| Signatures for : Lightning |
| A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name. |
| Name | Info |
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison
Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison | Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison
Joined the Royal Air Force in 1961 and trained as a pilot. His first two tours were on Lightnings, but in 1970 he was posted to fly Phantoms as an Exchange Officer with the United States Air Force. Thus began his relationship with the main aircraft of his career, a relationship that only finished when the Phantom was retired from Royal Air Force service in 1992. Indeed, he made the last Phantom flight in the RAF when he delivered XV497 to RAF Coningsby. That aircraft is now preserved at RAF Waddington. Also in 1992, he led the Queens Birthday Flypast; the chosen formation was a close diamond of sixteen Phantoms, to mark the type's imminent retirement. The aircraft he flew on that occasion, XV474, can be seen at the Imperial War Museum's airfield at Duxford. Sir John ended his career as the Commaner-in-Chief of Strike Command, retiring in 1999.
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Air Vice-Marshal George Black CB OBE AFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Vice-Marshal George Black CB OBE AFC | Air Vice-Marshal George Black CB OBE AFC
Air Vice-Marshal George Black CB OBE AFC was born on the 10th of July 1932 in Aberdeen and joined RAF in 1950. Black was awarded the first flying scholarship in Scotland, gaining his private pilots licence at Strathtay Aero Club, Perth. e left No.107 (Aberdeen) Squadron Air Training Corps where he gained the rank of Sergeant to commence National Service duty in the RAF. After undergoing flying training in Canada he joined No.263 Squadron RAF at RAF Wattisham in the rank of Flying Officer. George Black served as a fighter pilot. In 1952 his National Service was converted to a permanent commission and he was seconded to the Fleet Air Arm as a carrier pilot. Flying Officer Black returned to the RAF in 1961 in the rank of Flight Lieutenant and served with No.74 Squadron RAF flying English Electric Lightnings. After a period as a flying instructor at HQ Fighter Command, in 1964 he became squadron commnader of No.111 (Fighter) Sqdn (1964-66,) and ldr of the Lightning Aerobatic Team in 1965. In 1967 he became Cdr Lightning Operational Conversion Unit (1967-69,) then Cdr No.5 (Fighter) Sqdn between 1969 and 1970. On promotion to Group Captain in 1972 Black was appointed Station Commander at RAF Wildenrath in Germany. He became Commander Allied Sector One, Brockzetel in May 1980 on promotion to the rank of Air Commodore and was later appointed Aide-de-Camp to HM The Queen in July 1981 until 1983. Air Vice-Marshal George Black retired from the RAF in July 1987. He was awarded an Air Force Cross in 1962 while with No.74 Squadron and achieved a bar in 1971. He was awarded an OBE in 1967 and became a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1987. Air Vice Marshal Black is a member of the RAF Historical Society and during his career recorded over 5,000 flying hours on around 100 different types of aircraft.
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Flt Lt Ian Black
Click the name above to see prints signed by Flt Lt Ian Black | Flt Lt Ian Black
No.11 Squadron, LTF, the last RAF Lightning pilot, Ian still flies the Lightning from Thunder City, Cape Town.
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Flight Lieutenant P V Boothroyd
Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant P V Boothroyd | Flight Lieutenant P V Boothroyd
Joined the RAF in 1964. After Flying Training he joined No 23 Squadron RAF Leuchars in September 1967 at the tender age of 20 flying Lightning F3 and F6 aircraft. This was followed by a ground tour on the Lightning Flight Simulator at Tengah, Singapore, in 1970 until the British withdrawal from the Far East in 1971. The ground tour was completed at RAF Coltishall until September 1972. After the ground tour he was posted to No 11 Squadron RAF Binbrook flying Lightning F3 and F6 aircraft until 1975 when he was posted to No 92 Squadron based at Gutersloh, Germany, operating Lightning F2A aircraft, until the withdrawal of the Lightning from 2 ATAF in May 1977. A CFS course and a tour as a flight commander at RAF Cranwell teaching on the Jet Provost came next from July 1977 until March 1980 when he was posted back to Binbrook on the Lightning Training Flight and became the CFS agent and CIRE on type. This was a long, but very pleasant tour and it finished in March 1986. In September 1986 he was seconded to British Aerospace as an instructor flying the Bae Strikemaster at the King Faisal Air Academy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This was followed by a posting to RAF Valley on the Hawk aircraft in 1989. The call of the Middle East and overseas adventures resulted in a loan service posting to the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force (Royal Air Force of Oman - RAFO) to teach Omani students to fly the Strikemaster on the island of Masirah. This was early in 1993. As RAFO had purchased some 16 Hawk aircraft (consisting of 4 two-seat trainers and 12 single seat fighters) the Commander of RAFO was keen to employ him on the introduction of the aircraft into RAFO service. This was such a pleasant task, in such a pleasant part of the world, that he left the Royal Air Force and joined RAFO in 1996 to continue to fly the Hawks in Oman. RAFO then promoted him to the rank of major and henceforth his family referred to him as “Q”. This was, at least, better than previous nicknames awarded by the family. All good things come to an end and he left RAFO in 1999 to join BAE Systems to assist in the running of the new Hawk Flight Simulator Complex at RAF Valley. He accumulated a total of about 7000 flying hours of which 2400 was flying the Lightning; 2000 flying the Hawk; 2200 flying the Jet Provost and Strikemaster and the remainder in training and flying sundry aircraft. And if he had his life all over again he wouldn’t change anything.
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Dick Carrey
Click the name above to see prints signed by Dick Carrey | Dick Carrey
Served on No 56 Squadron, the Lightning OCU at RAF Coltishall and also with the Saudi Air Force
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Group Captain Graham Clarke
Click the name above to see prints signed by Group Captain Graham Clarke | Group Captain Graham Clarke
Served on Nos 11 and 29 Squadrons and the Lightning Training Flight at RAF Binbrook
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Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville
Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville | Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville
Joined the RAF in 1964 as a Flight Cadet at RAF College, Cranwell. Initially serving as a Lightning pilot on 5 Sqn, he later undertook a tour on the Lightning OCU. In 1973 he converted to the F4, serving as a QW1 on 43 Sqn. Upon promotion to Sqn Ldr, he took up a post on the Phantom OCU at RAF Coningsby. Staff tours as the fighter specialist at the CTTO, Staff College and NATO followed before he resumed flying F4s as OC Ops Wing at RAF Stanley in the Falkland Islands. In 1983 he assumed command of RAF Coningsby where he oversaw the conversion of the station from an F4 to a Tornado F3 base. During this same period he also flew the Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Formerly Deputy Commander in Chief Allied Forces North Europe, he is currently Commander in Chief RAF Personnel and Training Command and a member of the Air Force Board as Air Member for Personnel.
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Jimmy Dell OBE
Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Jimmy Dell OBE
 | Died : 25 / 3 / 2008 |
| Jimmy Dell OBE
Jimmy Dell joined the RAF in 1942 and after the war flew F-86Es and the first radar equipped F-86D with the USAF. He was the first RAF Lightning Project Test Pilot and later became Chief Test Pilot at English Electric/BAC test flying Lightning, TSR 2 and Jaguar. One of a unique breed of aviators who have achieved great career success as a fast jet test pilot within both military and commercial environments. Probably best known for his work on the English Electric Lightning, Jimmy Dell has used his skill, courage and intimate knowledge of aerodynamics to reach the very top of a highly demanding profession. Joining the RAF in 1942, Jimmy Dell did his initial pilot training in Southern Rhodesia. By 1944 he had already become a Flying Instructor for advanced trainers. After the war Jimmy performed various training and test flying roles on aircraft such as Spitfires, Meteors, Venoms and Hunters. He also led test flight teams to the USA and France to work on aircraft such as the F-100, F-104, F-105, F-106, Mystere 4 and Mirage 3. In 1960 he joined English Electric on the Lightning development programme and was Chief Test Pilot from 1961 to 1970. Jimmy also worked on the TSR2 programme and flew 12 of the aircraft’s 24 test flights, before its untimely cancellation in 1965. He worked on the French / UK Jaguar programme, and finally became Director, Flight Operations with responsibility for all Tornado test flight activities across the three participating countries. Jimmy Dell retired in 1989. Amongst his awards was the OBE for services to test flying. Sadly, Jimmy Dell died on 25th March 2008.
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Group Captain Ed Durham
Click the name above to see prints signed by Group Captain Ed Durham | Group Captain Ed Durham
After Meteor, Javelin and Hunter tours, Ed Durham flew Lightnings with No.74 23 and 92 Sqns and took part in the first trans-Atlantic Lightning flights. In 1977 he commanded No.92 Sqn, the last Lightning F2A unit in RAF Germany.
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Flt. Lt. George Fenton
Click the name above to see prints signed by Flt. Lt. George Fenton | Flt. Lt. George Fenton
Joined the RAF as a cadet at RAF College Cranwell in March 1966. He served with 29 and 11 Sqn as a Lightning pilot. He then converted to the Converted to F4 Phantom in 1975 and flew with 892 Naval Air squadron aboard HMS Ark Royal before returning to the RAF with 29 Sqn. In 1980 George went to RAF Chivenor as an instructor on the Hawk and remained there as a QWI until retirement from the service in 1985. Spent the next few years instructing in the middle east. First in Qatar then in Saudi Arabia. Returned to the UK in 1999 to join the instructional staff at the BAE operated Hawk simulator at RAF Valley.
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Squadron Leader Phil Grice
Click the name above to see prints signed by Squadron Leader Phil Grice | Squadron Leader Phil Grice
Phil Grice joined the RAF after graduating from Cambridge University and after completing flying training was posted to RAF Binbrook where he flew the Lightning with 5 and 11 Squadrons and became a Lightning Weapons Instructors. He was subsequently posted to the Harrier force joining 1(F) Fighter Sqn at RAF Wittering and becoming a Harrier Qualified Weapons Instructor and flying operationally in Norway, Canada, Belize, and on detachment at Port Stanley. He was then posted to Harrier conversion Unit (233 OCU) as a Weapons Instructor before completing his RAF career as Officer Commanding Standards (Harrier). Upon leaving the RAF he joined British Airways where he flew the Boeing 747 and 777
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Air Vice-Marshal John Howe CB CBE AFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Vice-Marshal John Howe CB CBE AFC | Air Vice-Marshal John Howe CB CBE AFC
John Howe flew Spitfires, Mustangs and Vampires With the South African Air Force and F-5lD Mustang fighter bombers in the Korean War before joining the RAF 'to fly Hunters'. He commanded the first RAF Lightning squadron when No.74 Sqn converted from Hunters to Lightnings in 1960, and led the famous No.74 Sqn 'Tigers' nine-ship Lightning aerobatic team. He has flown all the legendary USAF 'century series' fighters, and later commanded the F-4 Phantom OCU and RAF Gutersloh.
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Air Marshal Ian Macfadyen
Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Air Marshal Ian Macfadyen | Air Marshal Ian Macfadyen
Ian MacFadyen joined the RAF College Cranwell in 1960. His first flying tour was on the Lightning in England and Germany. He returned to Cranwell in 1970 as a flying instructor where he was, for two years, a member of The Poachers formation aerobatic team. He next flew with Treble One squadron as it reformed with the Phantom in 1974, and became the RAF solo aerobatic pilot on the Phantom whilst with 43 Squadron. He later commanded 29 Squadron and became the first pilot to fly a Phantom into the Falkland Islands, where he also commanded 23 Squadron. In the mid 1980s he was the Station Commander at RAF Leuchars where, at its peak, the station had 66 Phantoms. His final years in the RAF were spent largely in Saudi Arabia, before becoming the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man. He still flies Air Cadets with no 3 AEF at Colerne, and is the National President of the Royal British Legion.
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Flight Lieutenant Hedley Molland
Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Hedley Molland | Flight Lieutenant Hedley Molland
Flying Officer Hedley Molland. During air combat training Flying Officer Hedley Molland while Flying a Hunter made a cine attack on his target and followed it into a dive from 37,000 feet. At 31,000 feet the dive steepened uncontrollably, the aircraft diving vertically into the sea 7 miles east of Brawdsey, Suffolk. Flying Officer Hedley Molland survived the supersonic ejection at 25,000 feet, mach 1.1 - his left arm was broken on ejection as he only used his left hand to initiate ejection. He also suffered two black eyes and a fractured pelvis. His crash helmet, watch, gloves and one shoe were blown off during ejection. The parachute opened automatically at about 10,000ft and speed of descent was normal. Molland was unable, because of his injuries, to inflate his dinghy in the water. He is thought to be the second man ever to have baled out successfully at such a speed - the first was an American. Molland was rescued. The accident was finally attributed to the probable effects of using flaps at high speeds as an aid to combat manoeuverability. While with 111 Sqd RAF Flt. Lt. Hedley Molland also ejected from a Lightning over Battisford Hill, near Wattisham on the 29th September 1965.
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Air Marshal Sir John Nicholls KCB CBE DFC AFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Marshal Sir John Nicholls KCB CBE DFC AFC
| Died : 17 / 5 / 2007 |
| Air Marshal Sir John Nicholls KCB CBE DFC AFC
A Korean war veteran with 2 MiG kills in F-86 Sabres, in April 1952 Nicholls was sent to the US to convert to the F-86 Sabre before joining a USAF squadron in Korea. He was assigned to the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron operating from Kimpo airfield near Seoul and over the next six months he completed 100 operations On June 28th 1952 John Nicholls flew his first sortie, he flew every day and soon built up his experience. Two months later he was credited with damaging two MiGs on one sortie. He set one on fire before it disappeared into cloud and the other was seen damaged and with a lot of smoke as it made its escape across the Yalu River, an area Allied pilots were forbidden to fly over. On his 99th and penultimate operation, John Nicholls was a wingman to the Wing leader when they intercepted four MiGs just south of the Yalu. Nicholls chased one of the MiGs for some time and fired his cannons, scoring hits on the enemy fighter, which broke up and crashed. It was the first MiG to be shot down by an RAF pilot. On December 9th John Nicholls flew his last sortie in Korea and shortly afterwards was awarded a DFC to add to an American DFC and Air Medal. John Nicholls has flown every great fighter from the Spitfire to the Phantom, including the USAF century series. On his return to the RAF, Nicholls continued his career as a fighter pilot flying Meteors and Hunters before becoming a tactics instructor at the prestigious Day Fighter Leader's School. In 1959 he was attached to English Electric as RAF project test pilot on Lightnings. He commanded AFDS at RAF Binbrook where in 1963 Lightning vs Spitfire combat trials were flown and later, he commanded RAF Leuchars. He retired as Vice Chief of the Air Staff to become Director in charge, BAe Lightnings in Saudi Arabia. John Nicholls was appointed CBE (1967) and KCB (1978). Sadly, he died 17th May 2007, aged 80.
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Sqn Ldr John Pemberton
Click the name above to see prints signed by Sqn Ldr John Pemberton | Sqn Ldr John Pemberton
Also known as Zbysek Necas, Czechoslovakian 'Nicky' joined 68 Squadron as a Navigator and flew Mosquitos as night time defence over the British mainland, accounting for 3 German aircraft. Post War he flew Lightnings and Phantoms in the Cold War against the Russians.
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Wing Commander Alex Reed OBE
Click the name above to see prints signed by Wing Commander Alex Reed OBE | Wing Commander Alex Reed OBE
Served on No 92 Squadron and the Lightning OCU at RAF Coltishall Unit Test Pilot 60 MU RAF Leconfield
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Group Captain Dave Seward AFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Group Captain Dave Seward AFC | Group Captain Dave Seward AFC
Dave Seward flew RAF Meteors, Canberras and Javelins and USAF F-86, F-102 and F-106 fighters. In 1961, as C.O. of No.56 Sqn he led the 'Firebirds' Lightning aerobatic team and later Commanded the Lightning OCU and Battle of Britain Flight, flying the Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire.
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Squadron Leader Chris Taylor MBE
Click the name above to see prints signed by Squadron Leader Chris Taylor MBE | Squadron Leader Chris Taylor MBE
Joined the RAF as an apprentice air radar fitter in 1961. He began flying training in 1966 flying the Jet Provost, Gnat and Hunter. He completed the lightning OCU at RAF Coltishall before joining 56(F) Sqn at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. A further tour on the Lightning back at the OCU was followed by selection for instructor training at CFS. He instructed on the Gnat at RAF Valley and then joined the team to bring the Hawk into RAF flying training. He flew both the Gnat and the Hawk as a member of the Standardisation Unit before an exchange tour with the USAF took him to Randolf AF base in South Texas. Returning to RAF Valley he completed tours as a Hawk Sqn Commander, Operations, and Deputy Chief Instructor before retirement from the RAF in 1998. He then began a second career as the Training Manager in the Hawk Synthetic Training Facility at RAF Valley.
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Squadron Leader Grant T Taylor
Click the name above to see prints signed by Squadron Leader Grant T Taylor | Squadron Leader Grant T Taylor
Joined the Air Force in 1960 as an Apprentice at RAF Locking and then as a Cadet at RAF College Cranwell. Initially served as a QFI at RAF Syerston before converting to Hunters as a Fighter Reconnaissance pilot on 8 Sqn in Bahrain. In 1971 he converted to Lightning’s serving as a QFI/IRE on 23 Sqn at RAF Leuchars. In 1975 he converted to the Phantom and served a tour on 29 Sqn RAF Coningsby as QFI/IRE before taking up post on the Phantom OCU until 1986. During this period he also flew the Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for four years. In 1986 he flew BAC 167 aircraft at the King Feisal Air Academy in Saudi Arabia returning to UK in 1988 to train flying instructors on Jet Provost and Tucano aircraft at the Central Flying School at RAF Scampton. In 1990 he was posted to the Central Flying School Exam Wing as a Basic and Advanced Command Examiner and Command IRE on Hawks, Jet Provost and Tucano aircraft. He served his last tour on 55 Sqn at RAF Cranwell flying the Dominie (HS125). In 1997 he retired from the RAF to become an Aviation Officer and continued to fly the Dominie until 2003. He then joined the instructional staff at the Hawk Synthetic Training Facility at RAF Valley. He has a total of 9500 hours.
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Air Marshal Sir William Wratten KBE, CB, AFC, FRAeS
Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Marshal Sir William Wratten KBE, CB, AFC, FRAeS | Air Marshal Sir William Wratten KBE, CB, AFC, FRAeS
Air Marshal Wratten joined the RAF as a Cranwell Cadet, graduating in December 1960. He completed the CFS course the following year and went on to instruct as a first-tour QFI on Vampire T11s at Oakington and Swinderby. The Air Marshal converted onto Lightning at Middleton-St-George in 1963 before serving on 19 Squadron from 1964 to 1968, first at Leconfield and later Gutersloh. In 1968 Air Marshal Wratten converted to Phantoms at Davis-Monthan AFB, USA, and then instructed on 288 (Phantom) OCU from 1968 to 1970. He was posted in 1971 as Flight Commander on 17 Squadron at RAF Bruggen, operating the Phantom in the Strike / Attack role. Returning to the UK in 1973, he joined the staff on HQ 38 Group before attending the RAF Staff College in 1974. He then joined the OR staff at the Minstry of Defence for a brief spell before being promoted to Wing Commander and, in 1975 taking command of 23 Squadron with the Phantom in AD role. On completing his tour as Officer Commanding 23 Squadron, Air Marshal Wratten was posted to the Air Secretarys staff at Barnwood before being promoted to Group Captain in 1980 and taking command of RAF Coningsby. In June 1982 he moved to the Falkland Islands to form and command RAF Stanley. After attending RCDS in 1983, the Air Marshal became one of the two Directors OR (Air) being concerned with future RAF aircraft (except Nimrod AEW) and offensive weapons systems. In September 1986 he was appointed SASO HQ 1 Group, a post he held until becoming AOC 11 Group on 17th March 1989. Between 14th November 1990 and 22nd March 1991, Air Marshal Wratten was detached to HQ British Forces Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he held the appointments of Air Commander and Deputy British Forces Commander Middle East during the Gulf conflict. In recognition of this service he received a Knighthood in the Operation GRANBY Honours List. On 19th September 1991, Sir William was promoted to Air Marshal prior to taking up his appointment as Director General Saudi Armed Forces Project.
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