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Aircraft enthusiasts flock to see restored fighter

BBC Mike Scarrott with a short grey beard and glasses smiling into the cameraBBC
Former RAF serviceman Mike Scarrott reflected on his time working with Lightning XR724

Excitement hung in the air at a former Lincolnshire airfield as visitors saw a Cold War fighter jet go back on display for the first time in almost two decades.

The Lightning Association, which spent years restoring Lightning XR724, held an open event at the former RAF Binbrook station on Saturday.

The jet first flew on 10 February 1965, spending almost all of its operational career at the station, before being retired in 1991.

Retired air commodore Jake Jarron, who flew the Lightning at the age of 22, said: "It was a little bit like putting a young man in a Formula 1 racing car."

Lightning jet XR724 restoration with 'Lightning Association' on the front with tape around it and stairs going up to it
Lightning jet XR724 first took to the skies on 10 February 1965

He added: "It was absolutely tremendous fun to fly. It could be quite tricky sometimes, but we never tired of it."

Mr Jarron was also wing commander of the last Ligntning squadron at Binbrook in 1988.

"It was an exceptional aeroplane of its day and it's vitally important we support efforts like this," he said.

Thirty-year old Cat Jones with her hair tied back and a black coat on with her baby Frankie with blue eyes peering intently into the camera
Cat Jones was invited to the display by family members

Former RAF serviceman Mike Scarrott, 65, said: "It's nice to be back, you get an affection for the place. When I look at the Lightning now, it seems smaller than it used to."

Describing take-off and landing, Mr Scarrott said: "The Lightning was very noisy, you could feel the power going through you as it went."

Cat Jones, 30, was at the event with her baby Frankie.

She said: "My dad was in the RAF so ever since I was young he always took me to stuff like this.

"It's crazy to think that these used to be common and used all the time. It is incredible."

Josh Mortimer in a cap and orange hi-vis smiling into the camera
Josh Mortimer says the jet's engines have not been run for 17 years

Josh Mortimer, 60, a volunteer engineer at The Lightning Association, said: "The engines haven't been run for the past 17 years so we needed to do a lot of work on the fuel, oil and air systems.

"We had a good engine run a few weeks ago. It will be here for the future, it's iconic so people want to come and see it."

The supersonic English Electric Lightning was designed to intercept Soviet bombers and served as a mainstay of the RAF during the Cold War.

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