Vulcan XH558

Very good programme even if the events of 2015 were screened in the wrong order. Guy's flight alongside her took place after the farewell tour while the impression was given the tour was her final flight. The real final flight wasn't shown at all of course. Fabulous archive footage though.

 

It was indeed an excellent program, although I wish the production team that make these Guy Martin programs wouldn't keep trying to make artificial 'tension' - in this case the airworthiness being on the line if they get the jack let down wrong and twist the airframe. Yes, it could happen, but it seemed a bit OTT to me given how often those guys will have done that. The subject matter is riveting enough - it doesn't need that voiceover cobblers.

 

Just out of interest, where was the ground run filmed?Wellesbourne possibly?

Edit|: Sorry, should have Googled first. It was XM655 at Wellesbourne.

Are there any other ground running capable Vulcans?

 

I believe XL426 at Southend is still a runner, but has been undergoing restoration work of late, so hasn't done any taxi-runs for a while.

 

Loop with a roll off the top. Nice.

 

A picture of XH558 on its last Northern tour over Rolls Royce Derby under murky sky. For those into photography it was real 2000ISO weather.

 

Lovely image above. Thanks for sharing.

I recall a visit to North Weald in the late 1980's for--I think--the Great Warbirds event. We were at the side of the runway quite near to the end of the runway from which the Vulcan started its take-off roll.
After the take-off it took a while for great slabs of tarmac to be removed from the runway. The power of the Vulcan's engines had literally stripped the runway surface.
I think Guy Martin said 80,000 pounds of thrust, more than a modern airliner.

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Pedant mode. North Weald hosted the Fighter Meet, Great Warbirds events were held elsewhere. Went to a very wet one at West Malling.
I think the Vulcan incident was 1989 as I got some cracking takeoff pics of XH558 at that event.

 

Yes, stand corrected, It probably was the fighter meet, Great Warbirds tended to be at West Malling. The day before, Friday, me and my son had attended an event at RAF Wyton, to celebrate the 40th (?) anniversary of the first flight of the Canberra. We stayed overnight in a B & B near Stansted, and before we drove to North Weald we drove round the freight and maintenance aprons at Stansted. Imagine being able to do that now....

Off-topic, but briefly, we went down to West Malling from Coventry in an Air Atlantique DC3, and the star of the show was the Sunderland, which flew here for a short time before--I think--going to the States. Totally unexpected appearance at the show.

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Big thrust and afterburners on take-offs were the main reason why Quick Readyness Areas and many runway ends were changed from tarmac to concrete - to stop it melting/lifting

Might be handy if you wanted any old tarmac stripping off your drive... Resurface the M1 anyone?

 

No afterburners on a Vulcan excepting the one that was used as a Concorde test bed.

 

I was at the Wyton Canberra bash too. You're correct that it was the Canberra's 40th anniversary. Flew to three shows in an Air Antlantique Dak. Stansted to Duxford, Stansted to St. Mawgan and Coventry to Dublin. Should have done Stansted to Liege too but she blew an engine.

 

If anyone wants to read about just how complicated it was to get one Vulcan to Port Stanley to bomb the runway there, I can recommend the book "Vulcan 607" ** by Roland White. Reading that book you will realise just how easily the mission could have failed, for a number of reasons. Logistical nightmare.

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** Available at a nominal cost from your favourite online book seller....

 

Agree a fascinating story, amazing how many tanker planes some of the fuel passed through before it got to the Vulcan. I also read a book from the Argentinian perspective ( can't remember what it's called) and the effect on morale of that raid was quite marked. I suppose the thought was if they can hit Port Stanley Buenos Aires isn't safe if things really get nasty.

 

Indeed, I think I have read elsewhere that it was the psychological effect on the Argentinians, rather than the physical damage caused.

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It's a great read. The other half bought it for me last Christmas.

 

Yes I know, The Vulcan was the big thrust bit. They would, as you say, strip off the tarmac, which encouraged a return to concrete. Then when the Lightnings, Phantoms etc. came along and lit up their afterburners before starting to roll the tarmac was often left runny and smoking... so the return to concrete ends on runways was speeded up somewhat!

If only this keyboard would type what I'm really trying to say...

 

Indeed. I'm hearing that an aircrew self-reported themselves to the CAA for performing an unauthorised manoeuvre in an ex-military jet...wonder if that might be related