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Stealhead · 11-26-12, 06:13 PM

I would argue that the Lighting was as good as any other first generation Mach 2 fighter.Given the technology available at the time it was a good it got.

At least the Lighting was not a flop like its US counterpart the F-102 that plane could not exceed Mach 1.25.The F-102 had to be completely redesigned and the F-106 came along and did a better job starting in 1959.So the English Electric Lighting has the honor of being the first operational and successful Western Block Mach 2 fighter.

EDIT: Sorry the F-106 entered service in June 1959 and the Lighting on December 1959 so the US edges out the Brits.Of course both aircraft had rather lousy missiles so they would have most likely only been able to wave a TU-95 crews.Interestingly the F-106 and the Lighting both stayed on active service until 1988.

11-26-12, 06:13 PM	#11
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	I would argue that the Lighting was as good as any other first generation Mach 2 fighter.Given the technology available at the time it was a good it got. At least the Lighting was not a flop like its US counterpart the F-102 that plane could not exceed Mach 1.25.The F-102 had to be completely redesigned and the F-106 came along and did a better job starting in 1959.So the English Electric Lighting has the honor of being the first operational and successful Western Block Mach 2 fighter. EDIT: Sorry the F-106 entered service in June 1959 and the Lighting on December 1959 so the US edges out the Brits.Of course both aircraft had rather lousy missiles so they would have most likely only been able to wave a TU-95 crews.Interestingly the F-106 and the Lighting both stayed on active service until 1988.