English Electric Lightning - Survivor XS929
F.6 XS929 - RAF Akrotiri (gate guardian), Cyprus
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Lightning F.6 XS929 at RAF Akrotiri, 20th August 2014; Richard E Flagg
XS929 was first flown on 1st March 1967 and entered service with 11 Squadron a month later. Apart from some time with the LFT she spent her entire career with 11 Squadron. Lightnings regularly deployed to Cyprus, particularly for armament practice camps where they would use the good weather to practice their gunner skills on towed banner targets.
Now on display as one of two gate guards at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus (the other being a Whirlwind), she was in great shape in the 1990s but is lacking a pitot probe and the head of the refuelling probe. By 2011, XS929 was looking very faded, in 56 Squadron colours despite having never served with them.
In 2013, the canopy and windows were painted black, possibly due to the clouding canopy and to hide the empty cockpit.
Now on display as one of two gate guards at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus (the other being a Whirlwind), she was in great shape in the 1990s but is lacking a pitot probe and the head of the refuelling probe. By 2011, XS929 was looking very faded, in 56 Squadron colours despite having never served with them.
In 2013, the canopy and windows were painted black, possibly due to the clouding canopy and to hide the empty cockpit.
Information on this page current as of 05/08/2021, last updated by Jake |
Find other photos of XS929 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net