Did the Vulcans have a realistic range capabilty to scramble UK, reach target and return UK?
I know everyone always says that if you went for real you knew you weren't coming back but presumably you would have all done the maths to see if it was feasible - feasible being with the usual flightcrew margins being built in.
On a related issue - and one of a personal nature. What were crew members instructions to immediate family in the event of an evident 'this is the real thing' alert?
I can't imagine how horrific and all pervasive such considerations must have been. Yet I suspect the wives and other base personnel "would have known" pretty quickly after scramble that the cellar was needed if it were for real this time.
For every man on the cutting edge of the Cold War deterrent there was usually a woman and some kids. A fact not overplayed.
Did any wives crack or children suffer psychological trauma? Obviously some did and it might be distressing to raise the issue. One hopes though that the various charities recognise and support these problems... yet I cannot recall ever seeing a cold war survivors fund et al....
Cheers
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