ABBREVIATIONS:

ADA = Aircraft Disposal Account
ASF = Aircraft Servicing Flight
ASSF = Aircraft Storage & Support Flight, which (approx. 1983) became LESF
CWP = Contractor's Working Party
FEAF = Far East Air Force
LESF = Lightning Engineering Support Flight
MEAS = Mechanical Engineering Air Squadron (incorporated ASSF/LESF and ASF)
MOD(PE) = Ministry of Defence (Procurement Executive)
MU (Maintenance Units):
60 MU at RAF Leconfield
71 MU at RAF Bicester ("crash & smash" repairs, detachments visited Binbrook)
103 MU at Akrotiri

LIGHTNING HISTORIES

XR728 (English Electric Co. (cockpit no. 95211)

17.03.65 f/f as F.3: Desmond 'Dizzy' de Villiers, Samlesbury to Warton for conversion to F.6
01.11.67 To: D 23 Sqn, Leuchars, delivered by Sqn Ldr Blackburn
05.09.68 D 23 Sqn, No. 1 engine compressor failure
17-23.05.69 D with 23 Sqn detachment via Gutersloh to Fassberg for Berlin corridor exercise Quicksand VIII
16.10.69 D with 23 Sqn to Akrotiri
31.03.70 D 23 Sqn at Akrotiri (used by XI Sqn detachment)
01.05.70 XI Sqn
08.06.70 D 23 Sqn
13.05.71 60 MU Leconfield, major servicing
24.11.71 To: D 56 Sqn, NEAF, Akrotiri; ferried out from Binbrook by 5 Sqn
22.08.73 103 MU Akrotiri
18.09.73 D 56 Sqn
31.01.75 D 56 Sqn transferred to 11 Group, Wattisham, UK
22.10.75 J 56 Sqn
18.11.75 J 56 Sqn - birdstrike on radar bullet
28.06.76 56 Sqn disbandment
01.07.76 Storage Flight, Binbrook
28.07.77 unmarked [first camouflaged around this time?]
14.10.77 Storage ASSF
27.06.78 5 Sqn
29.06.78 Birdstrike, port u/c
03.07.78 ASSF
12.07.78 J, no unit markings, air-test
01.08.78 D LTF - first F.6 for LTF and named 'Tiverton Trainer Target'
26.08.78 D LTF static at Binbrook Open Day
02.07.79 ASSF
06.10.81--05.11.81 Air-tests
12.11.81 Abingdon for repaint of grey/green camouflage
27.11.81 Binbrook MEAS
01.02.82 BA XI Sqn
03.06.82 5 Sqn
07.07.82 BA XI Sqn
28.08.82 BA XI Sqn in 9-ship at Open Day
07.03-13.04.83 BA XI Sqn to Akrotiri APC
03.08.83 MEAS
08.08.83 St Athan for repainting in dark sea grey
25.08.83 Returned Binbrook; MEAS
by 07.09.83 XI Sqn markings, uncoded
by 24.05.85 5 Sqn markings, uncoded
11.06.85 BF XI Sqn
29.07--04.09.85 BF XI Sqn APC, Akrotiri
By 19.12.85 BF XI Sqn stbd. nose roundel zapped XXX by 29 Sqn
22.4.86 MEAS
23.06.86--19.09.86 BF ASF Hangar for wing strengthening mods.
11.06.87 BS XI Sqn markings
16.06.87 BS XI Sqn markings, to engine test
? 06.87 BS XI Sqn markings, air-test
07.07.87 JS LTF markings, ASF hangar
16.07.87 JS engine test
21.07.87 JS air-test
04.08.87 JS allocated to 5 Sqn
22.08.87 JS led 9-ship at Last Last Lightning Show
7/8.09.87 JS at Valley MPC
29.09.87 JS in 5 Sqn 3-ship with XS932 AG and XR771 AN to mark final official Lightning F.3 flight
02.11.87 MEAS
03.11.87 JS to 5 Sqn
07.11.87 JS flew as #6 in 9-ship at 5 Sqn Reunion, replacing XR771 AN
09.11.87 JS to MEAS, ASF hangar for servicing
16.11.87 JS to LESF to complete servicing
01.12.87 JS air-test
03.12.87 JS flying with 5 Sqn
21.12.87 JS last to touch down after 5 Sqn final 4-ship
04.01.88 JS to XI Sqn
27.01.88 JS flown over Binbrook church at Neil MacLachlan's funeral by Furz Lloyd (last ever Lightning flight by a 5 Sqn pilot)
29.04.88 JS #4 in XI Sqn final 9-ship
28.05.88 JS in static at Beauvechain Air Show, Belgium
22.06.88 JS allocated to Lightning Preservation Group
24.06.88 JS delivered to Bruntingthorpe by Flt Lt Chris Berners-Price

Total Hours: 3708.40

XR728-Incidents

18.11.75 J 56 Sqn: Bird-strike on radar bullet at night. Bird and metallic debris ingested by both engines. 130 man-hours to repair.
12.01.76 J 56 Sqn: Flash-fire in flight during fuel transfer, Fire 1caption illuminated. Caused by leaking pipe-seal in Fueldraulic system. Fire drill on No.1 engine actioned, only one fire- bottle worked.
29.06.78 5 Sqn: Bird-strike in port undercarriage area during landing, slight damage.
03.12.81 MEAS Air test?: FCS Computer tripped out causing aircraft to barrel-roll and dive in 'attitude' mode.
15.12.81 MEAS Air test?: Air Turbine Gearbox seized, main bearing failed due to out-of-balance condition.
19.08.82 BA XI Sqn: Undemanded rolling and pitching. Pilot switched off autopilot and autostabiliser and regained stable flight. 4-channel actuator amplifier subsequently replaced.
26.01.83 BA XI Sqn: Probe tip broke off during air-air refuelling. There had been several probe engagements the previous day in turbulent conditions. (Ref. Mike Hale's 'Scramble!' article!)
26.05.83 BA XI Sqn: At 400 kts, 500 ft a bird glanced off the fuselage below the canopy. No damage.
11.02.86 BF XI Sqn: During undercarriage retraction, starboard red light stayed on. Thought to be due to
damp in wiring after aircraft had stood for 8 days in unheated QRA hangar.