617 Sqn to be first Lightning 2 operational Sqn

Everyone Flying
1

http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/dambusters-to-be-next-lightning-ii-squadron-18072013

Disband next year (boo) but then reform in 2016 as a Lightning 2 squadron.

I’ll miss the Tornado massively, but the photo at the top of the link is awesome!

2

Is it actually going to arrive by 2016…?

And RN… in an RAF squadron… “eww” :wink:

3

[quote=“Perry Mason” post=9356]Is it actually going to arrive by 2016…?

And RN… in an RAF squadron… “eww” ;)[/quote]

Joint Force Harrier (of which a lot of the Air Ranks were a part earlier in their careers) becomes Joint Force Lightning(II).

4

Lightning III surely?

I:

II:

III:

5

Ahhhh, yes, but not to the Americans. And besides, the P-38 was never operated by the RAF as the order was cancelled after the delivery of a couple of evaluation airframes IIRC. :wink:

6

It’s the second Lightning for each Air Force, hence Lightning II.

7

Why does it have to be called Lightning at all?

Historically aircraft carried different names in UK service, ie: Superfortress = Washington.

Then Rivet Joint will be Airseeker, and Grizzly will be Atlas.

8

I’m not sure about the Superfortress, but I suspect that we’re going for Airseeker because Rivet Joint is a truly terrible name.

Not that Airseeker is much better, mind. What happened to giving sensor/recce aircraft vaguely cool names beginning with S? Shadow, Sentry, Sentinel, S…?