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The English Electric Lightning is a British fighter aircraft that served as an interceptor during the 1960s, the 1970s and into the late 1980s. It was capable of a top speed of above Mach 2. The Lightning was designed, developed, and manufactured by English Electric.
The first prototype, designated the P.1, took to the air on the 4th of August 1954, piloted by Roland Beamont, EE's chief test pilot. Powered by Sapphire engines, on its third flight (on the 11th) it exceeded Mach 1 in level flight, the first British aircraft to do so.
The Lightning primarily served with the RAF as an interceptor, where it was tasked with defending British airspace against potential Soviet intruders. Its exceptional speed and performance made it an ideal platform for scrambling and intercepting high-speed enemy aircraft.
Feb 12, 2024 · The P.1’s designer was W. E. W. Petter, formerly chief designer at Westland Aircraft. The design was controversial and the Short SB5 was built to test wing sweep and tailplane combinations. The original combination were proved correct.
- UK
- Lightning F.6
- Fighter
- 1960
Design and Development. Written by Richard Hall. The English Electric Lightning was the first and only all-British-designed and manufactured interceptor/fighter capable of achieving supersonic speeds in level flight.
English Electric (later BAC) Lightning. Originally designed by W F Petter (the designer of the Canberra) The first Lighting Prototype was first flown on the 4th August 1954 by Wing Commander R P Beamont at Boscombe Down.
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The first of the development batch machines made its initial flight on 3 April 1958, with the rest following over the next year and a half. In October 1958, Sir Dermont Boyle, chief of air staff, gave the type the designation of "Lightning", in preference to the stuffier name of "Excalibur".
