Operational military jets Thunder City, Cape Town,

[Andre40]

English Electric Lightning. Note retracting undercarriage.

[Andre40]

Mike Beachy Head viewing the City of Cape Town from a different angle.

[Andre40]

English Electric Lightning taking off. From standing start to 20000 feet in 65 seconds and that with 1950s technology

[Andre40]

Black English Electric Lighning swooping low over Cape Town. Table Mountain in back ground. Looks mean doesn't it!

[Andre40]

Buccaneer

[Andre40]

Buccaneer, three quarter rear view

[Andre40]

Buccaneer again

[Andre40]

Buccaneer swooping low over Table Mountain

[Andre40]

Hawker Hunter taking off

[Andre40]

Low swoop by Hawker Hunter

[Andre40]

And finally another shot of a Hawker Hunter.

Onwards and Upwards and they say in the RAF!
Andre 40

[Andre40]

Hi Paul,

I refer to my post of February 5 in which I said that Keith Hawes might have been at Farnborough but was definitely at Boscombe Down. My sister-in-law has just reminded me that it was the other way round. senior moment!

Regards,
Andre

[Ken Mason]

I was at school near the Norfolk Coast in the early sixties and remember the Lightnings taking off from RAF Coltishall. They really hauled ass when setting off to turn away a Russian spy plane.... The noise was amazing!

[Paul]

I was riding a clapped out 500 AJS down the side of Manston airport in Kent England in the 60s and I thought that the bike was falling apart and was busy looking down at the bike to see what was happening. Out the corner of my eye I saw a Lightning taking off on after burner. I think that he must have had a good laugh if he noticed my frantic antics.
Regards

[Chris P.]

Nice photos - here in Oregon, USA we have the Spruce Goose. What a big mother that is. Right next to it is an SR71 blackbird. All the photos I've seen of the SR71, even on the ground, make it seem so much bigger then it really is. Just sitting there it looks like it's going supersonic.

Boy those lightnings sure look just like the old MIGs.

[Andre40]

Thanks Chris,

When Keith Hawes and I met up with Mike Beachy Head he told us that he's planning to buy some American jets, like Ph........! I'm meeting up with him soon to interview him for an aircraft magazine and will ask him about MIGs. Could have mock air battles over Cape Town.

Talking of which that has been discussed in another direction. Mike O'Sullivan in Australia builds a fantastic three quarter scale Spitfire MK26, the two seater tandem version and his local agent is building one right now in Cape Town.There are two engine options, the Oz Jabiru or the GM V6 twin cam 24 valve which is actually a Honda engine. A friend is planning to design and build a three quarter scale Junkers J87 powered either by a BMW or Mercedes-Benz engine and yes it will have the siren! Great opportunity for mock air battles! Mike's website address is www.supermarineaircraft.com. Definitely worth a visit!

I'll reply soon to your E-Mail. There's some good thinking behind your car design.

Best regards
Andre 40

[Andre40]

Hi David,

Apologies for my late reply to your post of February 5.

Perhaps one should have the FOREsight to book a flight and to enjoy the experience of an English Electric Lightning taking off at some terrible speed or for the older boys to enjoy the-not-so pleasant experience of false teeth sliding back into the throat!

Cost of flights as follows:

Hawker Hunter - US$4,162; 2,385 pounds sterling; EUR 3,500 at today's exchange rates.
Flight time about 60 minutes.

Buccaneer - US$8,919; 5,109 pounds sterling; EUR 7,500. Flight time about 60 minutes.

English Electric Lightning - US$ 11,297; 6,472 pound sterling; EUR 9,500. Flight time about 40 minutes. Fuel consumption about 450 litres per minute with after burners on. BIG BUCKS! Then when you land you can soothe your nerves with a bottle of Kanonkop! Mind you as a former airlines pilot who once flew the great Juan Manual Fangio you wouldn't need the nerves soothed. That could mean a glass or two extra for me!

On a philosophical note what's more important about life - a material possession or a wonderful memory that you'll carry with you for ever and that no one can take away from you?

Reach for the sky!
Andre 40

[Keith Hardy]

These photos are not only amazing (thanks Andre) they are also extremely upsetting. We used to have a cutting edge aero industry in the UK, now though, we make only wings and cockpits. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Keith Hardy]

It is reckoned that the TSR2 was so advanced, it would still be in service today, and they (blasted socialists), killed it. Nothing changes [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[David Morton]

Andre,
JMF 1991 Buenos Aires - London
L-R : secretary, JMF, Me.
Dave M