In about 1978, we developed an attack profile against the West Raynham Bloodhound site. Follow the bomb steer, then when locked, break at 60° AoB through 90° to beam the CW illumination, reverse to hold it on the beam following the AEO's calls until it broke lock. Meanwhile the Nav Rad continued to keep the target in view. Once the lock broke, turn back at 60° AoB onto the bomb steer for another 10s or thereabouts until illuminated again. Keep up the process until inside the min. engagement range, then complete the bomb run.
Quite hard work at low level in the Vulcan and it called for a great deal of crew co-ordination. But it worked - and was great fun.
About 5 years later I tried the same thing against the Wattisham Bloodhound site when flying the F-4. Every time they nailed us! It seems that over the intervening years, the Bloodhound system had received an upgrade and our previous tactics were now null and void thanks to this 'new bit of kit'! But there were other benefits - the Bloodhounds were always asking for airfield attacks, which meant random beat ups of their site from various parts of the compass...
Until, that is, one chap went over OC Ops Wg's office at about 550 KIAS. Game Over...
