Vul-cantastic

[selectortone]

It's an overused word, but this video is awesome.

I lived on two RAF bases in the late 50s and early 60s, RAF Scampton and RAF Waddington, where squadrons of Vulcans were stationed. They were a big part of my childhood. The Avro Vulcan was the spearhead of the UKs nuclear deterrent in those scary days of the Cold War and the Cuban Missile crisis. Living on a nuclear bomber base, the first strike target for the USSRs ICBMs, meant back then that every day could be your last.

After the lumbering piston engined bombers of WWII, seeing Vulcans in the skies overhead was like spotting UFOs. To hear a squadron of Vulcans take off on a practice scramble in the middle of the night was unforgettable. The vibration came up from the ground through the walls of the house and the air pulsed with the sound of Bristol Olympus engines. For an eight year old kid it was a sensory experience never to be forgotten.

Put it on the big telly:

[youtube]QhTbU3lO4hE[/youtube]

 

[Malc2098]

Beeeeeuuuuuuutiiiiiful!! Thanks, Terry.

In the 50s, I had a little catapult glider about 4 or 5" span made out of plastic in that unforgettable shape.

I've always been interested in stuff that flies and my fancy at the moment, due to a former colleague who used to build aeroplanes at Hatfield, is a De Havilland Mosquito currently under restoration somewhere.

And, of course, in keeping with this forum, it's made of wood!

[youtube]Eg9b495a5Zs[/youtube]

 

[Malc2098]

http://www.peoplesmosquito.org.uk



[youtube]vok155QrR2w[/youtube]

 

[Woodbloke]

It's an overused word, but this video is awesome.

I lived on two RAF bases in the late 50s and early 60s, RAF Scampton and RAF Waddington, where squadrons of Vulcans were stationed. They were a big part of my childhood. The Avro Vulcan was the spearhead of the UKs nuclear deterrent in those scary days of the Cold War and the Cuban Missile crisis. Living on a nuclear bomber base, the first strike target for the USSRs ICBMs, meant back then that every day could be your last.

After the lumbering piston engined bombers of WWII, seeing Vulcans in the skies overhead was like spotting UFOs. To hear a squadron of Vulcans take off on a practice scramble in the middle of the night was unforgettable. The vibration came up from the ground through the walls of the house and the air pulsed with the sound of Bristol Olympus engines. For an eight year old kid it was a sensory experience never to be forgotten.

Back in the early 70's, I used to work with someone who had a slightly 'crook' back but who was always beautifully 'suited n'booted' for work, which included a selection of cashmere sports coats. When I enquired how he could afford such gear he mentioned that he was ex-RAF and that he had ejected from one of those things at zero feet, with the result that the 'chute didn't open properly and the MB seat came to rest on his back. He was eventually discharged from the RAF and suitably 'recompensed' but as I recollect, he was quite non-committal about the Vulcan - Rob

 

[HappyHacker]

Many years ago I was at an airshow in Swansea when a Vulcan was on display. For the final run it came in low and then did a full power vertical climb above the show. Every bit of me was physically shaking and it was hard to breathe with the vibrations/noise. I am sure this helped contribute to my deafness but a wonderful experience.

Also I used work at Hawker Siddley's at Broughton where the last remaining flying Mosquito was based. I saw it flying and giving impromptu displays over the airfield many times. It was a sad day when they decided that they could no longer guarantee the integrity of the glue holding it together so many years after manufacture and stopped it from flying.

 

[RogerS]

.....
I lived on two RAF bases in the late 50s and early 60s, RAF Scampton and RAF Waddington, where squadrons of Vulcans were stationed. They were a big part of my childhood. .....

Jealous ? Me ? :mrgreen:

In its last year of flying I saw it five times. There are some great videos on Youtube.

[youtube]Og-HOG48o-Y[/youtube]

[youtube]O8rVwhnjBr4[/youtube]

[youtube]vNeQ7zSEbNA[/youtube]

And we'll keep quite about the more recent barrel roll :eusa-whistle:

 

[Rod]

I attended a talk by one of the pilots who flew Vulcans and was involved in the Falklands raids, though he flew a refuelling Victor on those.
He acquired the refuelling nozzle that jammed in one of the Vulcans forcing it to land in Brazil.
The authorities there kindly turned a blind eye to that fact it was fully bombed up!

Rod

 

[Woodbloke]

I attended a talk by one of the pilots who flew Vulcans and was involved in the Falklands raids...
Rod

I strolled across the runway a few years ago where the only bomb hit it...it's now as smooth as a newly re-surfaced motorway. There was at the time though, LOTS of Argie debris littering the place from the conflict, especially in the 'mountains' outside Stanley where some serious fighting occurred - Rob

 

[RogerM]

Difficult to comprehend that only 11 1/2 years separated the first flight of the Lancaster (Jan 1941) from the Vulcan (Aug 1952).

 

[Rod]

Down to the development of the jet engine

Rod

 

[RogerM]

Down to the development of the jet engine

Rod

I agree that was the enabling technology. There were a few subtle differences in airframe design as well. [emoji16]

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

 

[SamQ aka Ah! Q!]

I just feel sorry for the three poor barstewards aft of the pilot's and co-pilot's ejector seats. Theirs didn't. Eject. On at least one occassion, the two pilots made a concious decision to leave their colleagues behind as they 'pulled down the blind' and left. Just as the big bird impacted.

S.

 

[Woodbloke]

Down to the development of the jet engine

Rod

I think Sir Stanley Hooker might have had a little bit to do with that - Rob

 

[RogerS]

Digressing slightly, I was watching the recent programme about our deterrent and suddenly saw aerial footage of Spadeadam, just a mile or so away from us, and which was where Blue Steel was developed. I was chatting to the local farmer about it and he vividly remembers as a child the windows rattling when they were testing the rocket engines. He managed to snaffle some of the chains that were used to hold down Blue Steel during these tests. God knows what he was expecting to use them for ...