The remains of two cockpits from Lightning fighter aircraft found in a farmer's field are set to take pride of place at a Norfolk museum.

Eastern Daily Press: Jeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil PerryJeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil Perry (Image: Archant)

They arrived at the RAF Air Defence Radar museum in Horning on Friday, September 13, and will be stored in sheds until they are cleaned up and ready to be moved.

They were transported to the site on lorries from Brisley, near Fakenham, where they were found, just a few miles from their former base at RAF Coltishall.

Jeremy Eales, museum duty manager, said: "One of them will be the gate guard at the museum while we'll find a space in the museum for the other one. It will join the Jaguar cockpit we've already got.

"We hope to have them on show in the museum by this time next year, and hope they will be another attraction."

Eastern Daily Press: Jeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil PerryJeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil Perry (Image: Archant)

While the Lightning was a single-seater fighter, one of the cockpits was a rare two-seater version from an aircraft used for training pilots,

Carl Lamb, who found and owns the cockpits and is a trustee at the museum, said: "Each one weighs about two tonnes. They are both Lightnings, but one of them is technically a T5. The other is a F2A used for gun trials on Tornados.

"They had been kept for about 25 years in a field in Brisley, wrapped in tarpaulins. We had about 18 months of negotiations to buy them.

"They are in reasonable condition. We are bringing them home, as RAF Neatishead was in charge of Lightnings at the height of the Cold War.

Eastern Daily Press: Jeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil PerryJeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil Perry (Image: Archant)

"We are now looking for volunteers to help restore them.

"They are iconic aircraft and there are not many of them left. There were only 24 T5s built for the RAF. They are part of our heritage."

Mr Lamb, who was stationed at RAF Neatishead, added: "It was like an Indiana Jones' moment when we found them in the field."

Now a director of Norwich-based financial advisers Smith and Pinching, Mr Lamb lives in Norwich.

Eastern Daily Press: Jeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil PerryJeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil Perry (Image: Archant)

The first aircraft arrived at RAF Coltishall in December 1959 and the last Lightnings left in 1974.

Eastern Daily Press: Jeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil PerryJeremy Eales, Carl Lamb, and Jim Cooper from the museum with one of the two Lightning cockpitsPicture: Neil Perry (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: One of the Lightning cockpits found on a Norfolk farm Picture: Carl LambOne of the Lightning cockpits found on a Norfolk farm Picture: Carl Lamb (Image: Archant)