English Electric Lightning - Survivor XS919

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F.6 XS919 - Henstridge Airfield (stored), Somerset

Lightning F.6 XS919 at Wonderland Pleasure Park, 28th February 2000; Damien Burke

First flown on 28th September 1966, XS919 served with 11, 56, and 5 Squadrons, ending her career with 11 Squadron. XS919 has done more travelling than most retired Lightnings! Bought by an enthusiast in Cornwall, XS919 moved to Lower Tremar but by 1994 had moved once more to Torpoint in Devon, where she was reassembled and put on display in a car park. However after a few years of that XS919 was put up for sale and bought in 1999 by the owner of the Wonderland Pleasure Park near the village of Farnsfield in Nottinghamshire. Unfortunately the wings and tail were cut off for transport. If you want to see it, either take your family for a day out, or ring the park to arrange a Lightning-only visit - they're cool about people coming along for a look and won't make you pay for admission if you're just there to see the Lightning. Sadly since my visit in 2000 it seems there was just an initial burst of enthusiasm about restoring her, and she was soon looking a bit sorry for herself, with the owners of the park happy to consider offers to take her off their hands. She was put up on eBay and has since moved to Henstridge, where she remains in open storage.

Information on this page current as of 01/07/2014, last updated by Damien

Find other photos of XS919 on the following sites:

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

Tony Capon from Sherborne	Posted at 8:53pm on Tuesday, July 1st, 2014
Seen at Henstridge this evening 01 July 2014 on a single low loader. Poor condition.
Paul Thallon from Argyll, Scotland	Posted at 12:24pm on Friday, July 26th, 2013
Fuselage minus tail seen in a yard at the southern end of Henstridge Airfield, Somerset July 2013.
Matt George from Portsmouth	Posted at 8:26pm on Tuesday, June 5th, 2012
Does anyone have any information about the new owners of the whereabouts in Salisbury?
HHA Eng from RAF Scampton	Posted at 9:20pm on Friday, February 4th, 2011
Purchased and dismantled by HHA on behalf of new owner in January 2011, subsequently transported to Wiltshire for restoration at the owners premises.
Dr. John Smith from LONDON	Posted at 8:52pm on Friday, February 4th, 2011
Just a brief update: XS919 has now left Farnsfield. HHA Engineers from Scampton prepared and loaded XS919 for road transport on Feb 3rd 2011. She left for her new home at approx 11:00 on two flat beds. Her new home is reported to be in the SALISBURY area
Geoff Lokey from Luton	Posted at 12:40pm on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
Went up there last Sunday 7th February to photograph XS919 but the clowns wouldn't let me in although I had my wife with me! Said we had to have kids with us!!! Paedophilia paranoia, we call it! Had to take my pics from out on the main road and that in itself would have looked suspicious to certain-minded people!!! Anyway got some pics!!!
Geoff Lokey from Luton	Posted at 3:12pm on Monday, December 7th, 2009
Agreed, Simon, have it in my front garden in a flash! Love the Lightning and always have, and go around the country snapping as many as I can. Be coming up the M1 to see this one ASP! Geoff L.
Simon from nottingham	Posted at 8:02pm on Friday, July 3rd, 2009
Just seen this aircraft today(3/7/09) in pretty good shape and still has ejector seat and most cockpit goodies, i chatted to som one there and indeed they are open to offers above/around 5k. if the mrs would let me I would have her in my garden yesterday ! women, tut !

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