Lightning Association News

LIGHTNING ASSOCIATION NEWS - DECEMBER 2004

Brian Carroll
It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that Brian Carroll has died after a brave struggle against cancer. Brian’s support was fundamental to all of us in the Lightning Association. His many stories from his logbooks transformed the Lightning Review from just another newsletter to a quality magazine, widely respected in the aviation world. His enthusiasm when taxying XR724 here at Binbrook was infectious, and his technical advice over the years was invaluable. I shall write more in the next issue of the Review, but I know that I speak for us all when I say that his friendship will be greatly missed. Our sincere condolences go to his wife, Jean, and to his family.

Les Overton wrote the following engineering update before Brian died, but it illustrates the enormous respect and affection we held for him.

Engineering
By Les Overton
As you are aware from the website and review we have had an awkward year with regard to working on XR724 with the change of ownership and access to the aircraft.
I am happy to say that after the initial problems we are most grateful to the staff of Winchester Marine to allow XR724 to be put back into the former 5 squadron hangar, this not only keeps the elements at bay it also gives the engineering team a bit of respite from them as well.

The continuing task this year has been centred on the re-furbished No2 re-heat pipe. This was refitted after overhaul shortly before Rally 2003. We were soon aware of a problem with one of the solenoids on the AMCU which controls the way the reheat system operates. Although this had been checked and could be heard operating it obviously was in fact jammed. In typical Lightning design the offending solenoid can be seen and it can be touched when it is fitted to the reheat pipe but you cannot get any tools to it so guess what the reheat pipe was removed again in March 2004 on a bitterly cold weekend.

Before we stripped the solenoid down we again applied 24 volts to it and it could be heard operating, we stripped the unit down and found the piston that the solenoid operates was corroded into its seating. It was eventually removed by the application of a 6foot tall 16 stone engineer armed with a pair of mole grips. The solenoid has now been serviced and refitted to the AMCU and this is now ready for refitting to XR724 when we overcome the next problem.

Now we have our nitrogen supply sorted we have changed all 3 wheels on XR724 and even that has made her look better. While we were doing the wheel change we noticed a small pool of OM-15 on the floor under the arrestor hook area. Further investigation has revealed that the starboard airbrake lock jack is leaking from around the ram. The only spare unit we could find was fitted in XR725 so that has been removed, we are hoping to pressure and leak test this before we fit it to XR724. Once fitted the services hydraulic system will have to be bled. This can be done using the aircraft hand pump but requires the airbrakes to be opened and then the jacks disconnecting from the airbrake doors so the jacks can be operated in and out and the air bled from the jack bleed screws. This task will need to be done before we can refit the reheat pipe!

So although there has been little opportunity for any engine runs this year and the rally has not happened the engineers have been busy behind the scenes( access permitting )

Away from engineering now and I would like to respond to Brian Carroll for his kind words in his Lightning Review article regarding his adventures in South Africa last year. Brian it is an absolute pleasure as a group of engineers, some of us ex Binbrook Lightning men, some not, to do what is necessary to keep XR724 serviceable for you to enjoy. The people who come along to some of the events that we stage may not be aware of some of the effort required. One example I can give from memory is the twilight engine run we did in March 2001. That was held on a Saturday evening, during Friday the aircraft was refuelled and all tyres and systems pressures were checked and the aircraft was given an external clean. On the actual day of the engine run the engineers assembled at 2:00pm to start getting aircraft and equipment ready.

After the engine run it comes time to put all the covers back on, all equipment back down to the garage and then check we have not left any mess on the airfield. I think we eventually got finished 3 to 4 hours after everyone had left.

While I am mentioning this event, did any one manage to get any decent photographs or video that they would like to let us see. While any event is being stage we have no opportunity to film or photograph as we are busy with the aircraft. In fact I think I am right in saying that Pip has not been able to see 724 in reheat because he is in the cockpit.

I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know that we are also supporting the Anglo American Lightning Organisation in their efforts to get XS422 flying again to this end we are overhauling their reheat pipes prior to them being shipped out to America. I am hoping to be out there when she flies!!!!

Anyway I will finish now and say thank you all for your continued support through what has been a difficult year. I am looking forward to a better 2005 for XR724.

Lightning Review
I am currently hoping to get the next copy of the magazine out in January. Remember, as always, I depend completely on articles coming in from people who worked on or flew Lightnings, or who knew some people who did and can persuade them to write down their experiences, or who went to airshows or stood at the crash-gates on freezing mornings or who heard a story somewhere from someone and which had something to do with the aeroplane. If you come into any of these categories, we need your input if the Review is to continue in its present form. Sit down at a table with a blank sheet of paper or computer screen and just write the first word - that’s the most difficult one, and you’ll find that the others flow. Try it!

All you guys who are logging on and leaving messages for old mates in the guest-book MUST have tales to tell, so please take the time to jot something down and please try to keep those articles and WIWOLs coming in!

Website
Any suggestions for improvements would be gratefully received; I will pass them on to our Webmaster, Martin Ives, who has also written my veterinary nursing website and who has been a tower of strength in the difficult job of getting the Lightning site rewritten. Anyone looking for a Webmaster to set up a website or sort out their website problems could do a lot worse than contact Martin at Sasquatch Design by clicking on the link on our site. As far as his technical knowledge and ability are concerned, he appears to be faultless. At the time of writing, if you type ‘veterinary nurse’ into the Google search engine, our site is No.1 (apart from one which has paid for sponsorship, and therefore comes at the top of the page) out of some 102,000 sites listed. If you type in ‘English Electric Lightning’, we are No.1 out of some 84,000 sites listed, and the site is still only half-built. If you type in 'BAC Lightning', we are also No.1. This is the sort of positioning that most website owners can only dream about. In addition, I have had all the usual problems which people working with computers regularly have, some due to technical problems, many to my own ignorance, and on every occasion Martin has sorted the problem out, quickly, cheerfully and efficiently. He's also extremely reasonable in terms of costs, compared with some of the quotes I got. And I wrote this, not Martin!

Charles