BAC Lightning F.Mk.23 בָּרָק in Israeli ServiceThe English Electric Lightning is a supersonic fighter aircraft of the Cold War era. It was designed, developed, and manufactured by English Electric, which was subsequently absorbed by the newly formed British Aircraft Corporation. It was then marketed as the BAC Lightning. The Lightning was the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The Lightning was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Israeli Air Force (IsAF) and the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).
The Lightning is powered by two Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines in a unique staggered stacked installation in the fuselage. The Lightning was developed to intercept increasingly capable bomber aircraft (Tupolev Tu-16, Tupolev Tu-22, Tupolev Tu-95), and thus has exceptional rate of climb, ceiling, and speed; pilots have described flying it as "being saddled to a skyrocket".[1] This performance made the Lightning a "fuel-critical" aircraft, meaning that its missions are dictated to a high degree by its limited range. Later developments provided greater range and speed along with aerial reconnaissance and ground-attack capability.
The Export Lightning, developed as a private venture by BAC; while the Lightning had originated as an interception aircraft, this version was to have a multirole capability for quickly interchanging between interception, reconnaissance, and ground-attack duties. The F.23 was based on the F.3 airframe and avionics, including the large ventral fuel tank, cambered wing and overwing pylons for drop tanks, but incorporated an additional pair of hardpoints under the outer wing. These hardpoints could be fitted with pylons for air-to-ground weaponry, including two 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs or four SNEB rocket pods each carrying 18 68 mm rockets. A gun pack carrying two ADEN cannons and 120 rounds each could carried in front of the cockpit. Alternative, interchangeable packs in the forward fuselage carried two Firestreak missiles, two Red Top missiles, twin retractable launchers for 44Χ 2-inch (50 mm) rockets, or a reconnaissance pod fitted with five 70 mm Type 360 Vinten cameras.[30]
BAC also proposed clearing the overwing hardpoints for carriage of weapons as well as drop tanks, with additional Matra JL-100 combined rocket and fuel pods (each containing 18 SNEB 68 mm (2.7 in) rockets and 50 imperial gallons (227 L) of fuel) or 1,000 pounds (450 kg) bombs being possible options. This could give a maximum ground attack weapons load for a developed export Lightning of six 1,000 pounds (450 kg) bombs or 44 Χ 2 in (51 mm) rockets and 144 Χ 68 mm rockets.
As already related, the UK became the prime supplier to the Israeli Defence Forces for defence equipment after the 1956 Suez Crisis saw the end of the Nasser regime in Egypt. With the removal of the main agent provocateur against Israel, there was a decrease in the level of tension in the Middle East.
However, Israel still felt insecure and desired to protect it's territory and it's people from the possibility of attack by the surrounding Arab nations. In 1964, they ordered from the British Aircraft Corporation the BAC Lightning F.Mk.23, a specialised fighter-bomber variant of the Lightning interceptor which the RAF had adopted. Named the בָּרָק in Hebrew (for Lightning), the F.Mk.23 came equipped with extra hard points for air-to-ground weapons such as bombs, rocket launchers and/or fuel tanks. The F.Mk.23 also came equipped with an inflight refuelling probe but that was not publicised at the time of purchase.
Operationally, the F.Mk.23 proved a formidable opponent to any of the Soviet supplied MiG fighters that the Arabs were being re-equipped with in the early 1960s. It could out accelerate, out climb and out turn any of them, except the early, sub-sonic MiG-15/17. It was even able upon occasion to intercept the Soviet flown MiG-25 Foxbat reconnaissance aircraft flying at 50,000 feet which were considered untouchable by the Russians. What it lacked though, was a large warload and range. The inflight refuelling probe allowed the range to be extended. However, there was nothing to done about the size of the warload.
The ModelThe model is the venerable Matchbox Lightning kit, with enhancements from the Odds and Ordnance range of resin air-to-ground weapons. It carries twin Matra JL-100 combination fuel/Rocket pods on it's overwing hard points and two 1,000 lb GP bombs on it's wingtip stations. It carries twin Red Rop IR guided missiles and two 30mm ADEN cannon. It has, in my opinion, scrubbed up quite well and carries it's Star of David markings with pride, I feel.
