English Electric Lightning Vertical Take Off Test

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

Hi,
I rember hearing from one of my mate that the RAF did a test on the English Electric Lightning to see if it could take off vertical. All I know is that it was done from a carrier and tryed only once because of how much fuel it used.
Ive tryed looking every were but as of yet nothing. Dose any one here have anything on it or know were I can go to find out about it.
Thanks
 
'Zero-Launch' experiments are the only thing that I could think of. However, I personally have no knowledge of the Lightning participating in such experiments, let alone on an Aircraft carrier.

 
I know it sounds mad, just rember my dad and some others telling me about it. They put a lightning on the front of a UK carrier were the harrier ski jump is, started it up and went for it. The thrust from the 2 engines was so much that it could lift it's self into the air. But they only did it as a test to see if it could be done. It was on a TV doc I think but I missed it as you do.
 
...the RAF did a test on the English Electric Lightning to see if it could take off vertically. All I know is that it was done from a carrier

...They put a Lightning on the front of a UK carrier where the Harrier ski jump is...
So
vertically? Or at 20 degrees?

Smells like a wind-up to me, too; an airframe would need to be designed from the off to take off vertically and I can't see the RAF squandering a fighter or the RN risking serious damage to a capital ship just to prove some pie-in-the-sky theory
 
Didn't happen. Liikely someone took a greater than 1:1 thrust to weight ratio quote and blew it into the idea that the airplane could lift off like a rocket.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back