Vulcan bomber

[colr6]

Just watched the programme with Guy Martin, he's one lucky sod, getting to have a go in the Vulcan. I'm not into planes but that is one thing of great beauty. Shame it's it last year of flying. Such iconic things like that should be kept going for all to see. I have had the pleasure of seeing that do test flights over Elvington airfield near York 8/9 times each lasting 20 mins, everything on the industrial est stops. Everyone comes out with cameras to photo this massive thing of beauty. Our vantage point is 60 ft up a cement silo. To watch is what appears to be in slow motion and it might fall out the sky, then with that unmistakeable sound it accelerates followed by plumes of black smoke into the clouds, then silence as it banks over for the return. Three or four times later it dissapears into the clouds and leaves everybody in a state of aww. Keep that thing flying!!!!

[Vista]

Seen her a few times myself but can't say she does much for me, I prefer the noise and spectacle of WW2 Piston Engined aircraft. One that always sticks in my memory for the noise it makes is the Douglas Skyraider.

 

The Vulcan itself was a bit of a white elephant for much of its military career, introduced as a Nuclear bomber in 56 but largely rendered obsolete in that role by the introduction of the Resolution Class Polaris missile equipped submarines just 12 years later. The rest of its career consisted of radar reconnaissance mission and finally the indignity of being used as a Tanker aircraft.

[ianb10]

Being ex RAF I had the pleasure of seeing these close up when I was at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland as it was then. We used to get 4 of these there on exercise for a week at a time along with 6 Lightning fighters, they used to make a wonderful noise when they were all scrambled at the same time. But must admit that the sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin in a Spitfire takes some beating, just got to love that sound.

[colr6]

Would have loved to hear a squadron of lancasters flying over must have been an awesome sound. But don't suppose you thought of that when they flying out on mission. Think other things would be on your mind!

[Danish]

Seen her a few times myself but can't say she does much for me, I prefer the noise and spectacle of WW2 Piston Engined aircraft. One that always sticks in my memory for the noise it makes is the Douglas Skyraider.

 

The Vulcan itself was a bit of a white elephant for much of its military career, introduced as a Nuclear bomber in 56 but largely rendered obsolete in that role by the introduction of the Resolution Class Polaris missile equipped submarines just 12 years later. The rest of its career consisted of radar reconnaissance mission and finally the indignity of being used as a Tanker aircraft.

 

You missed the bombing of Port Stanley air field. That was a fantastically crazy thing to do.

[colr6]

Especially on the fuel front! Or possibly the lack of!!!

[Vista]

You missed the bombing of Port Stanley air field. That was a fantastically crazy thing to do.

 

 

Didn't miss it, just dismissed it as RAF showboating. As a technical accomplishment it was a marvel, but as far as it's effect on the war went, much more debatable

[Danish]

Didn't miss it, just dismissed it as RAF showboating. As a technical accomplishment it was a marvel, but as far as it's effect on the war went, much more debatable

 

I always assumed it was to send a message that Argentina was in bombing range...

[Vista]

In range or not, the war was confined to a 200 mile exclusion zone around the Falklands. There's still significant debate about the legality of the sinking of the Belgrano whilst she was just a few miles outside it, can you imagine the furore if we'd bombed mainland Argentina?

 

Arguably the Black Buck missions drew some of the Argentine Air Force back in protection against the likelihood and the single bomb that actually hit Stanley runway did limit its availability to Fast Jets, but the real accomplishment was actually getting a plane that old there and back at all.

[Danish]

the real accomplishment was actually getting a plane that old there and back at all.

 

Oh agreed. As I recall they had re-fueling planes re-fuelling other re-fuelling planes and three or so re-fuellings for the Vulcans en route?

[khanlad]

The vulcan seemed to fly down our road a few months back on its last flight thing it was doing, superb! Not being far from northolt we get loads of old stuff flying over , but a couple of years back the battle of Britain spitfire hurricane and Lancaster few over, still gaining height! Oh my word the noise! Hairs stood on end, brilliant

[Vista]

Oh agreed. As I recall they had re-fueling planes re-fuelling other re-fuelling planes and three or so re-fuellings for the Vulcans en route?

 

 

Yes, 11 tankers (Also onetime V bombers called Handley Page Victors)  for two Vulcans, one of which made it to target on the first mission. Read a book called Vulcan 607 if you're interested in learning more about the mission. Very interesting and informative if sometimes a little confusing with so many names of different crew in different aircraft being quoted.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Vulcan+607&_itemId=180679189114&_trksid=p2047675.m4099

[aardvark101]

English Electric Lighting, was the nastiest, loudest plane i have seen at a display, i used to live on the seafront at Southend and was lucky to catch it the last time it ever flew.

 

33000llb of thrust form two RR Avon engines, just to put things into perspective, Santa Pods Fireforce has 5500llbs  Weeeeeeee

 

[accord83]

My Grand parents lived near Salmesbury English Electric where the Lightnings were made, one of my earliest memories was standing at the perimeter fence, holding Gramps hand, when a Lightning came down the runway, then it just seemed to go vertically out of sight, and the ground shook. Awesomely spellbinding.

[Danish]

Read a book called Vulcan 607 if you're interested in learning more about the mission. 

 

That's £90 you've cost me, Mr.Vista. My other half is from an RAF family so I thought I'd buy the 607 book, and somehow managed to buy a Kindle version, and a Kindle to read it on.  :-s

[Vista]

That's £90 you've cost me, Mr.Vista. My other half is from an RAF family so I thought I'd buy the 607 book, and somehow managed to buy a Kindle version, and a Kindle to read it on. :-s

Ouch! being of Scottish parentage (half at least) I'd have gone for a £2.99 second hand paperback!

[skeeter]

Interesting subject but I only managed half of the tv program as it was sooooo repetitive and assumed the viewer only had the memory capacity of a gnat. It needed to be an hour max and less advert breaks.

[colr6]

Ouch! being of Scottish parentage (half at least) I'd have gone for a £2.99 second hand paperback!

can tell your not a northerner! A true northerner would have borrowed one

[Danish]

Interesting subject but I only managed half of the tv program as it was sooooo repetitive and assumed the viewer only had the memory capacity of a gnat. It needed to be an hour max and less advert breaks.

 

So common now - a recap of what you've just watched and what's coming next before the commercial break. Then the same recap and preview straight after the break. Add in a load of snazzy animated graphics and half the programme is gone.

[Vista]

So common now - a recap of what you've just watched and what's coming next before the commercial break. Then the same recap and preview straight after the break. Add in a load of snazzy animated graphics and half the programme is gone.

 

 

That's one thing about Wheeler Dealers that irritates the shit out of me!

[SmokeEm]

That's the golden rule of presentation - Tell them what you're going to tell them, Tell them, Then tell them what you told them. Classic lol

[SmokeEm]

Oh and personally I/we loved the program. Both sat there like starstruck teenagers as we are both massive Vulcan fans.... Each to their own

[Danish]

That's the golden rule of presentation - Tell them what you're going to tell them, Tell them, Then tell them what you told them. Classic lol

 

Fair point, that's exactly what I do at work.  

[colr6]

Bossy bugger

[SmokeEm]

Fair point, that's exactly what I do at work.

I was taught to present by a real pro at it and have done presentations to audiences from 2 people to over 2000 over the years. Truth be told though Jayne, I STILL hate doing them Even had to do a small one last Thursday at work