# Unique Lightning Pics



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Had a visitation from my parents today, so scanned in some of my Dad's photos; as I mentioned previously, he was Squadron Leader / Wing Commander of III ("Treble One") Squadron in the '60s...all these were taken at RAF Wattisham or in the skies over Suffolk. Hope you enjoy these very special photos...

That's me on the left (







), Dad in the middle and middle brother:










I bet Health & Safety would never allow this these days. I just feel people had more fun in the '60s / '70s. Pilots and wives on a wing. My Dad is the bald one in the middle and my Mum is the one with the floral dress and black cardigan in front of him:










Last of the personal ones and then onto the in-flight ones. One of the Officers Summer Balls...Mum in her all black dress in front row and my Dad to her left, next to the guy holding the drinks:










More to come....


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Dad flying almost vertically at speed...I guess it doesn't get any better than this. The photographer was in a 2-seater lightning.










Formation flying. Dad is the leader in the top one:










Another formation shot; this one from underneath:










More to come....


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Last couple. Very unusual photo....all these planes from different eras have served in Treble One squadron, and my Dad tells me each of the planes in this shot were painted up with the Treble III markings for the photo.










And a colour photo on the RAF station:










That's All Folks.









Paul


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Fantastic photos. Especially the Lightning doing its vertical party piece









If your dad was flying around over Suffolk in the 60's and 70's I've probably seen him!


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Paul,

Those pictures are fan- flipping- tastic.









Twenty people sitting on the wing of a Lightning.









Thanks for sharing, they are brilliant.


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## Fred (Feb 23, 2003)

What a great set of pictures.


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## MIKE (Feb 23, 2003)

Yes Paul, A great set of photos'









Thanks for sharing them with us









MIKE..


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2004)

Magnificent photo's Hawky. You must be very proud of your Dad.

So nice to see the personal pics that you don't normally see.


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Brilliant photos Hawky, we are very priviledged to have seen them.


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## Mal52 (Oct 7, 2003)

Absolute brilliant pics Paul....thank you for sharing

Cheers Mal


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## adrian (May 23, 2004)

Great photos. Thank you for sharing.


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

Wonderful pictures, what I wouldn't give for a photo of my Dad and 'his' C-47.

Re: safety - you'd be surprised what goes on away from the flagpole these days. I've got a great story about hire cars loaded up into Chinooks to tell over a pint one day...no pictures though


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## Manatee (Jul 4, 2004)

Thanks for posting these - I enjoyed them very much.


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

Wow, thank you Paul.


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## Ron Jr (Sep 10, 2003)

Great pics. I used to have some great shots of F-106's from my time in the USAF but after the service I stored all of my Military related things (includeing my custom flight helmet) at my parents house. They sold the house and while cleaning they threw out indescriminitly the only things that survived was one flight suit and a leather flight jacket I traded for my Nomax from a Marine pilot. Everything else had gone in to the dumpster.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

I hope people won't mind me resurrecting this Topic....but my father died 2 days ago...almost 10 years after this Topic was started, so lots of new members who might not have seen the photos posted at the start of this topic.

As executor of my late father's estate, I've been down at my parent's house helping my mother and starting all those tedious tasks like arranging the funeral, meeting the vicar, applying for probate, visiting Registrar's offices etc. But on a lighter note, I picked up something from my father's study that I've always lusted over and is directly related to this topic.

It's a very heavy, chrome plated model of the English Electric Lightning. My father had it for as long as I can remember and it was almost certainly given to him, as an RAF lightning Squadron Leader, by the English Electric company sometime in the 1960s. It is now sitting on my desk :yes:!



















And as I also found some of his watches, and this is a Watch Forum after all, a couple of shots of his Seiko 6117-8000 Navigator Timer from about 1969. He hadn't worn this in many years but the date of the watch means he was very likely to be wearing it while flying Lightnings....although I do remember the RAF issuing him with a Hamilton quartz in the mid 1970s.



















Rest in Peace Dad...thanks for the wonderful memories.


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## artistmike (May 13, 2006)

Both great items to have as a memory of your father... I would think it shouldn't be too difficult to replace the decals on the Lightning either, to give it a new lease of life, a lovely thing to pass on through the generations as a family memento.... A really classic aircraft and must have been amazing to fly...


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Love the watch but like the Lightning more. I never got to see one fly unfortunately but must have been amazing to see & even more amazing to fly.

Condolences to you & your family.


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

My condolences Paul.

I do like old personal photos, like the ones in this thread. They do seem to give a better sense of time and history than staged commercial photos do.

Later,

William


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I`d like to offer my condolences as well Paul, it`s great that you have such great mementos of him.

I missed the superb Lightning photos first time round, I seem to remember hearing that when Tupolev TU-95s were spotted the Lightning would zip up to meet them before handing over to Phantoms which though slower had greater range.


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## Who. Me? (Jan 12, 2007)

Sorry to read about your Dad.

Like the pictures of his 'office' though and that's a very cool memento.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Great pics, Paul...thanks for sharing them again. Sorry to hear about your Dad.


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## Caller. (Dec 8, 2013)

Wow, amazing photo's. Really sorry to hear of your loss, but thanks for sharing this thread again.


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## apm101 (Jun 4, 2011)

Thanks so much, Paul- some fantastic pics of a truly awesome aeroplane. Condolences for you loss, hope you're bearing up.


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## Ryan P (Sep 20, 2011)

What fantastic pix & surely many cherished memories.

My condolences on the passing of your Dad.

R


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