English Electric Lightning T.5
English Electric · UK · first flew 1962 · fighter
The T.5 is the two-seat operational trainer Lightning, recognisable by its significantly wider forward fuselage to accommodate the side-by-side cockpit. It retains full combat capability but the widened nose is immediately apparent from any angle.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Side-by-side two-seat cockpit with widened nose section — markedly broader forward fuselage than single-seat marks |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Side-by-side two-seat cockpit with widened nose section — markedly broader forward fuselage than single-seat marks
- Larger, more rounded canopy giving a blunter nose profile compared with single-seaters
- Ventral pack present but reduced; no overwing tanks on most operator-standard aircraft
The wide, blunt forward fuselage and broader canopy are unmistakeable compared with the sleek single-seaters. From ahead, the nose appears almost oval in cross-section rather than the circular profile of the fighter marks. Any two-crew Lightning is a T.4 or T.5; the squared fin and F.3-based wing confirm T.5.
Specifications
- The English Electric Lightning T.5 has a length of 16.84 m (55 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.61 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2415 km/h (1501 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The T.4 was the initial trainer with narrow tandem seats; the T.5 adopted side-by-side seating based on F.3 airframe from 1962. 22 T.5s built. They equipped the Lightning Operational Conversion Unit at Coltishall and served until the type's retirement in 1988.
Variants
The T.4 is an earlier two-seater with slightly different nose; the export T.55 served Saudi Arabia.
Where you'll see it
RAF Lightning OCU at Coltishall 1965-1988. Several T.5s survive in UK collections, and preserved examples still perform fast-taxi runs at Lightning heritage sites such as Bruntingthorpe.
Related aircraft
- English Electric Lightning F.3
- English Electric Lightning F.6
- English Electric Lightning F.1
- English Electric Lightning P.1A
- Dassault Balzac V
- de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2
- Lockheed A-12
- Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-8
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