Last flight of a Lightning

[Deskpilot]

Sent to me by an ex RAF buddy. A sad loss of life and aircraft

 

Last Flight English Electric Lightning, Dave Stock

 

 

[dazza 38]

It was tragic, when he decided to eject, and the seat didnt work.

 

 

[Spin]

Thanks Doug, I have a number of friends who travelled to attend that airshow and recall them being shocked afterward, especially when it became evident that the ejection had failed. I have a few photographs taken during the display, but hadn't seen that video, rather poignant. I believe the video and photographs were of great assistance to the CAA during the investigation because so little remained after the impact and subsequent fire.

 

I understand hydraulic failure wasn't unknown even 50 + years ago when the Lightnings were new and the B/W shot is apparently taken after one such incident. Cutting things rather fine with a non zero/zero rated ejection seat!

 

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[facthunter]

failures.

 

Surely there would be some redundancy for hydraulic failure especially with the ability to eject when things go wrong. (that's the only time you DO eject). Would be hard to keep that sort of stuff fully serviceable over the years. Probably a real top pilot. Nev

 

 

[Spin]

Nev, I haven't read the full accident report, however from what I did see, there are two hydraulic systems, however it is believed that a fire occurred due to a fuel leak in the vicinity of the ram for the elevators, where the systems of necessity meet (see second photo showing red around the roots of the horizontal stab). It is believed that first one then the other was disabled by the fire.

 

I'm also told that whilst the aircraft are maintained to a very high standard, the ejector seat was due for some periodic maintenance and the aircraft operated under a waiver specifically for the show. Ironically, it is believed that the seat was operational, however the canopy failed to blow off and a safety interconnect prevented the seat from firing. Sad loss whatever the cause.

 

 

[facthunter]

Sense.

 

makes sense about the canopy but still not impressed. It is often a series of things, not just one. Nev.

 

 

[Deskpilot]

From what I've heard else where, he tried to eject twice, top and bottom handles. I can't remember the details of the seat/canopy 'links' but to eject through the canopy wouldn't be survivable. Yes, early ejections were through it it I know. I've not heard Martin Baker ejector seat failures ever before, but then, maybe it wasn't the seat itself that was at fault.

 

 

[dazza 38]

i did a course on martin Baker seats when doing my crew chief course for tornadoes, in england ( im Grand Standing again),anyway, it was full on, their is so many explosive devices that in sequence,have to work, to make the ejection sucessful. Martin Baker have before had ejection failures, VERY VERY RARE. I reseached this accident, this is not gosbel, but the seat was serviced not long prior to the accident.Spin you could be right as well, i have nothing in concrete. Every thing is interlinked, the seat, the explosive devices that blow the canopy etc. It is a chain of evens, that make a successful outcome, in this case, unfortunately something didnt work as advertised.Cheers

 

 

[Spin]

Yeah Dazza, I don't have any first hand knowledge, I'm going on comments relayed to me by people who seemed to have an idea of what had happened at the time.

 

Must be interesting things to work on, I'll be honest and say that the only time I got close to one was sitting in the cockpit of a Mirage 111 - despite being assured that it had been secured I was very wary of what I touched! Especially as I'd also been shown a new sheet of iron on the hangar roof, where a tech is supposed to have driven himself and a seat out of a SAAF Impala (Aermacchi 326).

 

 

[dazza 38]

Yeah Dazza, I don't have any first hand knowledge, I'm going on comments relayed to me by people who seemed to have an idea of what had happened at the time. Must be interesting things to work on, I'll be honest and say that the only time I got close to one was sitting in the cockpit of a Mirage 111 - despite being assured that it had been secured I was very wary of what I touched! Especially as I'd also been shown a new sheet of iron on the hangar roof, where a tech is supposed to have driven himself and a seat out of a SAAF Impala (Aermacchi 326).

Hi Carl, that has happened on more than one occasion. Ejection seats are dangerous. The last thing when launching a A/c, like the tornado, is to retrieve, the safety pin from the pilot, and nav.Sharp end flew them, he can shed more on the subject.If the safety pin is in place, your are safe, even if you pull the seat pan handle, or the over head handle, it prevents the chain of events from starting.Because the pin prevents movement of the firing mechanisim, that starts the chain of events. I found that particular course "full on", the reason is that "armourers in the RAAF", dealt with ejection seats, it was something new, i never came across that as aircraft technician in the RAAF.Cheers mate.

 

 

[Deskpilot]

. Ejection seats are dangerous.

Oh indeed they are. I remember stepping into a Lightning cockpit one day and the seat tipped forward.......I nearly crapped myself

 

 

[Mazda]

I don't have sound on the video. When was that?

 

 

[Spin]

November last year, Mazda

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

In case anyone is interested, the interim accident report is here http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/accidents%20&%20incid/reports/2009/ZU-BEX.pdf

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[Spin]

Thanks Crezzi, I hadn't gotten around to searching that out. Tragic though this was, I don't imagine Dave Stock had too many illusions about the aircraft he was strapping on - I only hope that the CAA don't crack down so hard that it becomes impossible to operate them. I have seen several of Thundercity's fleet displayed and always appreciated the opportunity to see exotic aircraft in their natural habitat.

 

 

[Spin]

Oh indeed they are. I remember stepping into a Lightning cockpit one day and the seat tipped forward.......I nearly crapped myself

Ooooh, I can just picture it! I'd have done the same. What is your background Doug, I see you have a Lightning badge on your avatar, are you ex RAF?

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

I only hope that the CAA don't crack down so hard that it becomes impossible to operate them. I have seen several of Thundercity's fleet displayed and always appreciated the opportunity to see exotic aircraft in their natural habitat.

I quite agree & not just to see them displayed. Whilst they are still operating there is always the possibility (however slim) of having enough cash to pay for a flight. Apparently the Thunder City Lightning required 60 hours of maintenance for every hour in the air hence the price of flights.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Ooooh, I can just picture it! I'd have done the same. What is your background Doug, I see you have a Lightning badge on your avatar, are you ex RAF?

I joined the RAF in late '59 to become an 'Air Radar Fitter/Technician'. That meant, I'd be servicing air-borne radars. My first posting was to Transport Command servicing Blackburn Beverley's. I was then retrained to service Hawker Javelins, then retained for Lightnings. I served with 19, 23 and 74 Sqdns and was unhappily demobbed after 15 years due to cut-backs by the Iron Lady (Thatcher). I had applied to go on to 22 years and a pension.

 

My aircraft below are Beverley G for George, I flew in that one. Javelin, strangely I was never on 1st line with these aircraft. I worked in the 2nd line maintenance bay for a while then occasionally serviced visiting aircraft. It was rather scarey to stand on the wing, leaning over the air in-take to talk to the pilot (with engines running) and change a radio lead down behind the live seat.

 

Lightnings, 19 Sqdn line up, a surviving 74 Sqdn member and 2 of it's 'Tiger' Sqdn sisters.

 

The cockpit of a single seater and the Thunder City T4 that set the last climb to height record. I'm not sure if this is the same aircraft that crashed.

 

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[Spin]

Thanks Doug, that makes fascinating reading. That is the downside of forums like this, people often have a wealth of knowledge and interesting stories to tell that don't come out unless a direct question is asked. I suppose I'm just going to have to make more of an effort to travel to the more distant flyins, these things are better revealed over a beer and around a fire!

 

As far as your last photo goes, I don't think that is the accident aircraft, ZU-BEX. If I'm not mistaken that is ZU-BBO, a T4.

 

Cheers Carl

 

 

[Deskpilot]

You're right Spin but I've just done a bit of a search and was surprised to see that they actually had 4 Lightnings. Now I'll try and track down the one reported to be in America.

 

Thunder City

 

 

[Mazda]

This is from Sharp End, who flew the Lightning.

 

He said he has nothing to say, other than they are not civilian aircraft.

 

 

[Deskpilot]

The RAF and the Saudi Arabians Air force. The Lightning was modified a little to meet their requirements and can be identified by a 'cranked' leading edge, sometimes referred to as a crescent wing. We trained all their pilots at RAF Leconfield, including Prince Fiazal, heir to the throne. The story goes that one day he was driving down to London and his Lamborghini began to run rough so he detoured to a car sales place somewhere, entered the showroom and took the cash price for a Mini Cooper out of his pocket, paid and drove off. Probably didn't bother about insurance etc. Another story is that he was pulled up (more like requested to go) in front of the camp C.O. who told him to stop flashing his money around as it was embarrassing the 'poorly paid' British pilots. Of coarse, this could all be rumor but it has the ring of truth in it.

 

There is heaps of info re Lightnings on the net due to it being so different, and the greatest, yet least recognized aircraft the RAF has ever had. Long may the remainders fly....safely.

 

 

[planedriver]

This is a very sad end to a wonderful aircraft.

 

I found reading your background very interesting Doug.

 

I had been accepted into the RAF as a boy entrant, but allowed some of my old school mates to talk me out of it, as I would have been committed for too many years, and it would cost a bundle to buy oneself out if I did'nt like service life.

 

That decision is one i've always regretted:crying:.

 

My cousin used to work for Redifon Flight Simulators at Wandsworth and he showed me over a simulator one Saturday, morning prior to it being shipped to Saudi Arabia where he spent a couple of months setting the thing up.

 

I'll email him the video-link as I know he'd be interested, even though he now works on defence systems for the Navy.

 

I can't recall exactly where Martin-Baker had there factory, but remeber that it had an ejector-seat on display out the front, together with a board which inicated how many lives they'd saved world wide.

 

One day my work took me to Cornwall, and the magneic forces drew me to an airport, as they always do. It was RAF St. Maughan. I got chatting to an intersting guy who used to fly Lightnings, and in his words he said that "when re-heats on, climbing vertically is better than having sex". RAF St Maughan used to send up Meteors to tow tagets for the boys in the Lightnings.

 

From memory, I think they've got one on display at the RAF Museum at Hendon, which is a fabulous place to visit, for any aviators heading to London.

 

Kind Regards

 

Planey