Flaterus Veteranus, I suspect he hit the RANGE domestic site not the airfield, but I could be wrong. I make that assertion as the NEAF Range Orders specifically stated that the domestic site could be confused with No 1 Radar target.
One of our navs (12 Sqn) I think dropped a stick of 3 outside the NAAFI.
Regarding Luqa, I did my fair share of Luqa Rangers but also El Adem. For some reason the senior officers tended to go to Luqa and Akrotiri <vbg>.
The photo of 427 is definitiely not the one that had the undercarriage collapse at Finningley. In this photo we can see there is no fin fairing, the tbc comartment is empty, there is a hatch at the side of the nose open and all the control surfaces and airbrakes are everywhere.
The photo looks very much like it has just had its undercarriage surgically removed by the bomb squad.
Finally, as Kim Bunting, the plotter, slide down the nose as stated, how did he do so with the lid in place? Final point, Vulcans did not sport fin badges in the 60s; 427 is sporting a Lincoln badge.