English Electric Lightning

摘要

Overwing fuel tanks and an enlarged ventral fuel tank were originally expected to be fitted to the Lightning F.3 (see Part 2, February, page 64) as reinforcement of the Far East Air Force was effectively impossible without these. Had a refuelling probe broken, any 'small-bellied' Lightning would have been faced with an embarrassing diversion (quite possibly to an unfriendly country) or an over-water ejection. Even in the UK air defence role, the modest range and endurance of the early Lightnings was an embarrassment, especially after a Ministry of Defence Research Branch study indicated that a single Tu-95/-142 Bear, spending up to 18 hours in UK airspace, would tie up no fewer than 37 Lightning sorties. Four such Bears could thus force a sortie rate equivalent to one sortie per day by every front-line Lightning in the inventory.