BAC Lightning F6 XS904 / N, RAF No.5 Sqn, Binbrook Wing, RAF Leconfield Deployment, May 1973

English Electric Lightning F6 XS904 / BQ, RAF No.11 Squadron, Binbrook, August 1987, 'The Last Lightning Show', Aircraft now preserved by the Lightning Preservation Group, Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Leicestershire, England For an aircraft which instilled immense national pride in so many people over such a long period, it is no wonder that the English Electric Lightning still commands a significant position in the hearts of the UK aviation enthusiast, with two very special aeroplanes being singled out for special attention. Until recently, two of the aircraft lovingly maintained by the Lightning Preservation Group regularly blasted down the runway at Bruntingthorpe airfield, in scenes reminiscent of a Cold War RAF fighter station and always drawing large crowds for these events. Lightning F.6 XS904 has been in the care of the LPG since she was delivered to the airfield on 21st January 1993, a historic occasion which witnessed the final military flight of an English Electric Lightning fighter.

Flying from the British Aerospace factory airfield site at Warton in formation with a Panavia Tornado F.3 fighter, the pair made a spirited high speed pass along the length of the runway at Bruntingthorpe on their arrival, before the Deputy Chief Test Pilot at BAe Warton, Peter Orme, brought this magnificent supersonic aircraft in for her final landing at her new home. During a 20 year RAF career, XS904 served with Nos 5 and 11 Squadrons and also has the distinction of being one of the nine Lightnings which took part in a spectacular 9 ship formation during the 'Last Lightning show' at RAF Binbrook on 22nd August 1987.