Blood for the Baron!

the TSR2 would still be in service today if it'd been built. TV guided missiles, FFS, IN THE SIXTIES!

Thundershot wrote:
I keep looking @ the Airfix T.S.R.2 kit, it may just get me out of my model making retirement?
That plane was years ahead of it's time, curse the penny pinching politians for pulling the plug on it!!

I've got one of those in the to do pile

The TSR2 was an amazing plane. I remember reading about it. The Lightning was one of my fave's, I made one up in 1/72 1980's colour scheme. Anyone ever read the book "Thunder and Lightening's" by Jan Mark? It was a great story about a boy living near a RAF base when they were decommissioned.

I have in 1/72 RAF, a Lancaster, Anson, Swordfish, Mosquito, Mustang, Kittyhawk, Spitfire, Walrus, Bolton Paul Defiant, Tempest, Beaufighter, Lysander and a Blenheim. Most were made when I was a kid and are in bad need of repair. I also have a SE5a, RNZAF Strikemaster and a RAAF CAC Sabre in prototype markings. Also got a 1/48 RAAF F-18 Hornet.

I made a Mitsubishi Zero in 1/48 years ago and my son got to it when he was about 3. I spent hours making that thing and really put the hard yards into cockpit detail etc. Needless to say it was well f*cked after that. Pretty sure I cried then too.

The Lightening was arguably the best fighter the pom's ever produced. IIRC it still holds records, it had an amazing ceiling and top speed and acceleration were mind boggling.

Chopper wrote: The Lightening was arguably the best fighter the pom's ever produced. IIRC it still holds records, it had an amazing ceiling and top speed and acceleration were mind boggling.

Not the best fighter but the best interceptor Yes. Absolute rocket ship, left everything else in the shade. There are stories of them intercepting U2s at around 60,000 Feet and catching Concorde in tail intercepts (the only fighter to do so I believe).

the TSR2 would still be in service today if it'd been built. TV guided missiles, FFS, IN THE SIXTIES!

More interesting/incredible is that it had ground following radar that flew the plane, crew dampening and engines that went on to power Concorde. All this done long before the Tornado or F111 came along and probably better too.

TSR2 also had that gold anti-radiation stuff in the cockpit glass long before anything else..
The 1st & only time it went supersonic,with only one engine on re-heat it, left the Lightning chase plane following it standing, despite the the fact that both of the Lightning's engine where on full re-heat @ the time, the chase plane just couldn't keep up!!

Yeah, the incredibly high-tech turbofans on the TSR2 eventually found another use: on Concorde.

The problem with the TSR was computing power: if they'd waited a few more years the probs would have been solved.

And, yeah, the Lightning remains the only plane in the world ever able to go to supersonic in a 100% vertical climb.



PS. I know a Russian (now retired) who was a conscript on a Tupolev Bear as a navigator. When they got sent over the North Sea and a bit too close to UK, Lightnings would come out to intercept, locate them, then proceed to go supersonic directly over them with minimal clearance. The guys in the tin cans would usually have broken bones if not strapped in, talk about a vomit comet.

I've heard tales of its pilot's giving the Lightning the nick name of "The Frightning" due to it's speed & dificulty in landing.

Long overdue, but anyone remember the de-commissioned Lightning that used to be parked next to the A1 near Wetherby? Think it disappeared about the time the shiny new A1-M1 link made its appearance. A few other bits of kit accumulated late 80s, a Buccaneer and a Puma / Wasp or something

Memory getting very hazy and since 2002 not driven the route since, incredible as that is.

Hi yep I can just about remember it, many years ago...
A hotel on the A17 near Holbeach has an Hawker Hunter on display in the car park, as well as an old artillery piece.

Try this on google maps

52.80664,0.05962

Thundershot wrote:Hi yep I can just about remember it, many years ago...
A hotel on the A17 near Holbeach has an Hawker Hunter on display in the car park, as well as an old artillery piece.

Try this on google maps

52.80664,0.05962

Nice one Thundershot.

I wonder if the Harrier GR3 is still outside RAF Wittering too. Probably on google maps, lots of the UK is still c. 2001 unless it's the street view option, back before the rot really set in <sigh>