H.P. Victor bomb lob

[Noah Zark.]

I have just seen a vid clip on UCHOOB of a Victor doing a demonstration bomb throwing maneuver at Farnbarns many years ago, without actually releasing a weapon of any sorts.
The aircraft approached the airfield at high speed, very low, and then fairly sharply pulled up into a half loop with a roll off the top and exited the way it had arrived. Very impressive!
Can anyone please answer the following queries please?
1. What altitude would would have been typical on the approach ?
2. How fast would the aircraft be travelling at the entry into the half loop?
3. What height would the bomb be released?
4. How far from the target would the bomb be released?
5. What height did the bomb reach before it started back down?
6. What height did the aircraft reach as it rolled off the top of the half loop?
All of these questions are on the assumption that some actual tests were carried out somewhere using concrete/dummy bombs.
Thank you.

[Oldlae]

This appears to be similar to the LABS (low Altitude Bombing System) used by B(I)8 Canberras when I was on 14/88 Sqdn at Wildenrath in the early sixties. I'm sure the Aircrew will know better.

[dixi188]

I used to fly with a captain who did this on Victors from Wittering with the Blue Steel.
IIRC he said it was 400 kts at 300 ft. As for the rest, I don't know. He said the speed away from the bomb was as fast as possible, but the chances of survival were 50/50.
There is a U tube clip of him, QRA 1965.

[ORAC]

http://www.loughborough-raes.org.uk/ewExternalFiles/190507%20Blue%20Steel-4.pdf

[Yellow Sun]

Neither the Victor or Vulcan performed a LABS type delivery similar those carried out by the Canberra or B47. There were two delivery profiles that required a steep climb (iirc approx 17 degrees) from low level to the release altitude which again iirc was about 14,000’ above target altitude. These profiles were for the Yellow Sun and the Blue Steel in unpowered (ballistic) mode. Immediately after release you performed a hard turn away from the target, No continuing for a roll off the top or the first half of a horizontal 8, sorry.

The display manoeuvres at Farnborough were flown by company test pilots to demonstrate the airframe capability. No serious attempt was made to develop them nto an operational capability as there was no requirement to do so. WE177 arrived giving the free fall squadrons a lay down capability and Blue Steel; always a minority sport; went into decline. The Victor B2 missile squadrons had been disbanded by 1968 and the Scampton squadrons; 27 and 617; gradually converted to free fall. The OCU trained only free fall crews after moving from Finningley to Scampton in 1969.

YS

[Onceapilot]

Thanks Yellow Sun for some insight! It is interesting to read about some of these weapon deliveries. The Blue Steel ballistic mode sounds like a reversionary mode (missile engine inop?) or, possibly a do-or-die more accurate delivery (VMC or Radar discrete tgt?). Beyond that, I doubt that any of the IMC survivable fixed-wing Strike delivery accuracy was anything to be proud of before Tornado GR. :D

OAP

[Fareastdriver]

IIRC the Vickers Valiant was G restricted by the H2S scanner. Should you pull to the aircraft's limit the scanner would depart through the radome.

[ACW418]

I seem to recall that the Type 2A (2E?) delivery in the Vulcan was a climb to 11,000ft and then a series of hard turns left and right before levelling for 4 seconds to bomb release. After release a very hard turn away and dive to low level.

ACW

[Yellow Sun]

For a summary of attack profiles take a look here at post #344. (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/111797-did-you-fly-vulcan-merged-18.html)

YS

[Onceapilot]

For a summary of attack profiles take a look here at post #344. (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/111797-did-you-fly-vulcan-merged-18.html)

YS

YS, That whole thread is great!

OAP

[Noah Zark.]

Thanks for the replies and info therein. N.Z.