OVER AND OUT

Description

From a simple concept sketch titled “Experimental Requirement ER 103” calling for a Ministry of Supply requirement for a high performance aircraft capable of Mach 1.5, designer W.E.W.’Teddy’ Petter Chief design engineer at English Electric Preston, in 1947, there came one of the truly great aircraft of British aviation.  The only all -British Mach 2 fighter. The English Electric Lightning. 

Test flying the Lightning prototypes began with the establishment of the Lightning Test and Experimental Development Programme in 1954.

In this painting the year is 1958 and Chief test pilot Roland ‘Bee’ Beamont,  flying one of the first Pre Production Lightning Mk.1 prototypes makes a fast mock-gunnery attack on the 4th prototype Lightning XA853, seen breaking hard away to port as flown by test pilot Jimmy Dell at high altitude combat pace trials with full reheat. 
By the time of the Lightning’s entry to RAF service with 74 (Tiger) Sqn at RAF Coltishall in June 1960 the achievements of test pilots Beamont, Dell and their small band of test pilots at the Lightning Test and Experimental Development Department at Warton had made serving with a Lightning Squadron and flying the aircraft the goal of every RAF fighter pilot who saw it.

© Copyright image and text Simon W Atack