LPG: INDIVIDUAL LIGHTNING HISTORIES

This information has been compiled from a variety of sources which are acknowledged below.
Some of the information is of a minor nature, e.g. dates of engine/air tests, APC’s etc. but it is hoped that this may help enthusiasts, for example to date or identify an unknown photograph.

ABBREVIATIONS:

ADA = Unknown abbreviation on aircraft movement cards
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

XP703 (English Electric Co. cockpit no. 95157)

28.09.63 f/f Desmond de Villiers, Samlesbury to Warton
08.06.64 Coded G, 74 Sqn Coltishall
14.12.65 ‘Disposal account’
15.06.66 60 MU (Mod. 4052)
28.06.66 G 74 Sqn
By 10.10.66 G 74 Sqn, No. 2 Hangar, Wattisham for BAC Modification Team
14.11.66 G 74 Sqn marks, awaiting air test
22.11.66 S 56 Sqn
15.12.66 ‘Disposal account’
09.02.67 S 56 Sqn
11.04.67 With 56 Sqn to NEAF, Akrotiri
01.11.67 60 MU Leconfield
04.07.68 Wattisham to 56 Sqn NEAF, Akrotiri
09.68 Recoded S 56 Sqn
12.09.69 60 MU
10.01.70 56 Sqn
06.09.71 60 MU servicing and storage
11.08.72 G 29 Sqn, Wattisham
14.05.73 ‘Disposal account’
16.08.73 71 MU
02.10.73 G 29 Sqn
15.11.74 29 Sqn disbands
01.01.75 Storage flight, Wattisham
04.02.75 60 MU
23.05.75 MOD (PE). Flown by Sqn Ldr R.W. Turbin to BAC Warton for structural tests, having completed 3000 flying hours. Retained for structural testing to the equivalent of 3500 h.
11.75 Dumped outside at Warton
06.76 Fuselage in 2 sections
01.09.79 Cockpit (29 Sqn markings:’Flt Lt PSG Adams’) on trolley with remains of fuselage and wings nearby.
Date? Conversion to computer-controlled Engine Ground Testing Simulator for Saudi SupportUnit
23.08.89 Lightning Preservation Group, Bruntingthorpe