Vulcan XM607 at Waddington

[Blue Stuff]

Greetings chaps.

Driving around the rear of Waddo this week, I was curious to see the Vulcan gate guard, XM607, parked up in one of the old dispersals at the periphery of the airfield.

Now, call me a pessimist, but there has been some talk on these pages relating to a change of policy on gate guards, the general gist being that money is not to be made available for the maintenance of said airframes in future. I am therefore mildly concerned that XM607 may have been parked in the dispersal so that somebody can (a) set fire to it or (b) attack it with a JCB. :(

I could be getting all worked up over nothing here - the aircraft may be perfectly safe, BUT it would be a crying shame if anything was to happen to it. XM607 has an illustrious history (3 Black Buck missions) documented on Waddington's own website: www.raf-waddington.com/museum/vulcan/xm607.htm (http://www.raf-waddington.com/museum/vulcan/xm607.htm)

Anybody know anything?

Blue.

[Edited to make the link work properly :rolleyes: ]

[ 15 September 2001: Message edited by: Blue Stuff ]

[FJJP]

I asked the CRO at Waddington through the website:

'It is going to have to move from it's present site to make way for some new building, so the intention is to put it on the A15 side of the airfield where more people will be able to see it. Also over there with it, probably the 44 & 467/463 Sqn Memorials and a Memorial Garden for 'Ashes', so long term it will be better, short term it's waiting for the funding'.

Jacqui Wheeler CRO

Waddington is spotter friendly (no, I don't have an anorak, I used to work there!). They have built a spotters' car park, and I suspect that the Vulcan and memorials will be readily accessable to members of the public.

:D :D

[Olly O'Leg]

Sounds good FJJP. So long as it doesn't go the way of the Phantom from the Woodvale gate or that Lightning residing in a scrapyard near Retford (I think). Seems to have been used by kids as Air Rifle target practice......

[Flatus Veteranus]

Please prod my senile memory. Is the "A15 side of the airfield" the old A Dispersal, where stood the QRA Vulcans for many years? If so, how fitting!

Senior captain on QRA once, and new to the V-Force, I got the word from Strike that a party including the Sov Air Attaché were expected to drive down the road next to A Dispersal during the morning. I searched the SOPs for appropriate action and could find nothing, so to cover my six, I phoned the stationmaster and asked him what was to be done.

"Gggget those lazy fffff**cking cccrews out of their fff**king pits and tell them to ccclean their fff**cking aircraft!"

Good old Waddo culture! :D

[Blue Stuff]

FJJP,

Many thanks for that; good news indeed. Hopefully there will be many more years in the old bird yet. Prematurely-illuminated indignation caption duly reset! :)

Regards,

Blue.