Enthusiasts will have to be lightening quick to secure the purchase of a rare British fighter aircraft.

Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre at St Mawgan is selling off its F53 Lightning exhibit on Ebay with a starting price of £15,000 and a buy it now price of £25,000.

The former exhibit comes complete with inert examples of Firestreak and Red Top missiles.

The sale follows the controversial closure of the aviation museum after its lease ended at Cornwall Airport Newquay.

A spokesman said: “This is a chance for an organisation or collector to acquire our F53 Lightning.

"We hope it can go to a good home.

“The English Electric Lightning ZF580 is an ex-Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force Lightning F53. The aircraft saw active service with the RSAF before being retired in the late 1980s.

“ZF580 is currently finished in a high-gloss colour-scheme and markings representing Lightning F.6 XS935 'AK' of 5 Sqn - this livery was applied during a full exterior refurbishment at the start of 2022 to provide durable weather protection for external display. 

“Previously the aircraft wore the colour-scheme and markings of 74 Sqn's XR768 'A' which were applied when the Lightning was initially refurbished and transported for display during the RAF's Centenary celebrations at the RAF Museum, Cosford in 2018.

“The Rolls-Royce Avon engines have been removed, reducing the overall weight by 2.6 tons, but the jet-pipes and afterburner assemblies are installed, preserving the correct appearance of the aircraft.

“One each inert examples of Firestreak and Red Top missiles, the principle interception armament for the Lightning are included and are correctly mounted on the aircraft. Protective engine intake and jet-pipe cover-blanks are included.

The cockpit has not been restored and needs to be refurbished.

"The correct Martin Baker Mk.4 ejection seat is installed, the side consols are mostly complete and more than half of the original cockpit instruments are installed or included for installation.

"The control stick is installed, but the stick top/grip is absent. The cockpit canopy is correctly mounted and articulates for opening.

“To facilitate transport, the airframe has been modified by cutting each wing 10cm outside the fuselage skin and installing discreet 'fish-plate' mountings for simplified wing attachment/de-mounting. 

“This modification permits the aircraft to be disassembled for transport without separating the fuselage. With removal of the wings, horizontal stabilisers and tail fin, the aircraft can be transported by road without 'wide-load' restrictions.”