Lightning F.6

Lightning F.6

Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9

Tornado F.3

Lightning F.6

Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9

Tornado F.3

Britain

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.3	9.3	9.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:160 000

Purchase:450 000

Show in game

Description

The Lightning F.6 is a rank VI British jet fighter with a battle rating of 9.3 (AB/RB) and 9.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.97 "Viking Fury".

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,215	2,200	16000	27.9	28.2	150.7	141.4	850
Upgraded	2,387	2,290		24.4	26.0	195.3	172.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1361	463	N/A	720	463	~10	~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 850	< 700	< 700	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic Mass (no fuel)	Wing loading (full fuel)
Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.302		2	14,092 kg	437 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no external load)		Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		5m fuel	18m fuel
1,310 kg	Afterburning axial-flow turbojet		15,353 kg	18,632 kg	19,000 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition	100%	WEP	5m fuel	18m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	5,620 kgf	7,390 kgf	0.96	0.79	0.78
Maximum	5,700 kgf	7,400 kgf	0.96	0.79	0.78

Survivability and armour

In line with its role as a high performance interceptor aircraft the Lightning F.6 has no armoured plating or bulletproof glass, such additions would have increased the weight of the aircraft, while offering no real benefit for it's intended role.

Most of the inside of the wings (including the flaps) consists of fuel tanks, fuel is also stored in the ventral tank. The top engine is mounted above and to the rear of the bottom engine, this leaves it exposed to enemy fire; on the flip side the bottom engine is shielded from enemy fire by the top engine and wing fuel tanks, this makes is surprisingly resilient to damage, it is not uncommon for it to even continue functioning after the aircraft has been hit my a missile (although the rest of the aircraft will be well and truly broken afterwards).

The large belly tank and high wings of the Lightning means it is able to survive belly landings very well.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Lightning F.6 is armed with:

• 2 x 30 mm ADEN cannon, mounted in bell tank (120 RPG = 240 total)

Suspended armament

The Lightning F.6 can be outfitted with the following ordenance:

• Without load
• 2 x Firestreak missiles
• 2 x Red Top missiles

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Surprisingly good turn rate between 800 - 1,000 km/h IAS
• Red Top missiles with high seeker gimbal, g overload and all aspect capability with radar lock on (slaving)
• A pair of ADENs, notoriously good cannons
• Good climb rate and acceleration

Cons:

• Big target
• High AoA, speed loss during turns
• Below average roll rate
• Limited weapon selections
• Although its climb rate and acceleration characteristics are good, you will still get outclimbed in a number of scenarios
• Relatively low top speed at sea level in a straight line (1,280 km/h IAS)
• Easy to strike tail when taking-off / landing

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

The Shooting Range #191 - Pages of History section at 04:56 discusses the Lightning F.6.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Devblog] Lightning F.6: Saddled to a Skyrocket!
• [Forums] Aircraft Data Sheets: Lightning F.6

The English Electric Company Limited
Jet Fighters	Lightning F.6 · Lightning F.53
Jet Bombers	Canberra B Mk 2 · Canberra B (I) Mk 6
Tanks	Excelsior
	The English Electric Company allowed the Glenn L. Martin Company to license-build Canberra bombers for the United States Air Force.