Vulcan Question

[sandozer]

Have taken quite a few pictures of XH558 during airshows.
I noticed a boxed section between the engines on the starboard side only. What was its purpose ? I`m thinking a chaff dispenser but just guessing.
In the attached imagehttps://www.dropbox.com/s/3qvtpbvcy8r99b7/Vulcan%20bomb%20bay%20openFSC_8510.jpg?dl=0 have ringed the area to show what I mean.

Ok try this link https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandozer/15944584897/

[Yellow Sun]

It was a fairing on which was mounted the Red Shrimp and L Band Jammer aerials. In the photo you have provided, the Chaff Dispensers are most easily seen on the port side, just aft of the dielectric panel and slightly forward of where the inter-engine fairing starts on the starboard side. They are 2 staggered "letter box " fairings.

YS

[ZH875]

Aircraft which were Blue Steel capable had the ECM aerial plate fitted between both pairs of jet pipes as the missile caused a shadow in the ECM transmission path. So extra aerials were fitted.

[Thelma Viaduct]

How fast could it go? (never going to happen, I know) could a new build Vulcan be effective in the 21st century ala B52??? Could it carry stormshadow internal ly? Carrying PGMs, What would its loiter time be compared to Typhoon?
All hypothetical I know, before the usual pedants/arm chair experts/ wankers from Surrey and their ilk pipe up.

[Basil]

How fast could it go? (never going to happen, I know) could a new build Vulcan be effective in the 21st century ala B52??? Could it carry stormshadow internal ly?
A380, B747-???
Wouldn't want to be in it given readily available countermeasures available to anyone with the money :ouch:

[Willard Whyte]

All hypothetical I know, before the usual pedants/arm chair experts/ wankers from Surrey and their ilk pipe up.

I thought most wankers lived in t'north. Given that's where t'air force mostly is.

[BEagle]

How fast? Well over M0.9.

I once saw around M0.97 after cocking up a max rate descent from FL450....:\

Internal Storm Shadow and loiter time? That would depend on how many Storm Shadows were required and how much of the rest of the bomb bay would be available for additional fuel tanks. With a WE177 free-fall nuclear weapon, 2 x 8000 lb fuel tanks could be fitted.

[Thelma Viaduct]

Paint it black, job jobbed 😋

[sandozer]

Thanks for the comprehensive answers chaps :ok: Have wondered about that fairing for a while !!

[phil9560]

Few shandys this afternoon Pious Pilot?

[Simplythebeast]

Could you tell me what the hoops are which are attached just under the windows on either side of the Vulcan cockpit? They look like cup holders. I thought they may have been for fire extinguishers but I seem to remember they were stowed at the rear base of the seat rails.

[MPN11]

Attachments for the anti-flash blinds?

[Simplythebeast]

That makes sense. I just saw a photo showing what looked like a canvas zip running down the window frame towards the hoop.

[Ramshornvortex]

Could you tell me what the hoops are which are attached just under the windows on either side of the Vulcan cockpit? They look like cup holders.

They're........cup holders! :ok:

The anti-flash blinds zip up from the coaming to the top of the windows

http://evergreen.zenfolio.com/p52269942#h1f232e1e

http://evergreen.zenfolio.com/p52269942#h1f232e1e

[MPN11]

Ahhh .... :)

[Simplythebeast]

Mmmmmm, they have a 'D' profile and are fixed at an angle. I think there would be a bit of spillage!

[Bill Macgillivray]

They were cup holders and VERY poor examples of such!! This, in an aircraft that for its time was very advanced, was always a suprise, as were several other bits of kit available!!

Bill.

[Fareastdriver]

I think there would be a bit of spillage!

Not with the supermen of First Division North flying them.

[rugmuncher]

Are they stowages for an SLR camera? (way ahead Airbus)
:uhoh:

[reds & greens]

Are they stowages for an SLR camera? (way ahead Airbus)
:uhoh:
...Ouch...

[Rocket2]

Quick question guys (age is getting the better of me) how many fire bottles were there in the mighty Vulcan? I seem to recall 24 or more but just can't be certain. Along the same lines were there even more in the Victor?
Need to settle a beer bet :)
R2

[132bod]

I don't know how many bottles, but from trade training there were a number in the wing leading edge. During maintenance, the a/c fire protection system could be connected to a hangar "dalek" providing remote ground activation. Apocryphally, operating the ground trip was even quicker at getting a sootie? (propulsion tradesman) out of the wing than profering a mug of tea at the access panel!

[Rocket2]

Thanks 132. We used to test the systems by shorting a couple of terminals out on the fire control units to trigger the automatic operation of the bottles. All well and good so long as you removed the links before connecting the bottles and turning power on. Sadly sometimes that never happened the result being a loud bang, awful smell and a one sided conversation with the boss!

[Treble one]

How fast could it go? (never going to happen, I know) could a new build Vulcan be effective in the 21st century ala B52??? Could it carry stormshadow internal ly? Carrying PGMs, What would its loiter time be compared to Typhoon?
All hypothetical I know, before the usual pedants/arm chair experts/ wankers from Surrey and their ilk pipe up.

Thelma if you search for Vulcan B3- it was an upgraded B2 with upgraded engines (and reheat), extended fuselage, and room for additional crew (all seated on MB's finest escape device). It was designed as an airborne alert aircraft to carry up to 6 Skybolts.

[Pontius Navigator]

Thelma if you search for Vulcan B3- it was an upgraded B2 with upgraded engines (and reheat), extended fuselage, and room for additional crew (all seated on MB's finest escape device). It was designed as an airborne alert aircraft to carry up to 6 Skybolts.
Not a record AFAIK answering a 4 year old question, but good try..

With enough money and re-engineering it could have had 4 Spey, configure for 2-engine cruise, new lighter offensive systems, rotary missile launchers ASM and AAM and you could have had a reasonable battleship but not one capable of operating in contested airspace. Right for its time and a good decision retiring it when they did.