BAC Lightning F.53H

[Spinners 15,972]

BAC Lightning F.53H - 59th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hungarian Air Force, 1992

 

The revolutions of 1989 generally had a domino effect across Eastern Europe and Hungary soon followed Poland and in March 1989 the government bravely declared the anniversary of the 1848 Revolution a national holiday and this was soon followed by the reburial of former Prime Minister Imre Nagy (executed after the 1956 Revolution) and calls for Soviet forces to leave Hungary. Popular opposition to the Communist regime continued eventually leading to Mátyás Szűrös declaring Hungary a republic on October 23rd, 1989 and the free elections of March 1990. However. with Soviet forces withdrawing fast the Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Légierő) was soon short of equipment and spares and when the Soviet MiG-29's departed from Tokol in 1991 the air defence of Hungary rested with literally a handful of poorly maintained MiG-21's.

 

During the late 1980's British Aerospace had bought back many of the surviving Saudi Lightning F.53's and had hoped to sell them to Austria (whose air force were hard-pressed to intercept a business jet) but the deal fell through and the Lightnings had continued to lanquish at Warton prompting a tentative offer to sell them to Hungary at a knock-down price. In May 1991 the UK Government bought 24 of the ex-Saudi Lightning F.53's and gifted them to the Hungarian Air Force in a move believed to have orchestrated by President George H. Bush. Arriving in August 1991 the Lightnings were operated by the 59th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kecskemét AFB and served until 1998 when they were replaced by MiG-29's donated from Germany and Poland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This uses the splendid Lightning F.53 from Expansion Pack 2, some new decals by me and some stock Polish 3-digit numbers.

[+daddyairplanes 8,886]

you sir are never lacking for imagination!

[+logan4 845]

Looks great Spinners. Do you plane to release it?

[Spinners 15,972]

Looks great Spinners. Do you plane to release it?

 

OK. Why not? Look out for it a little bit later.

 

 

 

[+logan4 845]

Thank you very much!