Starfighters from Aalborg. He reports that the Lightnings won all races easily, with the exception of the low level supersonic acceleration, which was a dead-heat.

A side-by-side comparison with the F-15C Eagle that:

Acceleration in both was impressive, you have all seen the Lighting leap away once brakes are released, the Eagle was almost as good, and climb speed was rapidly achieved. Take-off roll is between 2,000 & 3,000 feet [600 to 900 m], depending upon military or maximum afterburner-powered take-off. The Lightning was quicker off the ground, reaching 50 feet [15 m] height in a horizontal distance of 1,630 feet [500 m].

However, later fighters greatly outclassed the Lightning in terms of range, radar and avionics, and weapons load, and were far more effective air-to-air fighters. The short range of the Lightning - just 900 miles - was particularly crippling.



Variants

English Electric P 1A

* Single-seat supersonic research aircraft.
* Two prototypes built and one static test airframe

English Electric P 1B

* Single-seat operational prototypes to meet Specification F23/49.
* Three prototypes built
* 20 development aircraft ordered in February 1954, (so-called pre-production or development batch)[28] Type was officially named 'Lightning' in October 1958.

Lightning F 1

* Single-seat fighter
* Delivered in 1960
* A total of 19 built (and one static test airframe)
* Two × Rolls-Royce Avon 200R engines
* VHF Radio
* Two × 30 mm ADEN cannons in nose
* Two × Firestreak missiles
* Ferranti AI-23 "AIRPASS" radar

Lightning F 1A

* Single-seat fighter
* Delivered in 1961
* Now the "BAC Lightning"
* Avon 210R engines
* Addition of in-flight refuelling probe
* UHF Radio
* A total of 28 built

Lightning F 2

* Single-seat fighter (an improved variant of the F 1)
* Delivered in 1962
* A total of 44 built with 31 later modified to F 2A standard
* Five later modified to F52 for export to Saudi Arabia

Lightning F 2A

* Single-seat fighter (F 2s upgraded to near F 6 standard)
* A total of 31 converted from F2
* Avon 211R engines
* Retained ADEN cannon and Firestreak of F 2 (The Firestreak Pack could be replaced with an Aden Cannon Pack to give the aircraft four Aden Cannon)
* Larger Ventral Tank and Arrester Hook
* About two hours endurance

Lightning F 3

* Single-seat fighter
* Upgraded radar - AI-23B
* Avon 301R engines
* Firestreak changed for Red Top missiles
* Enlarged and clipped tailfin due to aerodynamics of carriage of Red Top
* ADEN cannon removed
* A total of 70 built (at least nine were converted to F6 standard)

Lightning F 3A

* Single-seat fighter
* Extended range, 800 miles with large ventral tank
* New cambered wings
* A total of 16 built at the end of F 3 production, known also as an F3 Interim version or F 6 Interim Version
* A total of 15 modified later to full F 6 standard[28]

Lightning T 4

* Two-seat side-by-side training version, based on the F 1A.
* Two prototypes and 20 production built
* Two aircraft later converted to T 5 prototypes
* Two aircraft later converted to T 54

Lightning T 5

* Two-seat side-by-side training version, based on the F 3.
* 22 production aircraft built
* One former RAF aircraft later converted to T55 for Saudi Arabia (crashed before delivery)
* Two former RAF aircraft later civilian operated

Lightning F 6

* Single-seat fighter (an improved longer-range variant of the F 3)
* New wings with better efficiency and subsonic performance, increased fuel storage
* Overwing fuel tanks and larger ventral fuel tank
* Change back to 30 mm cannons (initially no cannons but later in the forward part of ventral pack rather than in nose).
* Two x Red Top missile
* A total of 39 built (also 9 converted from F 3 and 15 from F 3A)

Lightning F 52

* Slightly modified ex-RAF F 2 single-seat fighters for export to Saudi Arabia (five converted from F 2).

Lightning F 53

* Export version of the F 6 with pylons for bombs or unguided rocket pods (44 × 2 in (50 mm)
* A total of 46 built and one converted from F6 (12 F 53Ks for the Kuwaiti Air Force, 34 F53s for the Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force, one aircraft crashed before delivery)
* Used air-to-ground in dispute near border with South Yemen in 1969 with great success

Lightning T 54

* Ex-RAF T 4 two-seat trainers supplied to Saudi Arabia (two converted).

Lightning T 55

* Two-seat side-by-side training aircraft (export version of the T 5).
* Eight built (six T55s for the Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force, two T 55Ks for the Kuwaiti Air Force and one converted from T 5 that crashed before delivery)

Sea Lightning FAW 1

* Proposed two-seat Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier capable variant with variable-geometry wing; not built.


General characteristics

* Crew: 1
* Length: 55 ft 3 in[10] (16.8 m)
* Wingspan: 34 ft 10 in[10] (10.6 m)
* Height: 19 ft 7 in[10] (5.97 m)
* Wing area: 474.5 ft²[34] (44.08 m²)
* Empty weight: 31,068 lb[5][nb 13] (14,092 kg)
* Max takeoff weight: 45,750 lb[7][nb 14] (20,752 kg)
* Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Avon 301R afterburning turbojets
o Dry thrust: 12,530 lbf[6] (55.74 kN) each
o Thrust with afterburner: 16,000 lbf[6] (71.17 kN) each

Performance

* Maximum speed: Mach 2.0 (1,300 mph, 2,100 km/h) at 36,000 ft. 700 KIAS at lower altitude[5][nb 15]
* Range: 850 mi[5][nb 16] (1,370 km) Supersonic intercept radius: 155 mi[5][nb 17] (250 km)
* Ferry range: 920 mi (800 NM[5], 1,660 km) 1,270 mi (1,100 NM[5], 2,040 km) with ferry tanks
* Service ceiling: 54,000 ft[5] (16,000 m) zoom ceiling >70,000 ft[5][3]
* Rate of climb: 20,000 ft/min[5][nb 18] (100 m/s)
* Wing loading: 76 lb/ft²[nb 19] (370 kg/m²)
* Thrust/weight: 0.78[nb 20]

Armament

* Guns: 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) ADEN cannons
* Hardpoints: 2× under-fuselage for mounting air-to-air missiles, 2x overwing pylon stations for 260 gal ferry tanks
* Rockets: none
* Missiles:
o Air-to-air missile:
+ 2× De Havilland Firestreak or
+ 2× Hawker Siddeley Red Top

I heard storys about this plane and that it was Waaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of it's time. But yeah an 800 mile range would kill a plane no matter how good it was.