In article ,
"Enzo Matrix" wrote:

john smith wrote:
In article ,
"Enzo Matrix" wrote:

XR753 was one of sixteen aircraft ordered from BAC to contract
KD/2T/079. The aircraft were ordered as F3s but were delivered to
interim F6 standard - officially designated F Mk.3ER/6(Int).

First flight 23-6-65, piloted by RP Beamont.

Service with:
CFE, 16-11-65
5 Sqn
23 Sqn
BAC Warton, 21-3-68, where it was converted to full F6 standard.
FCTU, 18-7-69, coded T and later U
23 Sqn, coded V
5 Sqn, coded B
23 Sqn, during early 1975, coded A
5 Sqn, coded F and later A
11 Sqn, coded A and later BA. The BA code application would have
coincided with the application of air defence camouflage scheme.
5 Sqn, during 1984, coded AG (although possibly AC)
11 Sqn, Feb 87, coded BP.

Withdrawn from use in early 1988, it was delievered to RAF Leeming on
24-5-88 where it was used for BDR training.

Enzo, can you translate what those designations mean to those of us
who are clueless?
Thanks.

I'm not sure which designations you mean, but admittedly there is a lot of
alphabet soup in there, so I'll just translate everything! :-)

F3 and F6 are the mark numbers of the aircraft. The F3 was the first single
seat lightning to have the broad chord fin. That style of fin is easily
recognisable because it has a cropped delta configuration, rather than the
pointed "witches hat" appearance of earlier models. The F3 also had the
smaller belly tank of the earlier versions. The belly tank was actually
removable, although no service aircraft ever flew like that. It's not
surprising really, as the Lightning was *always* short of fuel. The F6 was
the definitive service version. It had the later tail, as well as wing
leading edge extensions and a large belly tank. This tank was not removable.

Sqn - squadron. 5 and 11 Sqns were the last two units to use the Lightning.
The were co-located at RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire. Many people claim (with
some justification) that the Lightning was the last true fighter that the
RAF ever had. Binbrook because nicknamed (with tongue firmly in cheek) as
"Fightertown UK". ;-)

CFE - Central Fighter Establishment. Responsible for developing tactics and
procedures for the RAF's fighter force. Renamed FCTU in 1966.

FCTU - Fighter Command Trials Unit.

BAC - British Aircraft Corporation. Warton was the manufacturer's airfield,
located near Preston in Lancashire, where all the Lightnings were built.

BDR - Battle Damage Repair. Old aircraft awaiting scrapping were often used
for battle damage repair training. The idea was that a small explosive
charge would be placed somewhere on the airframe and detonated, to simulate
a cannon or missile strike. The repair team then had to repair the damage as
best they could. They were usually given limited resources and time, to
simulate doing this under operational conditions. During station exercises,
this would even be carried out in full Nuclear, Biological and Chemical
(NBC) suits.

Hope this helps.

Enzo, thanks.
One more thing... what are the "codes"?