The Lightning was a beast! Take off to 50,000 feet in just under a minute.
I remember first seeing them at RAF Guetersloh in Germany as a small boy. My father was serving in the Army and we had gone to meet my Grandmother who was flying in from the UK on a British Caledonian BAC1-11.
Years later I was stationed at Guetersloh, but it was Harriers, Pumas and Chinooks.
The Lightning was still operational when I joined the RAF. One came over to Church Fenton where I was based as part of the "farewell to the RAF" tour . I was sat in the tower and it gave a great display, really punchy. I went out to the flight line in a land rover to collect the pilot after it landed expecting to meet a young steely eyed killer in a g-suit, but was met by a short fat bald fella. Must have been the result of the stress from flying Lightnings!
Lightnings!
Steve 
