Leconfield Open Day - 20th July 1974

[Sixoneseven]

This was a rare opportunity to have a look inside the Lightning MU hangars back in 1974, as well as being an airshow. I've been trying to find out what the badge was (removed at this time but intriguing remnant left!) on the fin of XM137. I would be interested to hear any ideas....
Happy New Year to everyone

LD74-3 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-2 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-1 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-4 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-6 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-7 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-8 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-10 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-11 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-12 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-13 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-14 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-16 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-17 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-18 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-19 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-20 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-21 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-22 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-23 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-24 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-25 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-27 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

LD74-28 by Chris Tyler, on Flickr

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these with us, a base I never visited. Nice to see the Lightnings obviously, but also the other types, especially those in their early schemes.

[paddyboy]

Great to see lots of early Lightnings in natural metal finish, especially the F2’s

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[F3]

According to the book on the Lightning by Martin Derry & Neil Robinson XM137 was operated by the Air Fighting Development Squadron and loaned to 74 (Tiger) Sqn for the '61 airshow season as they were that year's RAF Display Team and required an increased complement of jets to enable them to field a 9 ship team. Last served with the Binbrook Target Facilities Flight in the late '60s/early '70s. The Badge worn was the Binbrook Lion motif in a white disc to the left of the top of the fin mk
and the serial letters above. There is pic of its sister a/c XM173 & 183 in Fred Martin's Lightning Force book. This would have been it's last service as it was then re-issued to the Wattisham TFF with which it saw out the remainder of its service before being scrapped.

[Drinkmat]

Excellent photos. Nice to see my favourite Lightning, XM135, now displayed at the IWM Duxford. This is the jet flown by Engineering Officer (the late) Taff Holden from and to RAF Lyneham. For anyone not familiar with what happened, it's well worth a Google search!

[eLaReF]

I was at ATC camp at Leconfield in July 63 and saw the new F.2s with 19 & 92 Squadrons and a lot of 74Sq F.1s that were in for servicing
Minor problem - I didn't own a camera then!!


ATC - Leconfield 1963 by eLaReF, on Flickr

[Phil]

Binbrook had an open day the same day. A longer drive before the bridge!

[Mustang531]

Interesting shot of an ATC unit, one of my former work colleagues was in a Kent based Squadron, sometime during the Sixties, he told me that he'd been to Leconfield for a Summer camp. He told me that he remembered the Lightnings, one day there was a scramble. He also told me that an Anson turned up while they were there, it was en-route to Shawbury for the inevitable end. But the pilot was asked if the cadets could be given some short flights in it before departure. This he was happy to do.

[raptor9]

Nice to see the Air Cadets shot. What good times they were back then!. Many happy hours spent in Ansons

[eLaReF]

Interesting shot of an ATC unit, one of my former work colleagues was in a Kent based Squadron, sometime during the Sixties, he told me that he'd been to Leconfield for a Summer camp. He told me that he remembered the Lightnings, one day there was a scramble. He also told me that an Anson turned up while they were there, it was en-route to Shawbury for the inevitable end. But the pilot was asked if the cadets could be given some short flights in it before departure. This he was happy to do.

At my previous camp - Linton on Ouse, we went to Dishforth for the Air Experience flights
My main memory of being in the co-pilot's seat of VM339 was the draughts from the various holes as we did a few circuits & bumps.

[pug]

Great pictures of what would have been my local RAF station had I been alive then. I understand excellent for spotting, hard to imagine now - too many trees!

[3Greens]

Leconfield so close yet so far ! As a Binbrook local often noted Lightnings just 'hopping' over the river 10 mins to go in for service/maintenance.
Until the Humber Bridge opened in July 1981 it was either a crossing on the Humber ferry or a lengthy drive around the estuary through Goole, so never got the opportunity to visit.
Great to see the old frames, thanks very much for posting
On 8th August 1969 I had seen XM147 'A' and XM136 'B' both from the Wattisham TFF both visiting Binbrook with 111Sqdn. who were also deployed from Wattisham. Great days

Binbrook had an open day the same day. A longer drive before the bridge!

The Binbrook event must have been a 'Families' Day' as I was at the Crash Gate on 17th July on my regular Wednesday day off and have no notes in my log.

[Phil]

Leconfield so close yet so far ! As a Binbrook local often noted Lightnings just 'hopping' over the river 10 mins to go in for service/maintenance.
Until the Humber Bridge opened in July 1981 it was either a crossing on the Humber ferry or a lengthy drive around the estuary through Goole, so never got the opportunity to visit.
Great to see the old frames, thanks very much for posting
On 8th August 1969 I had seen XM147 'A' and XM136 'B' both from the Wattisham TFF both visiting Binbrook with 111Sqdn. who were also deployed from Wattisham. Great days

Binbrook had an open day the same day. A longer drive before the bridge!

The Binbrook event must have been a 'Families' Day' as I was at the Crash Gate on 17th July on my regular Wednesday day off and have no notes in my log.

It was definitely an open day, being my birthday. I have photos and a log somewhere.

[Ridge Runner]

nice

[MCB]

The scrubbed out badge on XM137 is a winged bell. It represented the 60 MU Unit Test Pilot Sqn Ldr Dick "Dinger" Bell.

MCB

[Sixoneseven]

The scrubbed out badge on XM137 is a winged bell. It represented the 60 MU Unit Test Pilot Sqn Ldr Dick "Dinger" Bell.

MCB

Thanks very much for that MCB - it's solved a mystery for me from nearly 50 years ago! I wonder whether anybody has a pic of the badge before it was removed??