About This Aircraft
The English Electric P.1A, serial number WG760, is the direct prototype of the formidable English Electric Lightning fighter. First flown on 4th August 1954, this experimental aircraft embodied Britain's cutting-edge aeronautical engineering. WG760 featured a distinctive sleek, swept-wing design. Unlike the production Lightning, the P.1A was powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojets mounted one above the other, but without afterburners, and had a more conventional air intake in the nose. It was the first British aircraft to achieve sustained supersonic flight (Mach 1) in level flight. The successful test programme of WG760 and its sister aircraft, WG763, provided invaluable data that led directly to the development of the Lightning, which would serve as the RAF's primary interceptor for nearly three decades.
Museums Featuring This Aircraft
Exhibits can change. To avoid disappointment, before visiting, please check the museum website for up-to-date exhibit listings.