Vulcan At Dunsfold this Sunday!
The UK has been feeling the full force of the 'Vulcan Effect' this summer, with the British public flocking to witness the return of one of its greatest heroes. In the past few weeks, the newly restored Avro Vulcan bomber, XH558, has made flying appearances at three major airshows, with each one subsequently boasting a record number of attendees as the result. With a combined viewing audience of a million people, it is clear that the Vulcan is breathing new life into air shows around the UK – already the second largest spectator events in the UK after football.
The latest stop on the ‘Vulcan Tour’ will be the ‘Wings and Wheels Show’ at Dunsfold in Surrey, where she is planned to appear on Sunday 24th August. This is the first time that the Vulcan has appeared at this event and there is a great deal of excitement and anticipation at the prospect of this iconic and venerable aircraft making a long awaited and much welcome visit to the County.
With a record 490,000 visitors at Lowestoft, at least 300,000 at Farnborough and 135,000 at Waddington, the Vulcan was the key attraction for many people eager to see her back in flight, following her successful £7m overhaul spanning the last three years. Members of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST) have spent the last decade dreaming of the days XH558 would fly once again in front of sell-out crowds.
Now they dream of continuing to showcase XH558 for the next decade, as VTST Chief Executive Dr Robert Pleming explains:
“It has been absolutely terrific to see the reaction of the crowds watching the Vulcan flying at airshows, and the sheer numbers of people who have turned up to see this much-loved and admired aircraft just shows how much XH558 is valued and remembered as a true icon of British aviation. The public seems to be taking the Vulcan to their hearts in the same way as Concorde was. Without the generosity of the public, and support from sponsors and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Vulcan would have remained in early retirement. I just hope that now we will be able to bring the aircraft to many more shows and enable the younger generation to see not only a superb example of British engineering but a living part of our history. XH558 is the only Vulcan in the world that can fly, but it’s true that without sponsorship, this display may be one of her last, and millions of people will be denied the experience of seeing this amazing aircraft in the air!”
The Vulcan is also at the centre of an educational programme, explaining not only the history of the last half of the 20th Century and its relevance to today, but also the amazing design and engineering achievements that this 1950s-era aircraft represents. It is hoped that money to keep the Vulcan flying in shows in future years will be raised through commercial sponsorship as well as by continued public donations.