Archival photo of Lightning F6 XS923 at RAF Binbrook, taken 19 April 1988 by Stuart H Bourne.
Served with No. 5 Squadron RAF.
Cockpit section preserved in Welshpool.
© Stuart H Bourne / Quality Aviation Photos International.
This archival photograph captures English Electric Lightning F6 XS923 at RAF Binbrook on 19 April 1988, taken by Stuart H Bourne. The Lightning F6 was Britain’s iconic Cold War interceptor, known for its blistering climb rate and Mach 2 performance.
Serial: XS923
First Flight: 13 December 1966
Squadron: No. 5 Squadron RAF
Base: RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire
XS923 served with No. 5 Squadron and was retired to Cranfield for storage. In November 1994, it was sold to Phoenix Aviation at Bruntingthorpe but was broken up a month later. The cockpit section was preserved by Sue and Roy, who relocated it to Welshpool, where it remains stored under cover.
The cockpit of XS923 is privately held in Welshpool, Wales. It has not been publicly displayed in recent years but remains a preserved fragment of Lightning heritage.
