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The English Electric/BAC Lightning, a product of Britain’s once-thriving aviation industry, is arguably the most iconic single-seat interceptor ever created. Those who remember its arrow-shaped form hurtling skywards love to regale anyone who will listen with tales of its incredible performance, eardrum-assailing reheat and near-vertical climbs. The Lightning was advanced for its time and required considerable investment and research to take it from the drawing board to active service as an effective fighting machine. Significant strides were made in the early years after the award of the contract—all of which could have come to nothing when it was deemed in the 1957 Defence White Paper that piloted aircraft had had their day. The design was saved only by its advanced stage of development; as is often the case in flight, turbulence is to be expected. But despite the obstacles put in its path, the Lightning prevailed to become one of Britain’s most admired and respected fast jets. Taking the reader through the politics that threatened its development, its groundbreaking design, its service career and many other aspects of its extraordinary history, Lightning: From Inception to Preservation is a comprehensive study of Britain’s first and only truly homegrown supersonic jet-powered interceptor.
