Vulcan aircrew?

[Primetime_Joanna]

Hi there,

I am looking to contact any ex-Vulcan aircrew/engineers who may have archive film of their time on Vulcans in the RAF. It's for a fund raising film to help the restoration to flight of Vulcan XH558 at Bruntingthorpe.

Thank you!

Joanna White.

[Blacksheep]

They're certainly making a proper job of that! Back at Waddington in nineteen canteen our 'B' shift duty handling team only managed to take one wing off with a mechanical digger.

But then they weren't really trying. ;)

Took more than two years to fix it, only to fly off to St Athan three months later to be turned into pots, pans and electric kettles. :hmm:

As to film - You gotta be joking! An 8mm movie camera cost two month's pay for a mere corporal electrician in the sixties. You can always see me marshalling a Vulcan in the 007 movie "Thunderball" though...

[Grandslam]

There is a great training video for groundcrew which has some vulcan footage. Its not very long, but if you source a copy it would give you a couple of minutes worth. I think its called 'Basic marshalling signals'

[BEagle]

Regrettably the home video camera hadn't been invented when most of us were in the V-force. Any that did exist used VHS tapes in a separate recorder and were very heavy and cumbersome.

8mm or Super8 cine cameras of that era would have needed powerful spotlights inside the a/c and the films were only about 3 min in length.

The only source would probably be 'official' SSVC (or SKC as it was then) films; regrettably they have probably all been thrown out now by people with no eye for history. In any case MoD corporate greed would probably demand an unrealistic copyright fee...

[chevvron]

How about the RAF Museum at Hendon?

HOBIE: That's a truly sad picture. I remember the last flying B1 being delivered to my airfield to suffer the same fate (it was the one used for RB199 tests). There seem to be some people that actually enjoy doing that sort of thing; I also remember the effect when they did it with a Lightning at my airfield without inhibiting the fuel tanks. The guy lived, but was badly burned.

[Primetime_Joanna]

That photo made me cringe! Seeing the one at Bruntingthorpe being so lovingly restored it's painful to realise all the others were just scrapped. If any aircraft could have blood in her vains it's the Vulcan.

Thank you for the suggestions. I will follow them up and let you know if I have any success. There should also be more update info on the vulcantothesky.com website about this project shortly!

Very best wishes,
Joanna White.

[BEagle]

Good to hear that, Primetime Joanna!

When are the next Sponsors' Days? I've got 3 of the blue cards now and keep meaning to come to see the old bird being re-assembled. I taxied '655 last year at Wellesbourne - this year '655 is looking better than ever and will be an excellent training system for the '558 crew.

Looking forward to the roll-out of '558 this summer!

[Tim McLelland]

... in a slightly photo-modified climb however (it might have climbed steeply but not that steeply!).

I've mentioned this before, but I'm writing a new Vulcan book at the moment which will be a very big volume, and probably the last "proper" book on the subject, so if anyone has photos, anecdotes, links to ex-crews, or anything else that might be of use, do please let me know.:)

[airborne_artist]

probably the last "proper" book on the subject

Glad your crystal ball is so accurate - can you tell me Sat's lotto numbers when you have a minute :ok:

[hobie]

... in a slightly photo-modified climb however (it might have climbed steeply but not that steeply!).

"This is XH558 in a steep climb (photo credit - Gary Lakin)" .... quoted by me from a reputable Vulcan History source .....

if the photo has indeed been modified I will be greatly dissapointed .....

[forget]

Hobie, The doctored photograph of XH558 'in a steep climb' should be destroyed. A Vulcan in that attitude is not long for this world. Anyone who knows anything about aircraft can see it's not real. The problem is, those who know a 'little bit about aircraft' start to believe these things.

[BEagle]

Well, it looks pretty accurate to me.

I suspect one of Mary's last displays in the old bird?

Fortunately the displays planned for '558 when she flies again will be a lot more gentle on the airframe as befits the old lady's advancing years.

[Tim McLelland]

Airborne-artist, sarcasm aside, I think you'll find that my prophecy is correct, as I wrote "The Vulcan Story" years ago, and it's still recognised as the best (and certainly biggest) book on the subject, even though it's showing its age now (and the reprinted edition was ghastly!). The new book will be more than twice the size of that book, so I think the odds on anyone else producing anything better, are virtually zero, and this is why I want the new book to be as good as possible.
Okay, some small publishers will undoubtedly turn-out "monographs" or similar books, but large publishing companies just don't touch this kind of subject any more (wish they did!), so I think it's fair to say that the new book will be as good as it gets.

As for that Vulcan photo, it's simply been rotated slightly to make the climb look steeper than it actually is. I think if you ask a former Vulcan driver, you'd find that the maximum climb angle was never more than 45 degrees, even for an initial "leap" off the runway, lightly loaded. That photo looks more like 60-70 degrees or so!

[hobie]

sorry guys .... the two photo links had to be deleted due to bandwidth problems at the host site .... :(

that's the pressure/pleasure of PPRuNe ..... too many people use it !!!! ;)

For the record I'm assured the 2nd photo (steep climb) was genuine, by the web master of the site in question ..... :ok:

Anyone interested in XH558 photo's could do a Google search using .....

Vulcan XH558 photos

.....and you will find a mountain of them! ..... there are some very special photos available ....

[Pontius Navigator]

Tim, I cannot comment on the accuracy of the 45 deg claim simply because the pitch bar did not go that high. What I can attest to is that I could see the runway of the departure airfield about 20000 feet below through the upper periscope.

Do the geometry.

[Tim McLelland]

Ahh, such technology!
I've only seen a few direct side-on views of 558 taking-off on display, and it looks to be somewhere around 40-45 degrees at initial rotation, which is pretty impressive by any standards.

Of course, steep departures are fairly recent when it comes to Vulcan routines, as back in the good old days, the standard air show departure was a (very) sharp right turn (at least when Joe L'Estrange was driving!), although I seem to recall that the OCU display also started with a fairly sprightly leap into a climb.

As for that photo, it wasn't "manipulated" as such, but it had been rotated and cropped slightly (possibly by the original photographer) to give the impression that the angle was greater than it actually was, that's all.:)

[HTB]

I've just been in the loft at great personal risk to retrieve an old suitcase with some (possibly) intersting photos - please enlighten this dinosaur as to how I can post them.:confused:

[FJJP]

In the late 70's I was co-plt to TVR - he was a top rate display pilot. He developed a steep, slow-speed tight spiral climb inside the airfield boundary as the end of display departure. It was well received and spectacular - v. noisy, lots of bank, high rate of climb. It made a change from the wings level high speed steep climb-out.

[Primetime_Joanna]

Although the flying will be gentle, due to airframe stresses etc., I hope that she will still do some fairly exciting lurches in to the air! The airframe will be quite considerably lighter than her previous day. A lot of deleted systems are being removed at present so I look forward to seeing those 40-45 degree (or whatever they prove to be) launches once more!!

Whatever happens, it will be an AWESOME sight, and long overdue!

Joanna.

[maccer82]

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/aviation_videos.htm#MILITARY

At the bottom of the Military section there is a short video clip of a B1 in anti-flash white flying past... only 18 seconds worth unfortunatly, and no sound... but its a start!

http://www.nodarkroom.co.uk/videos.htm

And theres two clips of your own Vulcan...

Don't know of anymore sorry...

[The Real Slim Shady]

Who is going to fly it?

As it will be on the civil register I would guess that a PPL would be sufficient, but surely the insurers would want someone with an ATPL and in current flying practice on a largish civil jet, and who has flown the beast in a previous life.

None of us are getting any younger; probably looking at a minimum age of 50 for the youngest former Vulcan driver.

[HTB]

MJ (and BOAC)

Thanks for the info on posting piccies, I wasn't planning on doing much else today! I'll give it a go.

HTB:ok:

[HTB]

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/HSX/VulcanTW58.jpg

I have a couple more of the same ilk if anyone's interested.

MJ - Thanks for the steer, simple if you follow instructions; I can supply details of time, place and airframe for the seriously...interested (crew too, but not in public)

[Man-on-the-fence]

sorry guys .... the two photo links had to be deleted due to bandwidth problems at the host site ....

Because you linked to them without asking.

Bad manners old bean.

[Tim McLelland]

David Thomas is supposedly going to be the designated pilot, and although he's obviously no longer qualified, I understand that the CAA and BAe are going to fly with him and re-qualify him in due course. I'm not quite sure what happens if David happens to be ill at some stage, but then the Vulcan people at Bruntingthorpe are a very strange and very unco-operative bunch of people. I suspect that they might have to dig themselves out of their clique-ish attitude however, now that the Vulcan theoretically belongs to "the country" rather than themselves, thanks to the Lottery input.

I heard some tale that they might manage to repaint XH558 too, and I believe overall white was being rumoured. I guess this would be an improvement to the bizarre and unique paint scheme currently applied to 558, but I just hope that they don't spoil the effect by leaving the RWR box on top of the fin, or use these new and rather horrible transfers for the tail serial that are the wrong font (like so many other warbirds have)! I don't know if they're planning to re-attach the ECM intake on the tail (I hope they will) and whether the roundels will be full colour or faded pink/lilac; both types would be applicable to XH558, as she did originally have full colour insignia on an overall white paint scheme. Personally, I'd camouflage her with white undersides and the distinctive black radome, circa 1970, but that's just my own whim!


PS - if you guys are digging-out photographs, please let me know. Would be nice to scan them for eventual use in my book...:)

[hobie]

I have a couple more of the same ilk if anyone's interested.


Well done HTB ..... please do post more ..... :ok:

and don't worry about 'Band Width' problems as mentioned above ..... Photobucket can handle it ! .... ;)

[HTB]

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/HSX/VulcanTW58-2.jpg

Oh well, if you insist, here's another from the same sequence.

27 Sqn, XH 534, PR shoot over Transworld 58 on 8 June 1976 (as was the previous shot on a small diversion for a BTR Attack Support sortie - 4.30 sortie length). I think the photo aircaraft was a Coastguard/Fisheries Protection Islander.

The piccie appeared in the Sunday Times on June 13 1976 with the caption:

"Oil Patrol: this Vulcan from RAF Scampton, Lincoln, fitted with a variety of sensors (!?), is on a security sweep to deter anyone with designs on Britain's North Sea oil empire".

[ZH875]

One for the Guys who flew backwards

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/RearCockpit.jpg

[HTB]

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/HSX/VulcanSingapore1.jpg

ZH 875

I came over all queasy looking at that photo, brought back long-forgotten aromas and other sensations.

I'll leave the location of this one undisclosed for a while - older heads may be able to identify it quite easily. And I can explain the alpha (although that is not a term that was used in V circles to the best of my knowledge).

[pr00ne]

HTB,

I think I recognise that skyline, or as it was in about 1972?

Hong Kong?

[BEagle]

Yup - remember that piccie from Air Clues!

Gone now - there's some turgid purple helicopter comic instead:{

[Tim McLelland]

Although I guess it does look like Hong Kong, I think you'll find that photo is Singapore - it's an RAF shot (last published about twenty years ago as far as I can remember!) as is the earlier 27 Squadron picture.

HTB, is the original photo sharp, or did you have a slight slip with the scan? I'd love a copy for my book if you could manage it:)

[flipflopman RB199]

Tim McLelland,

Although strictly speaking this is a rumour forum, and you obviously have some credibility as an aviation author, please don't try to pass your opinions off as facts

I don't know where you heard the rumour that 558 will be repainted in an anti flash white scheme, let alone speculate whether it will be in pastels or full colour markings?

Perhaps you could contact the VOC directly and ask them exactly what the plans are?

There is an enormous amount of work to be done on the aircraft without re installing redundant ECM scoops, and painting the jet in your favourite colour scheme.

As an engineer who is currently doing his best to return an aircraft he loves into the air, I would love to hear, and perhaps correct your arguments.

[The Rocket]

Actually Tim, they're quite a decent lot.

I've been twice now on seperate "Blue Card" occasions, and I've been shown nothing but the utmost respect.

I'm very much looking forward to the roll out, and possibly even a spot of"affil":ok: when the time comes.

That's if Dave's up to it of course :E :ok: :ok: :ok:

[BEagle]

I still have 3 unused blue cards - when is the next blue card day?

[HTB]

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/HSX/VulcanSingapore2.jpg

Pr00ne - Warm, but not quite right.

TM - Right location; the original is as you see the copy, not very sharp, this one's a bit clearer.

Sortie flown from Tengah 13 December 1974 on the return leg from Ex Sunflower, 101 Sqn. Hi-lo, Songsong range for 6x28lb (3 radar, 3 vis), sortie duration 3.55; very bumpy, bl00dy difficult jungle targets, 1 broken cold thermos flask, 1 Nav Radar honking during the photo shoot (high alpha as we were trying to make it easy for the helicopter taking the piccies). We didn't make it easy as the best backdrop took us through the approach for Payar Lebar Airport.

[Primetime_Joanna]

I too have found everyone at VOC thoroughly delightful. A really great bunch of people working their hardest to do something a lot of us thought would never happen, and that so many people will enjoy.

Thank you for the pictures HTB. The oil patrol images are amazing. Will PM you directly!

And thanks for the other info everyone. I hope you enjoy the first film when it's ready - hopefully on sale on the VTST website in May. Please support it if you can as all cash received gratefully at this vital stage of vulcan's development!

Very best wishes,

Joanna White.

[Tim McLelland]

Flipflop, my opinions are mine of course, but if you're suggesting that the Vulcan team have not fixed any paint scheme plans, there's no need to suggest that I was merely speculating - the white colour scheme idea was reported in the aviation press many months ago. If that story was wrong then fine; I can only suggest that you re-trace the originator and blame him, not me, thank you very much! As for the other markings, the ECM scoop, etc., I did merely add those comments as my own (as you will see if you actually read what I said). Sorry if I committed a crime by expressing a view!

As for my comments about the team, well I did say that I wasn't suggesting that the whole team were difficult to deal with. I'm sure that most of the people who are actually doing the work are a bunch of very dedicated individuals. I'm simply basing my comments on my experience. When my publisher decided to re-print my last Vulcan book, I thought it would be a great opportunity to give the 558 people lots of good publicity (and a big help towards their fund-raising attempts), and I planned a complete section on the aircraft's restoration. I contacted the (then) owner David Walton (who I'd spoken to before, and he seemed like a very nice chap). No reply was forthcoming, and eventually I received a very (and I do mean very)snotty reply from a Dr Pleming, saying that the Vulcan team would be unwilling to support my venture in any way, as I was using them for profit, and that they proposed to keep all their information (whatever mysterious information this might have been) to themselves, in case it could be used to publish something to generate profit for 558 in the future!

Needless to say, after we'd all marvelled at their bizarre attitude, I pointed-out that I actually wasn't making any profit at all, and that I was trying to publicise their money-raising efforts by significantly revising (at a fairly hefty cost to the publisher) the Vulcan book, but Pleming hadn't even got the common decency to bother replying. Of course, they never did anything with their "information", and his attitude simply threw-away his best opportunity to get the team's efforts into print for free. The Vulcan book was re-printed cheaply without any revision or section on 558, and to date the team's published coverage has been confined to magazine features and short mentions in other books. I think anyone would agree that turning-down such an opportunity for widespread publicity was both pointless and vaguely offensive, considering that we were proposing to spend quite a lot of cash on helping them, not vice-versa.

As if that wasn't enough, David Thomas (the Vulcan's captain) had previously waded through my slide collection, had a load of shots printed-up as posters which he sold at air shows, and never even offered me a free poster, let alone a penny for the use of my pictures. I didn't complain about that, but when I raised Pleming's rather unfriendly reply with him, he also chose not to even reply to my letters. Not very nice, don't you think?

So, as you can see, I'm not basing my comments on speculation, I'm simply judging by the very shabby way in which they dealt with me. Bearing in mind that my motive was only to help them, frankly I thought (and still do think) that their attitude stinks. Consequently Flipflop, I have absolutely no intention of asking the VOC anything, after having come-up against such a bad attitude the last time I approached them. I tried to help and got my fingers burned, and although it is a great shame that an even bigger and better Vulcan book is going to appear without giving the team the credit that they deserve, you can see why, based on this kind of history.

Despite this, I still wish you and the rest of the restoration team the best of luck with their efforts - they obviously shouldn't have to bear any responsibility for the nasty attitude of any other people and I'm sure they do indeed treat visitors warmly and courteously. Sorry if my comments about the Vulcan's colour scheme and markings upset you. Some days you just can't say anything without people snapping at you... *sob sniff*

[pr00ne]

Tim McLelland,

You are a very modest little chap, aren't you?

[Tim McLelland]

Not even sure what that's supposed to mean?

Rather like I've just explained in the previous posting, you just can't please some people, try as you might...

[HTB]

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/HSX/VulcanKiev.jpg

Found this one at the bottom of the suitcase; colour was a bit washed out so I've changed it to B&W. I think the photo aircraft was a P3 being snapped by a Nimrod (might have been the other way round though, as it was some time ago my memory fails). Flight details from logbook not to hand until the weekend.

[mcs7]

As a liney on 27 in the mid 70's we had that one blown up about 8 foot x 4 foot (or maybe more) and pasted onto the wall behind line control. Was that not the Kiev?

Happy days:ok:

[HTB]

mcs7

Kiev it is. Mid-70s, you probably know me, then. I was sqn sports officer about that time, cajoling groundcrew into participating as most of the aircrew were, to put it delicately, at an age where watching sport was preferable to taking part.:p

[mcs7]

mcs7
Kiev it is. Mid-70s, you probably know me, then. I was sqn sports officer about that time, cajoling groundcrew into participating as most of the aircrew were, to put it delicately, at an age where watching sport was preferable to taking part.:p
HTB

I was a gobby Jnr Tech NBS fitter in those days and from what I remember the most sport we got in those days was chasing Gooney Birds off certain taxiways and the odd round of golf.

Nice to see you're still around
Rgds
Mick

[HTB]

Tim McLelland

You are quite welcome to have copies of any of the photos I have posted; none of them are marked with a security classification, nor do any have the "Crown Copyright" stamp.

I can provide flight details and crew composition (in private of course), but not until I'm reunited with my home PC at the weekend.

mcs7

You must have been hiding at Scampton to avoid the delights of all those sports that went to make up "Pedro's Pot" (before it was renamed "Station Commander's Cup", or something equally banal). As for gooney birds and golf, where were you when I organised the sailing, softball, fishing trips, etc? All in a days work!

[mcs7]

mcs7
You must have been hiding at Scampton to avoid the delights of all those sports that went to make up "Pedro's Pot" (before it was renamed "Station Commander's Cup", or something equally banal). As for gooney birds and golf, where were you when I organised the sailing, softball, fishing trips, etc? All in a days work!


Pedros Pot also takes me back - and I must admit I did spend quite a bit of time fishing in the Boston Whalers around the BOAC Reef Hotel as well as much snorkelling. We rescued a crew one day who managed to run aground on quite a large peice of coral. Well you had to keep busy while you were waiting for the Mighty V to comeback - seem to remember that was 76/77 time. Certainly the softball training came in handy on later tours at the Goose, as did the golfing, fishing and boating.:cool:

[hobie]

Found this one at the bottom of the suitcase; colour was a bit washed out so I've changed it to B&W

You keep finding them HTB and we will continue enjoying them ! .... :ok:

[Tim McLelland]

Thanx HTB - I should be able to use the Singapore and 27 Sqn shots if I tart them up a bit with Photoshop. Crown copyright stuff is okay - quite a few of the shots I'll be using will be similarly credited.

[hobie]

HTB .... I've taken the liberty of getting rid of the slight damage on your last photo (a cloning brush works wonders) for demonstration purposes only ..... I used Paint Shop Pro 7 but there are many progs available that would do the same .....

I post this info just in case you might have more special photos that you might consider not worth posting because of damage from wear and tear and age of course .... :ok:

http://i1.tinypic.com/sdof9g.jpg

[Gainesy]

Erm, wasn't that smoke trails from the Very Lights the Sovs were pooping off?:)

[HTB]

Thanks Hobie, I 'm always ready to learn something new. However, as Gainesy observed, the bits that youve cleaned up were the residual smoke trails from a couple of foxtrot oscar red flares. Presumably they were getting fed up with the procession of large aeroplanes taking turns at being the centre of attraction!:D

[hobie]

Erm, wasn't that smoke trails from the Very Lights the Sovs were pooping off?:)


Oh bugger .... :{

I thought it was water damage to the photo!!!! :sad:

HTB .... I'm really sorry ..... :ugh:

I could delete the post or better still just leave it to remind me of my shame :\

I'll get me coat! ....

[Busta]

I remember the day well, 20 Dec 1978. We were three; nimrod, P3 and triangle taking it in turns until eventually comrade kiev got fed up and started pooping off big red flares ( how 80's is that?). Ho hum.

nothing matters very much, most things don't matter at all.

[Pontius Navigator]

Funny how they got missed off isn't it? We did it too not long after the Minsk went chasing Tomcats. They got the 'longest' Forger flight from a carrier before chicken, 112 miles as I recall.

We sat 120 south while a P3 sat on top. Everytime they started engines the P3 told us and we told Buchan. Eventually they sent a Forger towards us. We retrograded at all of 150 kts and Buchan, big hearts, scrambled an F4 550 miles away 'for your protection'. Thanks guys.

[Busta]

It's the thought that counts!
Forger not much cop.

Nothing matters very much, most things don't matter at all.

[HTB]

To return to Joanna's original request, I don't recall widespread ownership or use of cine cameras, and certainly no video, so it is unlikely that there will be much "private" footage of V flying ops.

However, a vague and distant memory of a video in Betamax format is struggling to emerge; it is from a AAA site on a Red Flag exercise and although it concentrates primarily on ultra low flying Buccs (with some drop-jawed commentary from the US AAA operators), there is some brief but spectacular tracking footage of a low-level Vulcan. (and a B-52) Time frame -about 1978-80. Does this ring any bells with other pruners? Also begs the question - does it still exist and can it be made available?

Hobie; don't take on so, it could happen to anyone. And the deeper I delve into the suitcase, the poorer the condition of of the piccies, so you may be able to use your skills when I get round to posting them.;)

[hobie]

Hobie; don't take on so, it could happen to anyone. And the deeper I delve into the suitcase, the poorer the condition of of the piccies, so you may be able to use your skills when I get round to posting them

Thanks for that HTB ..... it does strike me that your last Photo is something rather 'extra special' with the Flares being fired from the Russian vessel ....

Had a quick check on my reading Glasses - eye test.... :rolleyes: .... do you know I'm a month overdue on my bi-annual check !!!! ..... I shall being heading into town shortly .... :cool:

Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it ....:)

do keep posting the photos .... :ok:

[Primetime_Joanna]

To return to Joanna's original request, I don't recall widespread ownership or use of cine cameras, and certainly no video, so it is unlikely that there will be much "private" footage of V flying ops

Thanks HTB. Any suggestions are useful! Some stuff is emerging, but as you say not a huge amount. But photographs can be just as valuable to tell a story! so keep on digging, and if any have XH558 on them :eek: give me a call!

All the best,

Joanna White.

[hobie]

Joanna .... have you done a search on Airliners.net ? .... :confused:

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?&regsearch=XH558&nr_of_rows=57&first_this_page=15&page_limit=15&sort_order=photo_id+DESC&nr_pages=4

There are 57 top quality photo's of XH558 on file ..... I would stress none as unique as HTB's but still worth looking at .......

A Google on XH558 photos revealed over a thousand references to the aircraft ...... many of which are worth looking through for photo's ....

http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=XH558+photos&spell=1

[Tim McLelland]

I wouldn't get excited however, as the Airliners.net shots all pretty much run-of-the-mill shots of 558 in the over-photographed display scheme which she still wears.

I'd recommend keeping a lookout for other shots though, as they do exist. I've got a black & white shot of 558 seen just after completeion, when she was all-white with full colour serials and roundels. At the other end of the scale, I've a few slides of her at Waddington as a tanker with 50 Squadron, carrying sniffer pods. There also seem to be a few pictures floating around which show 558 circa 1975 with camouflage, white undersides (no black radome) and full colour markings. I think the most rare shots are the 1966 era, particularly when she was at Finningley with pastel markings, and I haven't seen any such shots of her in that guise for a very long time.

Always worth keeping a lookout though as somebody inevitably has the odd shot lurking in their attic! But I think you're wanting movies though, not stills?

[forget]

In my opinion there's only one choice of colour scheme for Vulcans, below. XM610 taken by me at RAAF Darwin 1969, framed by the prop-tips of a C-130.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/XM-610.jpg

[Tim McLelland]

I quite agree. Although I'll probably get slagged-off for even mentioning the subject, this style of marking and camouflage is often regarded as being the "generic" scheme that most people associate with the Vulcan, and I hope that XH558 is repainted in this style, sooner or later.

I think it would also be the most appropriate choice as it covers the combined-wing era when all the Vulcans looked virtually identical, so nobody could be accused of any unit favouritism! Besides, a Vulcan doesn't really look like a Vulcan without that big black radome, now does it?!

[hobie]

I wouldn't get excited

Now would I ever try and get Joanna 'Excited' .... :sad:

My word! .... where will it all end .... :p

[Blacksheep]

That's the way I always remember them. Though from my point of view I liked them best with the yellow "Aircraft Armed" placard hanging from the nosewheel steering actuator. Four dailies in the morning, the occasional 'Combat' check and the rest of the day playing snooker or watching TV.
QRA was the only time we ever got to put our feet up in Bomber Command... :{

Excercise Edom! Exercise Edom! Alert crews to readiness zero-two!"

[Primetime_Joanna]

Nothing wrong with a bit of excitement on a Thursday morning to cheer one up! :D

And thanks for that Airliners.net link. Yes, predominantly we are after video footage but stills photographs, as I mentioned earlier, are equally usable on video. So I am more than happy to hear about both!

Thanks for all links - off to surf for some more now. :ok:

All the very best,

Joanna White.

[buoy15]

Hi Joanna
I may have met you on the airshow circuit over the last 10 years visiting your stand
Will the CAA let 588 fly?
By the way, how old are you? Were you the stunner selling T-Shirts?

[Primetime_Joanna]

Hi there Buoy,

Alas, no I don't sell t-shirts! I make DVDs. But I will pass on the compliment to the sales staff when I see them next ;)

And yes, subject to various engineering criteria, 558 will fly! So keep an eye on their website for more info.

www.vulcantothesky.com.

Very best wishes,

Joanna White.

[Gainesy]

Joanna,
have you tried the Pathe News Archives? Quite a lot of V stuff.
http://www.britishpathe.com/index.html

[ZH875]

Having found a box of Photographs, here are a few reminders of the good and not so good:

XX558 with the Air Sampling Pods - These are made from Hunter Underwing Fuel Tanks.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/ASIXH558_PodsX.jpg

XM572 in its K2 fit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/ASIXM571_SkipX.jpg

XM598 with Buccaneer/Jaguar -10 Pod
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/ASIVulcan_101v-10X.jpg

The Last 4 Ship Scramble - 50Sqn Waddington.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/ASILast_ORP_ScrambleX.jpg

From the Development Program -Avro 707C
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/ASIAvro707CX.jpg

From the Development Program -Avro 707A
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/ASIAvro707AX.jpg

And Finally, two distressing images of XL444

So this is the size of the Vulcan Bomb Bay..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/ASIXL444_Scrap1X.jpg

Two 'Proud' men....:mad:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ZH875/ASIXL444_ScrapX.jpg

[FJJP]

Joanna, you probably know the Pathe site [suggested by gainsey]. I used the search facility with 'Vulcan' and there appears to be a lot of interesting stuff there:

http://www.britishpathe.com/product_display.php?searchword=vulcan&Search_x=34&Search_y=22&rpp=20&PHPSESSID=8a4b4ad78b30059a1a8130be4ba94f78&start=1&rpp=20

[Primetime_Joanna]

Joanna, you probably know the Pathe site [suggested by gainsey]. I used the search facility with 'Vulcan' and there appears to be a lot of interesting stuff there:
http://www.britishpathe.com/product_display.php?searchword=vulcan&Search_x=34&Search_y=22&rpp=20&PHPSESSID=8a4b4ad78b30059a1a8130be4ba94f78&start=1&rpp=20

Thank FJJP. I did follow that link and it had some very good stuff. Also have spoken with some other similar outfits and material is appearing :) so thanks one and all! And hope to see you all around the airshow circuit next year. I'll be the girly with the camera :ok:

Very best wishes, Joanna.