Did You Fly The Vulcan?? (Merged)
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Vulcan Aerobatics
Have you read Tony Blackman's book Flight Testing to Win. He talks about aerobatics at Farnborough. Aviation Books and Mystery Novels By Tony Blackman
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Air Commodore Joseph Mathews
My Dad, Air Commodore Joseph Mathews (with one 't') passed away in Salmon Arm, BC, on January 16, 2007. Is this the person you are talking about ?? Some of the locations are similar to his history, but others don't match. I came on this site accidentally, and am curious as to who the 'nephew' is ....
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
tbosher, for various reasons I suspect he was not the same. The one to whom we referred earlier was 'Tiny' Mathews who was about 6ft 4in IIRC. How tall was your Dad?
When did he serve in Cyprus?
When did he serve in Cyprus?
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Thanks for the reply -- Dad was only 5ft.9ins to 5ft. 10ins., so obviously not the same person! He was never stationed in Cyprus, but did a tour in Aden 1963-65. He was also at Biggin Hill and Shape, which are all the same as the other Mathews --- was the other Mathews in Salmon Arm also??
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Ladies and Gentlemen, to those that flew her, my Christmas wishes and Salutations, and a glimps of her now.. I have been home over the festive period and took these images amongst others for you........
She has lost her exhaust shrouds to the ravages of corrosion, but as you see a repaint is in hand and she appears to be in good hands with areas of treatment being continually carried out on her.......
Over to you and apologies if the images are to large........................................
A Merry ( and A Safe) Christmas to one and all, no matter where you are on this season of festivities.
TonyT
She has lost her exhaust shrouds to the ravages of corrosion, but as you see a repaint is in hand and she appears to be in good hands with areas of treatment being continually carried out on her.......
Over to you and apologies if the images are to large........................................
A Merry ( and A Safe) Christmas to one and all, no matter where you are on this season of festivities.
TonyT
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823 Production Schedule
Just looked in my log book. I flew 823 when it was first built.
This aircraft holds the Vulcan Mk2 speed record when it went too fast during an air test in Cyprus. The top skins were badly wrinkled and it was flown back to Bitteswell where it was repaired and I flew it again after the repair. All described in book Vulcan Test Pilot --- excuse the plug! (I think book is out of print but paper back coming out in Spring.)
Production Schedule
1961 March 30 XJ823 1.05
1961 April 10 XJ823 0.50
After mods at Bitteswell-- probably Skybolts ones
1970 August 14 XJ823 1.30
Long may 823 it rest in peace!
This aircraft holds the Vulcan Mk2 speed record when it went too fast during an air test in Cyprus. The top skins were badly wrinkled and it was flown back to Bitteswell where it was repaired and I flew it again after the repair. All described in book Vulcan Test Pilot --- excuse the plug! (I think book is out of print but paper back coming out in Spring.)
Production Schedule
1961 March 30 XJ823 1.05
1961 April 10 XJ823 0.50
After mods at Bitteswell-- probably Skybolts ones
1970 August 14 XJ823 1.30
Long may 823 it rest in peace!
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Sad to see the old girl covered in birdsh1t.
Flew her half a dozen times but don't recall her having a TFR tit: must have been added when the probe went. My logbook records a depressurisation at FL430 on one trip, Jul 9th 1980.
Lost my $12 Casio watch in on Jun 5th when 534 depressurised too: must have been a Jonah!
Flew her half a dozen times but don't recall her having a TFR tit: must have been added when the probe went. My logbook records a depressurisation at FL430 on one trip, Jul 9th 1980.
Lost my $12 Casio watch in on Jun 5th when 534 depressurised too: must have been a Jonah!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
TRSS, no, TFR was fitted fleet-wide from late 60s, probes went much much later.
It could be a real 'pod' but fitted without the mount, so is in the wrong position just held by the front fairing.
I can remember asking the museum curator at Cosford (JF) why '598 did not have a TFR pod fitted. His reply was "Where am I going to get one of those from?".
Needless to say, I had an empty pod case with all required mounting bits in my boot, took all of 10 mins to fit.
I can remember asking the museum curator at Cosford (JF) why '598 did not have a TFR pod fitted. His reply was "Where am I going to get one of those from?".
Needless to say, I had an empty pod case with all required mounting bits in my boot, took all of 10 mins to fit.
Thread Starter
Not a real TFR pod! In any case, XJ823 was an SR2* rather than a B2 and the aged boat-spotters of 27 didn't need TFR for their roles, so it was removed from thier jets.
*Later termed 'B2(MRR)' as they didn't want the 'strategic reconnaissance' capabilities to be too well known........
*Later termed 'B2(MRR)' as they didn't want the 'strategic reconnaissance' capabilities to be too well known........
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Agree the TFR pod is not the proper GD pod but in its early days 823 was indeed a B2 and not MRR.
I firsst flew in 823 on 3 Jun 64 on the OCU and 3 more times that month. The next time I flew in her was 3 Dec 70 when she was in the Akrotiri Bomber Wing. At this point she would have had the TFR/HRS/Green Satin Mk 2. I flew a further 16 sorties including a ranger to Nairobi and last flew in her on 30-31 Jan and 1 Feb 73 when we took part as the attackers on an Italian Air Force Taceval. We came very close to ditching. We were attacking Montichihari from the north east. I remember picking up the target at 20 odd miles then, as we crossed Lake Garda I lost contact on radar. It took me a moment to realise that the only reason I could lose contact was through radar cut-off and descending.
I reckon we were down to about 150 feet over the very smooth lake. One of the features of the TFR was that it would fly up to 100 feet low over highly reflective terrain, ie a smooth lake.
I firsst flew in 823 on 3 Jun 64 on the OCU and 3 more times that month. The next time I flew in her was 3 Dec 70 when she was in the Akrotiri Bomber Wing. At this point she would have had the TFR/HRS/Green Satin Mk 2. I flew a further 16 sorties including a ranger to Nairobi and last flew in her on 30-31 Jan and 1 Feb 73 when we took part as the attackers on an Italian Air Force Taceval. We came very close to ditching. We were attacking Montichihari from the north east. I remember picking up the target at 20 odd miles then, as we crossed Lake Garda I lost contact on radar. It took me a moment to realise that the only reason I could lose contact was through radar cut-off and descending.
I reckon we were down to about 150 feet over the very smooth lake. One of the features of the TFR was that it would fly up to 100 feet low over highly reflective terrain, ie a smooth lake.
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Just checked my log book. Did my first OCU solo as co-pilot with Sqn Ldr Wellicombe (strictly his first solo) on 28 Sep 64. 3h20m. Flamed out No1 and relit - ISTR remember we had to descend considerably to get it relit. Crew was a scratch crew from OCU Instructors as both the captain and I were not crewed together or with anyone else. He was going to 1Gp ex Mk1A's and I was destined for BCDU. Never got there though as I was posted to a crew at Coningsby on IX Sqn who had lost their co-pilot to jaundice.
ACW
ACW
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.. 28 Sep 64 ......... as I was posted to a crew at Coningsby on IX Sqn who had lost their co-pilot to jaundice.
