Classic Airforce logo

Newsletter Sign up

From the Blog Header

G-AMSV Returns to Coventry

An old friend returned to Coventry yesterday when G-AMSV, in her striking Indian Air force livery, landed here for extensive maintenance by our engineers. Sierra Victor was part of the Air Altantique fleet here for many years. She'll...

Read more>>


Baginton Air Pageant

The initial details for the Baginton Air Pageant are up on the website! As we don't have the space for a full-on air show attracting 20,000 or so people, we're aiming for low-key, themed days like this. A couple of thousand people,...

Read more>>


Newquay Pleasure flights

We promised we'd be back to fly in Cornwall, and here we are. We'll be heading south with a Rapide and Chipmunk to spend a week at Newquay from 25th July, with a further visit planned in August. The flights are bookable in the normal...

Read more>>


New Dakota Book

Geoff Jones just told me that his new book on the DC-3, released to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Dak's appearance, is now available. The cover sports a lovely shot of G-ANAF, shot by Simon Westwood before her radome goiter was...

Read more>>


Nimrod Engine Run

We've just confirmed plans by NPT to run all four of the Nimrod's Rolls-Royce Speys on Saturday 9th May. We expect the thunder to start just after lunchtime. Come along and enjoy some audio power - and please dip into your pockets...

Read more>>


From the Blog Header
Become a member of the Classic Air Force
Jem Shaw

Jem Shaw

09/10/2014 10:57:31

<...Back to the Blog

CAPTURING THE LIGHTNING

The English Electric Lightning rescued from the scrapyard with the help of our friends at Gateguards UK and the generous cooperation of BAe Systems has moved into the main hangar at Newquay. As you can see from the photograph, there's a lot of work to be done, but she's in surpisingly good shape so will be making her return to full beauty over the winter.

She stood for many years as gate guardian at BAe Sytems Samlesbury. I know there was a great deal of local upset when she was removed for scrapping, so I hope we'll see a few visitors making the journey from Lancashire to visit her in her new home.

Glenn Britnell

26/03/2015 13:34:25

Great to see this has not been scrapped. I was an Apprentice at BAE Warton in 1989 & helped strip down this very aircraft for transportation to Samlesbury to be reassembled at a gate guard.

Lee Turner

02/05/2015 08:23:23

Many threw their hands up in thr air when significant aircraft like the Lightnng, Hurricane and Spitfire were reduced to becoming gateguards. But thank goodness they were as it has saved many from the scrapman! Protect the heritage. We should be proud. Remember TSR2!

Your Comment

Note that comments are subject to review before publication
Your Name: *   
Email Address (Will not be shown): *   
Website (optional):   
Comment: *   
Simple HTML, such as <strong> or <br /> can be used if you wish.
(Maximum characters: 300) You have characters left.
 

Click to change characters

Please enter the characters you see above
Note: letters are not case-sensitive)

We apologise that this is necessary, but the unprincipled idiots who unleash spam programs on the Internet force us to do something to at least slow them down!