XH875 The rapid air start system was the very devil to maintain and not many Vulcans had both port and stbd systems servicable at the same time. The system also required a very large amount of compressed air at 6000 psi. I'm sure that somebody would be able to provide a suitable supply of air but at what cost? Then there's the problem of getting the compressed air to the display venue!! It would be nice to see a "ripple rapid" start again but somehow I don't think it will happen.
And the Rapid Air system gave one of the Vulcan ASCs his nickname, when he was a brand new crew chief, he snagged every system that had a leak. He became know as Leaky Th**pe. Dave, where are you?
As I recall using the rapid start system limited the starter motor/turbine to only seven starts (or something similar - sure someone can put an exact figure on it) before it was lifex. Bit of a no go for a cash & spares limited TVOC. Well done on achieving what seemed the impossible folks by the way (including the help provided by the CAA). R2
I was lucky enough to be there for the first flight last Wednesday and took this vid from opposite the public area. Hope you like it and well done to everyone who made this possible.
Was also lucky enough to be at Farnborough this week (working security, so seen a lot of the action airside as it looks like you did Brian....) was looking after the media tent and met the vulcan crew after, thoroughly nice bunch of chaps.. mentioned that I had recently read the book about the Vulcan raid on Port Stanley, and was told that these guys crewed that flight! Really honoured to meet them....
Was going through the 9 squadron Operation Record book for 62-66 last week and noticed the following categories for crews appearing every few months or so.
Select Select Star Combat Combat Star
can anyone explain what the ratings were for? or how they were achieved
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 70
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the correct sequence was Combat, Combat Star, Select and select Star.
On arrival there was pressure on for a crew to become qualified for QRA and this was usually achieved after a sqn cdr's check ride, and before the crew was Combat. There was no category for limited combat ready.
Then, in a 6 month period, jul-dec or jan-jun, the crew had to undertake a number of stats, different approaches, different navigation exercises and most crucially drop a number of bombs with a specific accuracy. These were 'classification' attacks on some targets. The crew had to be fully constituted (except for the copilot).
If the requirements were met the crew would then be awarded the next grade.
There was another difference later dropped.
A Combat crew was allocated 320 hrs per year whereas a Select Star crew ony got 280. Also some rangers were supposed to ge given to Combat crews, such as Norway for 2-3 days. Longer rangers such as Goose Bay or Akrotiri was for Combat Star and a Western Ranger to Offutt to Select Star. That was the theory.
But I was on Ops before I was Combat and my crew went on a Western Ranger before we were Select.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 70
Posts: 9,345
What it did bring was significantly less hours. I would have to check my first log book but in our final training period we got just 88 hours compared with the original Combat target of 160. We had one overseas trip and that was Gardermoen with a single night stop.
Also, when we switched from the old system we reverted from Select Star to Combat and had to start again creeping up the ladder.
I think that the ratings (Combat, Select etc.) were a direct copy of the way Strategic Air Command assessed their crews. It has all the hallmarks of an American system. Sadly we didn't get more money for being Select Star. I'm not sure we really knew what it meant.
My sincere apologies. I did not mean to suggest that you did not earn yours. Re reading my post I can see how you would read that into what I said. My intention was to head off at the pass anyone sugesting that I did not earn mine.
As usual the (in my case ex) AEO was misunderstood!!
I asked a person (ginger bint - who doesn't log onto PPRuNe but judging from her manner was a person of huge self importance ) in attendance at the Vulcan tent at Farnborough about the 'welcher' Tombestone and was thoroughly put in my place when she said 'He's no welcher he did the deed at Marham.' Sounded as if she was Tombestone's mum - very protective! Has not the deed been done?
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That was probably the fearsome Drewett?
Tombstone claimed to have done the deed, but failed to provide the promised evidence. On 3 Dec 2007 he stated "Prank WILL be released in good time", but nothing has been heard since then.......
558 lifting off at Farnborough last week was a wonderful sight,. The sound of four Olympii starting up also brought a lump to my throat after 25 years. Congratulations all round.
As an aside, Ospery is publishing my 'Vulcan Units of the Cold War' next February. The cover art work shows XM597 firing a Shrike on Black Buck 6. The publisher and I would like to make contact with Neil McDougall and his 50 Sqn crew to invite them along to the book launch. Does anybody know where Neil and the rest of the team are nowadays?
) in attendance at the Vulcan tent at Farnborough about the 'welcher' Tombestone and was thoroughly put in my place when she said 'He's no welcher he did the deed at Marham.' Sounded as if she was Tombestone's mum - very protective! Has not the deed been done?
