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  • The Lightning Boys: True Tales from Pilots of the English Electric Lightning

  • By: Richard Pike
  • Narrated by: Roger Davis
  • Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (73 ratings)
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The Lightning Boys: True Tales from Pilots of the English Electric Lightning cover art

The Lightning Boys: True Tales from Pilots of the English Electric Lightning

By: Richard Pike
Narrated by: Roger Davis
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Summary

According to a recent international study, the Lightning is the fifth most popular military aircraft of all time. It has many thousands of devotees who are a ready market for this timely and entertaining book which, with over 20 individual stories from former Lightning pilots, relates the highs and lows, and the dramas and the demands of those who operated this iconic aircraft from the sharp end.

Tales include the recollections of an aerobatic display pilot, an implausible yet true account of telepathic communication, and an extraordinary episode when a Lightning pilot on an exchange program with the French Air Force became embroiled in a mid-air collision. An unverified yet probably genuine world record is revealed in one of the chapters. The style, scope, and pace of this book will appeal to the general listener as well as to the enthusiast.

©2011 Grub Street Publishing LTD (P)2015 Grub Street Publishing LTD

What listeners say about The Lightning Boys: True Tales from Pilots of the English Electric Lightning

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Excellent

A wonderful, well written collection of short stories/anecdotes from (predominantly) RAF Lightening pilots.

Great read, perfect narration.

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The Lighting or The Frightening

Wow, what can i say about this jet to this day is still the fastest jet The RAF have had in their armoury. As a young kid down at RAF St Athan and watching Lightning going in and out of there for paint jobs and deep servicing work, i was in my element from the first time i saw one fly i was hooked in a heartbeat which my late father painted quite a few of them at St Athan.

This audiobook gives a true pilot perspective on this legend and what it was quite capable of as an operational jet despite the issues that went with this jet some of the stories in this audiobook say she was a gas-guzzling jet but luck would have it a Victor tanker was in the immediate airspace at the right time.

I highly recommend anyone listening to this one who like myself has a keen interest in aviation

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Trading on the name of the series - Poor

Compared to "Victor Boys" (an excellent book) this is very poor. A short collection of anecdotes (not all of then about Lightnings) and a dream (also not about about a Lightning). This is just trading on the name of the series and is not worth buying.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Lightening stories

A fascinating glimpse into the history of one of the most impressive but overlooked aircraft of the post war era.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

More flying anecdotes pleasr

Too much incidental content snd too few anecdotes directly connected to the aircraft in question

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good

loved this book as I love the lighting when I was at atc cadet camp in 84 at RAF Binbrook...

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Excellent story of a fantastic aircraft

Although Chapter 17 was a bit weird. Otherwise really fantastic collection of stories. Definitely recommended

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