Thunder & Lightnings

English Electric Lightning - Survivor ZF592 (ex 53-686)

F.53 ZF592 - City of Norwich Aviation Museum, Horsham St. Faith, Norfolk

Click for previous survivorSurvivor imageClick for next survivor

Lightning F.53 ZF592 at City of Norwich Aviation Museum, 3rd December 2022; Jake Wallace

This F.53 was first flown as G-AWON on 11th June 1968, and put on display at the 1968 Farnborough SBAC show with an impressive array of weaponry. Delivered to the Saudis in 1969 as 53-686, she served with 2 Squadron, the LCU, then bounced between 2 and 13 Squadrons until January 1986 when she was retired and bought back by BAe as part of the Tornado F.3 deal and flew home to Warton as ZF592.

In common with many of the ex-Saudi airframes, she was stored out in the open at Warton and eventually sold off for a nominal fee, being transported to the City of Norwich Aviation Museum eventually. F.53 ZF592 was - rarely for a Lightning - disassembled correctly for transport, no wings hacked off! Reassembled and restored in full Saudi markings after her arrival. Her starboard side was later given her G-AWON markings, which were changed again into RAF 74 Sqn markings a few years back, still retaining her Saudi markings on the port side.

Information on this page current as of 05/12/2022, last updated by Jake

Find other photos of ZF592 on the following sites:

Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net