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Old 12th Apr 2014, 16:19
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Steamer Ned
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
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The following might help a bit, from a family history memoir I'm currently working on:




Vulcan B2 (XH 557) runway overshoot



Approaching for a landing onto runway 09 from the west, the Avro test pilot (?Harry Pollitt) who had never landed at Filton before, brought the aircraft down heavily at least 500 yards beyond the safe point.The aircraft developed wheelbrake failure, possibly due to the heavy landing, and the brake chute also failed to deploy, so the pilot could not stop the aircraft on a flooded runway in heavy rain.The pilot attempted a full-power go-around, but the port main undercarriage set struck street lamps on the main A38 Bristol - Gloucester road, damaging the leg and wheels, and also demolishing four petrol pumps in an adjacent filling station, but the pilot retained control and the aircraft became airborne.A successful landing without casualties was made on a foam blanket at RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall, after dumping excess fuel over the Bristol Channel.



This aircraft returned to Filton in 1961, remaining until 1966 to undertake flight test development of the Olympus 301 engine for upgrading the RAF Vulcan B2 fleet.

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