EE Lightning escorting a Tu-95 Bear

[Dave Kearton]

--

Cheers

Dave Kearton

[C Charland]

G'day Dave

This is a Lightning F.6 from No. 23 (F) Squadron based at R.A.F. Station
Leuchars, Fife.

Cheers...Chris

[Enzo Matrix]

C Charland wrote:
> G'day Dave
>
> This is a Lightning F.6 from No. 23 (F) Squadron based at R.A.F.
> Station Leuchars, Fife.
>
> Cheers...Chris

Indeed it is, Chris. I have some further details.

XR753 was one of sixteen aircraft ordered from BAC to contract KD/2T/079.
The aircraft were ordered as F3s but were delivered to interim F6 standard -
officially designated F Mk.3ER/6(Int).

First flight 23-6-65, piloted by RP Beamont.

Service with:
CFE, 16-11-65
5 Sqn
23 Sqn
BAC Warton, 21-3-68, where it was converted to full F6 standard.
FCTU, 18-7-69, coded T and later U
23 Sqn, coded V
5 Sqn, coded B
23 Sqn, during early 1975, coded A
5 Sqn, coded F and later A
11 Sqn, coded A and later BA. The BA code application would have coincided
with the application of air defence camouflage scheme.
5 Sqn, during 1984, coded AG (although possibly AC)
11 Sqn, Feb 87, coded BP.

Withdrawn from use in early 1988, it was delievered to RAF Leeming on
24-5-88 where it was used for BDR training.

--
Enzo

I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

[C Charland]

Hi Enzo

Thanks for the informative gen.

Cheers...Chris

[john smith]

In article >,
"Enzo Matrix" > wrote:

> XR753 was one of sixteen aircraft ordered from BAC to contract KD/2T/079.
> The aircraft were ordered as F3s but were delivered to interim F6 standard -
> officially designated F Mk.3ER/6(Int).
>
> First flight 23-6-65, piloted by RP Beamont.
>
> Service with:
> CFE, 16-11-65
> 5 Sqn
> 23 Sqn
> BAC Warton, 21-3-68, where it was converted to full F6 standard.
> FCTU, 18-7-69, coded T and later U
> 23 Sqn, coded V
> 5 Sqn, coded B
> 23 Sqn, during early 1975, coded A
> 5 Sqn, coded F and later A
> 11 Sqn, coded A and later BA. The BA code application would have coincided
> with the application of air defence camouflage scheme.
> 5 Sqn, during 1984, coded AG (although possibly AC)
> 11 Sqn, Feb 87, coded BP.
>
> Withdrawn from use in early 1988, it was delievered to RAF Leeming on
> 24-5-88 where it was used for BDR training.

Enzo, can you translate what those designations mean to those of us who
are clueless?
Thanks.

[Enzo Matrix]

john smith wrote:
> In article >,
> "Enzo Matrix" > wrote:
>
>> XR753 was one of sixteen aircraft ordered from BAC to contract
>> KD/2T/079. The aircraft were ordered as F3s but were delivered to
>> interim F6 standard - officially designated F Mk.3ER/6(Int).
>>
>> First flight 23-6-65, piloted by RP Beamont.
>>
>> Service with:
>> CFE, 16-11-65
>> 5 Sqn
>> 23 Sqn
>> BAC Warton, 21-3-68, where it was converted to full F6 standard.
>> FCTU, 18-7-69, coded T and later U
>> 23 Sqn, coded V
>> 5 Sqn, coded B
>> 23 Sqn, during early 1975, coded A
>> 5 Sqn, coded F and later A
>> 11 Sqn, coded A and later BA. The BA code application would have
>> coincided with the application of air defence camouflage scheme.
>> 5 Sqn, during 1984, coded AG (although possibly AC)
>> 11 Sqn, Feb 87, coded BP.
>>
>> Withdrawn from use in early 1988, it was delievered to RAF Leeming on
>> 24-5-88 where it was used for BDR training.
>
> Enzo, can you translate what those designations mean to those of us
> who are clueless?
> Thanks.

I'm not sure which designations you mean, but admittedly there is a lot of
alphabet soup in there, so I'll just translate everything! :-)

F3 and F6 are the mark numbers of the aircraft. The F3 was the first single
seat lightning to have the broad chord fin. That style of fin is easily
recognisable because it has a cropped delta configuration, rather than the
pointed "witches hat" appearance of earlier models. The F3 also had the
smaller belly tank of the earlier versions. The belly tank was actually
removable, although no service aircraft ever flew like that. It's not
surprising really, as the Lightning was *always* short of fuel. The F6 was
the definitive service version. It had the later tail, as well as wing
leading edge extensions and a large belly tank. This tank was not removable.

Sqn - squadron. 5 and 11 Sqns were the last two units to use the Lightning.
The were co-located at RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire. Many people claim (with
some justification) that the Lightning was the last true fighter that the
RAF ever had. Binbrook because nicknamed (with tongue firmly in cheek) as
"Fightertown UK". ;-)

CFE - Central Fighter Establishment. Responsible for developing tactics and
procedures for the RAF's fighter force. Renamed FCTU in 1966.

FCTU - Fighter Command Trials Unit.

BAC - British Aircraft Corporation. Warton was the manufacturer's airfield,
located near Preston in Lancashire, where all the Lightnings were built.

BDR - Battle Damage Repair. Old aircraft awaiting scrapping were often used
for battle damage repair training. The idea was that a small explosive
charge would be placed somewhere on the airframe and detonated, to simulate
a cannon or missile strike. The repair team then had to repair the damage as
best they could. They were usually given limited resources and time, to
simulate doing this under operational conditions. During station exercises,
this would even be carried out in full Nuclear, Biological and Chemical
(NBC) suits.

Hope this helps.


--
Enzo

I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

[john smith]

In article >,
"Enzo Matrix" > wrote:

> john smith wrote:
> > In article >,
> > "Enzo Matrix" > wrote:
> >
> >> XR753 was one of sixteen aircraft ordered from BAC to contract
> >> KD/2T/079. The aircraft were ordered as F3s but were delivered to
> >> interim F6 standard - officially designated F Mk.3ER/6(Int).
> >>
> >> First flight 23-6-65, piloted by RP Beamont.
> >>
> >> Service with:
> >> CFE, 16-11-65
> >> 5 Sqn
> >> 23 Sqn
> >> BAC Warton, 21-3-68, where it was converted to full F6 standard.
> >> FCTU, 18-7-69, coded T and later U
> >> 23 Sqn, coded V
> >> 5 Sqn, coded B
> >> 23 Sqn, during early 1975, coded A
> >> 5 Sqn, coded F and later A
> >> 11 Sqn, coded A and later BA. The BA code application would have
> >> coincided with the application of air defence camouflage scheme.
> >> 5 Sqn, during 1984, coded AG (although possibly AC)
> >> 11 Sqn, Feb 87, coded BP.
> >>
> >> Withdrawn from use in early 1988, it was delievered to RAF Leeming on
> >> 24-5-88 where it was used for BDR training.
> >
> > Enzo, can you translate what those designations mean to those of us
> > who are clueless?
> > Thanks.
>
> I'm not sure which designations you mean, but admittedly there is a lot of
> alphabet soup in there, so I'll just translate everything! :-)
>
> F3 and F6 are the mark numbers of the aircraft. The F3 was the first single
> seat lightning to have the broad chord fin. That style of fin is easily
> recognisable because it has a cropped delta configuration, rather than the
> pointed "witches hat" appearance of earlier models. The F3 also had the
> smaller belly tank of the earlier versions. The belly tank was actually
> removable, although no service aircraft ever flew like that. It's not
> surprising really, as the Lightning was *always* short of fuel. The F6 was
> the definitive service version. It had the later tail, as well as wing
> leading edge extensions and a large belly tank. This tank was not removable.
>
> Sqn - squadron. 5 and 11 Sqns were the last two units to use the Lightning.
> The were co-located at RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire. Many people claim (with
> some justification) that the Lightning was the last true fighter that the
> RAF ever had. Binbrook because nicknamed (with tongue firmly in cheek) as
> "Fightertown UK". ;-)
>
> CFE - Central Fighter Establishment. Responsible for developing tactics and
> procedures for the RAF's fighter force. Renamed FCTU in 1966.
>
> FCTU - Fighter Command Trials Unit.
>
> BAC - British Aircraft Corporation. Warton was the manufacturer's airfield,
> located near Preston in Lancashire, where all the Lightnings were built.
>
> BDR - Battle Damage Repair. Old aircraft awaiting scrapping were often used
> for battle damage repair training. The idea was that a small explosive
> charge would be placed somewhere on the airframe and detonated, to simulate
> a cannon or missile strike. The repair team then had to repair the damage as
> best they could. They were usually given limited resources and time, to
> simulate doing this under operational conditions. During station exercises,
> this would even be carried out in full Nuclear, Biological and Chemical
> (NBC) suits.
>
> Hope this helps.

Enzo, thanks.
One more thing... what are the "codes"?

[Enzo Matrix]

john smith wrote:
> In article >,
> "Enzo Matrix" > wrote:
>> Hope this helps.
>
> Enzo, thanks.
> One more thing... what are the "codes"?

They are the code letters painted on the tail, and sometimes other places as
well (usually the nosewheel bay doors). They identify the aircraft within
the squadron, rather than using aircraft serial numbers all the time.

In the photograph, the Lightning carries the serial number "XR753" located
on the rear fuselage. It also carriesthe code "A" located near the top of
the fin.

Some squadrons used the "last three" of the aircraft serial number as a code
(the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit TWCU was one such). However, it is
theoretically possible for a squadron to have two aircraft with the same
last three on charge at the same time. For instance, XX109 and XZ109 were
both Jaguar GR1s. It's far better to use a code letter.

During the 1980s double letter codes became popular. These were used to
identify the squadron and aircraft within a fleet or sometimes just a wing.
So with the Binbrook Wing (which also comprised the entirety of the
Lightning fleet in the 80s), Aircraft of 5 Sqn had double letter codes
commencing with "A", which aircraft of 11 Sqn had them commencing with "B".

This held true for other wings. The Jaguar fleet at one time had the
following prefixes:

A - 14 Sqn
B - 17 Sqn
C - 20 Sqn
D - 31 Sqn
E - 6 Sqn
G - 54 Sqn

The two Jag recce squadrons went their own merry way. 2 Sqn was never
included in the coding system and for a time they used a two digit code
which bore no relation to the aircraft serial. 41 Sqn was allocated the
prefix "F" but I don't believe it was ever carried. Certainly every 41 Sqn
Jaguar that I have ever seen carried a single letter code.

A number of squadrons ignored the "wing" style of coding. At RAF Gütersloh,
the two Harrier squadrons were allocated wing prefixes. 3 Sqn were satisfied
with their "A", but on Happy 4, we just blithely went on using single letter
codes, rather than the allocated "B" prefix. Of course this caused ructions
later on, when the Powers That Be decreed that the Harrier *fleet* should be
coded in the same system. 3 Sqn were *not* happy that their "A" prefix was
transferred to 1 Sqn. They liked it even less when everyone started to refer
to them as "the B team". :-)


--
Enzo

I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.