Aircraft Histories

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Two prototype T.4s Company designation P.11

XL628; C/N 95049 ff R.P. Beamont 6-5-59 Warton. First two-seat trainer aircraft. Crashed in Irish Sea, 1-10-59. Pilot, J.W.C. Squier, ejected safely but suffered from exposure. Suspected fin collapse at high Mach number. Total flights 94, hours flown 40h 51m.

XL629; C/N 95050 ff R.P. Beamont 29-9-59 Warton. After loss of XL628, bore brunt of two-seater development. To ETPS, Farnborough, 13-5-56, to Boscombe Down 20-12-67. Gate guardian, 1981

Lightning T.4 20 Built

XM966; C/N 95051 ff R.P. Beamont 15-7-60 Samlesbury. First flight as T4 to Filton for T5 conversion; second T5 to fly. Crashed on test flight over Irish Sea, 22-7-65, after loss of fin. J.L. Dell and G. Elkington ejected safely. Aircraft salvaged. Total flights 263 and hours 152h 51m.

XM967; C/N 95052 ff J.L. Dell 30-3-62 Bristol. First T5 to fly. To Farnborough, 22-5-68, became 8433M; on fire dump at Kemble, 12-76.

XM968; C/N 95053 ff R.P. Beamont 9-11-60 Samlesbury. Used for T4 Appraisal and development flying, also as chase aircraft for TSR2. Used by OCU and 56 Squadron, became 8541M.

XM969; C/N 95054 ff J.L. Dell 28-3-61 Warton. Used for 70 development flights at Warton before going to OCU at Middleton St George. Burned on Binbrook fire dump in 1982 as 8592M.

XM970; C/N 95055 ff T.M.S. Ferguson 5-5-61 Warton. Used for 26 development flights at Warton before going to OCU at Middleton St George, 2-11-61. First T4 in RAF service. Used at 1962 Paris Air Show; became 8529M.

XM971; C/N 95071 ff J.K. Isherwood 23-6-61 Samlesbury. To Middleton St George, 23-7-62. Crashed near Tunstead, Norfolk, 2-1-67, after debris from intake (bullet) entered engine. Sqn Ldr Carlton and Flt Lt Grose ejected safely. Total hours 688h 30m.

XM972; C/N 95072 ff D. de Villiers 29-4-61 Samlesbury. To OCU Middleton St George, 2-7-62.

XM973; C/N 95073 ff T.M.S. Ferguson 17-5-61 Samlesbury. Used for 27 development flights at Warton before despatch to 74 Squadron, Coltishall, 3-8-62. Became 8528M.

XM974; C/N 95074 ff T.M.S. Ferguson 19-6-61 Samlesbury. Appeared at 1961 SBAC show; to 74 Squadron, 3-8-62. Crashed into North Sea, 14-12-72, when both reheats and one engine caught fire. Flt Lt Spencer and Plt Off Evans ejected safely. Total hours 1753.

XM987; C/N 95075 ff T.M.S. Ferguson 13-7-61 Samlesbury. To OCU at Middleton St George, 20-8-62.

XM988; C/N 95076 ff T.M.S. Ferguson 21-8-61 Samlesbury. To OCU at Middleton St George, 12-10-62. Crashed North Sea, 5-6-73, when entered into a spin from Mach 1.1 spiral descent. Wing Commander C. Bruce ejected.

XM989; C/N 95077 ff T.M.S. Ferguson 30-8-61 Samlesbury. To 56 Squadron, 5-9-62. Bought by the BAC for Saudi Arabian contract, 6-4-66. To Saudi Arabia as T 54, 54-650, later 54-607.

XM990; C/N 95078 ff R.P. Beamont 21-9-61 Warton. To OCU Middleton St George, 20-9-62. Crashed during BoB Display, 19-9-70. Entered uncontrolled roll at East Plumstead (near Coltishall), and failed to recover. Flt Lts Fuller and Sumskin ejected safely. Hours flown 1282h.

XM991; C/N 95079 ff R.P. Beamont 4-10-61 Warton. To OCU at Middleton St George; later to 19 Squadron as ‘T’. Damaged at Gutersloh, 3-5-74. Became 8456M.

XM992; C/N 95080 ff R.P. Beamont 13-12-61 Warton. To 111 Squadron Wattisham, 24-9-62. Purchased by the BAC for Saudi Arabian contract, 7-4-66; to Saudi Arabia, 6-6-66, as T54 coded 54-651, later 54-608. Cat 3 starter fire at Khamis Mushayt, 26-10-70.

XM993; C/N 95100 ff J.K. Isherwood 9-12-61 Samlesbury. To OCU at Middleton St George, 4-10-62. Crashed at Middleton St George, 12-12-62, when it ran off runway and was burned out. No casualties.

XM994; C/N 95101 ff D. de Villiers 12-3-62 Warton. To 19 Squadron at Leconfield, 6-11-62.

XM995; C/N 95104 ff D. de Villiers 25-1-62 Warton. To 92 Squadron as ‘T’, 29-11-62. Became 8542M.

XM996; C/N 95103 ff T.M.S. Ferguson 13-4-62 Samlesbury. To OCU Middleton St George, 8-1-63.

XM997; C/N 95111 ff D. de Villiers 22-5-62 Samlesbury. To OCU Middleton St George, 14-1-63.