# Vulcan Flying



## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

no not Spock or even a vulcain watch thrown away but a real avro vulcan delta-shocking photo from badly set camera from kitchen today at 2.15. Elvington museum just outside York is about 8 miles away as a vulcan flies it did a few loops up there and then flew south over us towards the Humber. back to a Lincolnshire base. The lok and the SOUND -made my Easter-Happiness!!! Really sorry about the pics.


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

You're very lucky, she's a fine old bird - XH558. I've seen her a few times now, but always at displays. She's scheduled for Leuchars again this year and is always the highlight for me - the sound of her 'roar' is just breathtaking. This was last year...










edit - ps - scotland always looks like this!


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

Glad she posed for the photo-nice shot


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

I saw XE558 at a airshow a couple of years ago...

Fantastic noise..... Just re-read Vulcan 607 again too, great book...


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

We saw her at Lowestoft Air Show. Awesome plane. :notworthy:

Mike


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## jmm1 (Aug 18, 2009)

Growing up as a kid I used to see the Vulcans quite often flying out of RAF Finningley.

An amazing sight even today.

Them were the days.


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## BigTom (Jul 27, 2010)

I used to work with a chap who was involved with the work in getting this lady back in the air (he was ex RAF from Lincolnshire way). I always hoped I could wangle my way in to see her fly.....was never that lucky


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## minkle (Mar 17, 2008)

I was lucky enough to be on a lane with a cracking view of stuff from Brize a couple of years ago, watched her do a few laps


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

Seen a Vulcan display a couple of times when they were operational, it's slated for Cosford this year and I'm going to be there :yes:


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I remember as a kid going on day trips up to "Wadders" just to see them (9 sqn I think) Well we had rellies up there tbh but I remember the Vulcans (& I think Lightnings?) much more! I seem to remember they were at Scampton as well, this is a really long time ago! lol. I joined the RAF in '83 and clearly remember seeing them flying but I think they had stopped operational duties by then so must have been at air shows. I'm sure they were at saints in 83 when I was there?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

> I joined the RAF in '83 and clearly remember seeing them flying but I think they had stopped operational duties by then so must have been at air shows. I'm sure they were at saints in 83 when I was there?


They were due to be binned in early 82 , but the Falklands war gave them a reprieve until late 82 I think it was .......


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## Philz (Oct 20, 2009)

Quote

no not Spock or even a vulcain watch thrown away but a real avro vulcan delta-shocking photo from badly set camera from kitchen today at 2.15. Elvington museum just outside York is about 8 miles away as a vulcan flies it did a few loops up there and then flew south over us towards the Humber. back to a Lincolnshire base. The lok and the SOUND -made my Easter-Happiness!!! Really sorry about the pics.

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She went up yesterday for trials. She will be doing sevearal air shows this year if payments are made. She is now based in South Yorkshire at Robin Hood Airport formally RAF Finningley nr Doncaster.


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## Guest (Apr 27, 2011)

jasonm said:


> > I joined the RAF in '83 and clearly remember seeing them flying but I think they had stopped operational duties by then so must have been at air shows. I'm sure they were at saints in 83 when I was there?
> 
> 
> They were due to be binned in early 82 , but the Falklands war gave them a reprieve until late 82 I think it was .......


There's a Vulcan on display at Hendon RAF Museum,A world class aviation museum considered to be the best in Europe !.

Can also recommend Roland White's book for those who've not read.Details how the aircraft was taken out of mothballs to serve in the Falklands campaign,The ''Black Buck'' campaign standing [until the last Gulf war i think]as the longest range bombing raids in history !.


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

littlealex said:


> jasonm said:
> 
> 
> > > I joined the RAF in '83 and clearly remember seeing them flying but I think they had stopped operational duties by then so must have been at air shows. I'm sure they were at saints in 83 when I was there?
> ...


Ditto that. Cosford also has an excellent cold war static display featuring Vulcan and the other 'V' bombers.


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## Guest (Apr 27, 2011)

I used to fly them, yep me and Corky had some great times in them. We went to the Falklands and bombed a few ships had a few Argie planes trying their luck but we were unstoppable and we were even back home in Blighty just in time for kippers.

It might have been a dream though :shocking:


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

The Vulcan was operational until March 31st 1984 with number 50 Squadron based at Waddington.


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## JWL940 (Jun 11, 2010)

My very first posting after my RAF apprenticeship was to Scampton, which, with RAF Waddington was home to the Vulcan force. I remember to this day servicing the Instrument Landing System's Glidepath 100 yds from the QRP (Quick Readiness Pan if memory serves), when 4 of them scrambled and went from engines off to wheels off in less than 2 minutes; it was then I learnt that noise is painful. Being so close without hearing protection was not clever but the H&S police hadn't been invented in those days. Not my favourite aircraft, that is reserved for the DC3/C47, but a definite 2nd and I am grateful to this day for having the privilege of working so close to them for a couple of years.

'Vulcan 607' by Rowland White is the story of the Black Buck raid to the South Atlantic, thoroughly recommend it if you haven't read it.

Now where did I put my hearing aid?


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## Cameron (Mar 2, 2011)

I love plane threads. Living in Australia we done get many/any air shows down here and i would love to see something like this in the flesh.

Great pictures - bet she sounded awesome!


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## nursegladys (Aug 4, 2006)

I had the pleasure of having this one at my passing out parade in 1986.



















I was then working at an airshow at RAF Alconbury in 1989, when a B1 came from over the hangars at 500 feet on full reheat......I am still deaf :shocking:


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

You mean they fly them in the rain!!!! :jawdrop: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

handlehall said:


> Seen a Vulcan display a couple of times when they were operational, it's slated for Cosford this year and I'm going to be there :yes:


Well I went to Cosford (just back as I combined it with a 2 day stay at Ironbridge to do the museums there)No Vulcan, no anything really - half display from the Reds :angry: and Tornado did his best with cloud ceiling at 800 ft. Not been so wet in ages, what a disappointment.


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

bridgeman said:


> You mean they fly them in the rain!!!! :jawdrop: :thumbup: :thumbup:


Not any more


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

We'll be flying Chinese planes before long! ............ from leased Chinese aircraft carriers! :jawdrop:

Mike


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Wonderful aircraft, it was here at the local airshow a month ago and nearly took the roof off........ still a bit deaf....

Seen it at Brize a few times, used to go there and watch Concorde do "circuits & bumps" as we used to say, training the pilots......

One day was quite memorable...... Lots of VC-10's at Brize as people know, anyway one was waiting to take off, so Concorde comes round, lands on the runway and touches down on the runway for 10 sec's then powers up & lifts off again.

When she powered away the poor old VC-10 trundles onto the airstrip and gets ready to take off, she just starts going down the runway when Concorde being so fast has already done a circuit and coming into land again onto the back off the VC-10

Listening in on my Aircraft Radio ( allowed back then i think) was the words "Concordes coming in, Break Break Break" To which Concorde veered off and pulled away, as for the VC-10 it pretended to be a Lightening, full after burners, it went down that runway like a scolded cat, belching black soot and stood on it's tail and pulled nearly vertical. It just seemed to stay 20 ft of the ground pointing straight up!! and it eventually climbed away. I was deaf for the rest of the day but had a big smile on my face!!! :jump:


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

now that would make a good video clip!


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## taffyman (Apr 26, 2011)

great pice thanks :clap:


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## Mantisgb (Oct 28, 2007)

Hoping this will be at Waddington in July :thumbsup:


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

Mantisgb said:


> Hoping this will be at Waddington in July :thumbsup:


Bear in mind this aircraft now operates under Visual Flight Rules (reason given for no-show at Cosford)if the weather is bad i.e. low-level cloud it probably won't display unless it's already made it to Waddington beforehand.


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

wondered about that ,dumbo here just thought it was cos the punters wouldnt be able to see it!


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## Nin (Jul 16, 2004)

If you're interested and in the vicinty, Vulcan is expected to be at Kemble tomorrow for the Cotswold air show. Both static and flying display, with guided tours of the aircraft.

Weather for Kemble is good for VFR now, which is when she should be arriving.

More available at http://www.cotswoldairshow.com/

Was planning to fly in meself but aircraft is u/s :thumbsdown:

Nin


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## lordofthefiles (Jan 31, 2011)

We had an Avro Vulcan XL391 outside Blackpool airport for years. The shame was really it was just left to rot, Finally with the airport runway and terminal being extended & redeveloped I believe it was sold on Ebay ( Buyer to collect ) Of course...


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## jizzle (Jul 11, 2010)

Here is a picture i took of one at the RAF Fairford Airshow Last Year, showing the bomb compartment open!!

(sorry about the image quality it was only taken with a Sony Cybershot!!


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

lordofthefiles said:


> We had an Avro Vulcan XL391 outside Blackpool airport for years. The shame was really it was just left to rot, Finally with the airport runway and terminal being extended & redeveloped I believe it was sold on Ebay ( Buyer to collect ) Of course...


The "buyer" couldn't afford the transport costs and it was smashed up in situe by a JCB. As BaE Woodford is about to close the Vulcan there, having been cannibalised for all available spares will probably suffer a similar fate and that is the spirtual "home" of the Vulcan. My advice is see one flying while you can


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## Trotskey (Dec 26, 2010)

handlehall said:


> lordofthefiles said:
> 
> 
> > We had an Avro Vulcan XL391 outside Blackpool airport for years. The shame was really it was just left to rot, Finally with the airport runway and terminal being extended & redeveloped I believe it was sold on Ebay ( Buyer to collect ) Of course...
> ...


Remember the Blackpool one, used to pass it every day and saw it destroyed but saw one flying at Blackpool airshow last year, what a noise.


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## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

It's shame that some wealthy person couldn't fund a charity to preserve important pieces of engineering history like this. How about old beardy? Branston has made enough out of air travel... Or some stupidly rich pop stars and footballers....

Rob


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