Did You Fly The Vulcan?? (Merged)
V-Force reunion April 24th-25th 2010
Latest info about the reunion has just gone on the website V-Force Reunion . Most importantly the reception is selling out fast, so act quickly if you want to come to that. Also I have just heard from NAM that they are offering a discount on the admission charge to those attending the reunion (print off the homepage of our website and produce it to get your discount). Rates will be shown on the next update. Bookings for the reunion itself are coming in steadily, so it looks like it should be a good weekend
Latest info about the reunion has just gone on the website V-Force Reunion . Most importantly the reception is selling out fast, so act quickly if you want to come to that. Also I have just heard from NAM that they are offering a discount on the admission charge to those attending the reunion (print off the homepage of our website and produce it to get your discount). Rates will be shown on the next update. Bookings for the reunion itself are coming in steadily, so it looks like it should be a good weekend
V Force reunion
Just a final call that the last V-Force Reunion website update has just been done, with a final reminder for buffet bookings (over 80% sold now). The reunion itself at NAM has had lots of interest, so should be very well attended. There is no limit on numbers for those who want to just come along in the daytime on either day (or both), so even if it's a last minute decision you will be very welcome. Looking forward to putting faces to a lot of PPruners at the reunion - see you there!
Just a final call that the last V-Force Reunion website update has just been done, with a final reminder for buffet bookings (over 80% sold now). The reunion itself at NAM has had lots of interest, so should be very well attended. There is no limit on numbers for those who want to just come along in the daytime on either day (or both), so even if it's a last minute decision you will be very welcome. Looking forward to putting faces to a lot of PPruners at the reunion - see you there!
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Avionics continued
Think you missed:- Radio Compass, IFF, Intercom, Blue Saga (passive ECM) Rad Alts were Radar Altimeter 6 and Radio Altimeter 7. There was probably more but I only did one year 1973/74 a long time ago and host of different aircraft worked on since.
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Jamming
In 1973 I was tasked with what they called a "Radio Check" at RAF Luqa. This was a test of a certain piece of ECM. Upon calling up Luqa Tower I was told "Wait one" - and heard a Trident on finals. When the said Trident was within sight of touchdown I was given permission to transmit - from the Trident I heard a plaintive call "Malta - we've lost you!" - the most effective ECM check I ever did - I had blotted out the Trident's radar!
>the three pronged tools for fitting the aforsed pink sleeves over the cables & pins were called virgin splitters - probably too much detail<
Universally referred to in BBC engineering circles as 'virgin urgers', I regret to say.
Universally referred to in BBC engineering circles as 'virgin urgers', I regret to say.
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Universally referred to in BBC engineering circles as 'virgin urgers', I regret to say.
Joe
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This thread has gone seriously downhill. Running ECM as a 'radio check', Tridents that needed 'radar' to land - three posts with pre-historic 'jokes' on Hellerman pliers. Maybe it should be locked.
V Force reunion
My final post on this subject. The website V-Force Reunion has just been updated for the last time. This final update gives details of the reception and signing in arrangements when you arrive at the site. At the risk of boring everyone to death, dont forget to bring a £1 coin with you for your badge - asking for change of a £20 note will not endear you to the guys on the tables! Looks like there will be a good turnout, so see you all there
My final post on this subject. The website V-Force Reunion has just been updated for the last time. This final update gives details of the reception and signing in arrangements when you arrive at the site. At the risk of boring everyone to death, dont forget to bring a £1 coin with you for your badge - asking for change of a £20 note will not endear you to the guys on the tables! Looks like there will be a good turnout, so see you all there
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exem657
Just caught up with this thread....Flew into GB many times as a CC ending up doing the 12 month punishment tour also.
On my first trip, flying with a captain who was so unpopular that no other CC would fly with him-(something about charging a CC over mislaid seat pins or something) ,but I didn't know that then.
I remember bringing over barrels of Watneys provided gratis by the brewery which nobody liked in the Sgts mess -couldn' even give it away to the locals. To generate some interest the committee decided to hold a games night which involved drinking large ammounts of Red Barrel (cunning plan), but unfortunately they'd run out of gas. Some bright spark decided that an inert substitute such as nitrogen would do the trick. Just as a precaution a doctor from the US base was asked for advice,who said he'd think about it
The games went ahead anyway and the Red Barrel flowed like wine.Some time later the doc phoned back to say-" the use of nitrogen was inadvisable as it could cause the Bends".
All survived nd the hangover was put down to nitrogen.
On my first return trip as a novice CC return trip we did an impressive flyby and pull up- I was standing on the ladder casually scanning the engine instruments as one does, when I noticed low oil pressure on No.3 engine. Being a new boy, I assumed this must be some sort of excercise or something . When nothing was said and the OP continued to fall, I mentioned that the oil pressure was low on No. 3.
All Hell broke loose as the engine was chopped and the AEO mentioned that the shaft bearing temp monitor was "Off the clock" .
We did one quick circuit and one very overweight landing carried out.
All this went over my head as I considered these superior beings knew exactly what was going on!
After the engine change and return to Waddo nothing was ever said to me -but I guess that was par for this crew.
Most of the crews I flew with were "diamond geezers" who appreciated the "stokers".
-seeing the names again brings back many happy memories -Harvey Moore and Frank Bonfield ,Gus Gillies et al..
On my first trip, flying with a captain who was so unpopular that no other CC would fly with him-(something about charging a CC over mislaid seat pins or something) ,but I didn't know that then.
I remember bringing over barrels of Watneys provided gratis by the brewery which nobody liked in the Sgts mess -couldn' even give it away to the locals. To generate some interest the committee decided to hold a games night which involved drinking large ammounts of Red Barrel (cunning plan), but unfortunately they'd run out of gas. Some bright spark decided that an inert substitute such as nitrogen would do the trick. Just as a precaution a doctor from the US base was asked for advice,who said he'd think about it
The games went ahead anyway and the Red Barrel flowed like wine.Some time later the doc phoned back to say-" the use of nitrogen was inadvisable as it could cause the Bends".
All survived nd the hangover was put down to nitrogen.
On my first return trip as a novice CC return trip we did an impressive flyby and pull up- I was standing on the ladder casually scanning the engine instruments as one does, when I noticed low oil pressure on No.3 engine. Being a new boy, I assumed this must be some sort of excercise or something . When nothing was said and the OP continued to fall, I mentioned that the oil pressure was low on No. 3.
All Hell broke loose as the engine was chopped and the AEO mentioned that the shaft bearing temp monitor was "Off the clock" .
We did one quick circuit and one very overweight landing carried out.
All this went over my head as I considered these superior beings knew exactly what was going on!
After the engine change and return to Waddo nothing was ever said to me -but I guess that was par for this crew.
Most of the crews I flew with were "diamond geezers" who appreciated the "stokers".
-seeing the names again brings back many happy memories -Harvey Moore and Frank Bonfield ,Gus Gillies et al..
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I guested with Harvey and Gus (RIP) when their nav rad, Mick Holder had to drop out. I was offered the Western Ranger on the Friday and took but a moment to say YES. Now this was March 1968 and if you were the CC I must apologise and say I have little recollection of the trip - which is hardly surprising and of course subject to the Unofficial Secrets Act.
Frank Bonfield, OTOH, and crew always turned up on Mickey Finn's complete with DJs. We had a deal and he knew I would allocate him to the Manston dispersal. They used to go to the Country Club each night. Frank's nav rad, Al Laidler was at Strike as recently as 8 years ago.
As you say, there were some cracking crews there and some startling ones too
Names in PM?
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Vulcan crews
Wish I'd kept a log book/diary -I remember Al Laidler (a good geordie lad)-turned out he played rugby with my cousin up north, who I hadn't seen since I was apprehended trying to steal a cannon from HMS Daedalus 10 years before (small world), and I remember going on the survival trek? at Goose where the object(as far as I could see) was to follow a trail of beer cans to an unknown objective and return a different way.
Remember being impressed by Mick Holder's throwing arm ,who very nearly downed a crow from 50 yards when he let on he had a trial for Surrey cricket team..
I was CC from '65 to '70 and XM 657 was my bird-at least I was the inventory holder . When I signed off I was asked to explain why I had 5 engines instead of the usual 4...I didn't know as I rarely ,if ever flew with her , so I just feigned confusion (CC's first line of defence)and shipped out to Goose as C team leader.
I did a round the world jolly with Frank Bonfield and I remember flying in to Hawaii at altitude to avoid surrounding cu- nimbs and then doing a max rate descent over the island. I remember seeing the island in profile straight ahead - thought this must be a standard procedure until I read Tony Blackman's "Vulcan test pilot."
Happy days!
Remember being impressed by Mick Holder's throwing arm ,who very nearly downed a crow from 50 yards when he let on he had a trial for Surrey cricket team..
I was CC from '65 to '70 and XM 657 was my bird-at least I was the inventory holder . When I signed off I was asked to explain why I had 5 engines instead of the usual 4...I didn't know as I rarely ,if ever flew with her , so I just feigned confusion (CC's first line of defence)and shipped out to Goose as C team leader.
I did a round the world jolly with Frank Bonfield and I remember flying in to Hawaii at altitude to avoid surrounding cu- nimbs and then doing a max rate descent over the island. I remember seeing the island in profile straight ahead - thought this must be a standard procedure until I read Tony Blackman's "Vulcan test pilot."
Happy days!
Did you take any good photos at the V-Force reunion?
If you have any good photos which you took at the reunion, we would be pleased to post them on the gallery on the website, V-Force Reunion. We'd particularly like named group photos, individual tables etc. We dont really need any of the aircraft exhibits, they're covered on the museum's own website, but other than that please send them to John, the site administrator. His email address is on the website. Thanks.
TTN
If you have any good photos which you took at the reunion, we would be pleased to post them on the gallery on the website, V-Force Reunion. We'd particularly like named group photos, individual tables etc. We dont really need any of the aircraft exhibits, they're covered on the museum's own website, but other than that please send them to John, the site administrator. His email address is on the website. Thanks.
TTN
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Episkopi 72?
I can remember my Dad, Crew Chief Tony Regan, letting us have the day off school to watch Vulcans drop LIVE 1,000 pounders off the beach at Episkopi. I seem to recollect that there was also a good showing of Phantoms & Lightnings, (53 Sqdn?). Great website. I do seem to remember some of the "sorties" told here, being told to me by my Dad. (Especially Goose, Butterworth, Wittering). As soon as we stepped off the Brit, from BN, we went to Buck Taylor's house, before we went to live in Ammonia, Limassol. We then lived on Hawker Drive on the camp. I can remember the visiting "Hereford Hockey Team" making a big impression on my Mum, 
. Oh those halcyon days!! Keep up the good work!! 
. Oh those halcyon days!! Keep up the good work!! I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Akrotiri, you are quite right. Everyone in quarters at Epi was told to open all their windows
The Buccs and Phantoms did their thing dive bombing and straffe all on east to west tracks on to the target. Then Bas Gowling came down the low level route under Paramali West, the Bloodhound SAM site, and at 300 feet dropped a stick of 21 retard 1000lb bombs.
Where the Buccs and Phantoms had slavoed all their bombs from dives, the Vulcan stick was a continuous barrage of noise.
The Buccs and Phantoms did their thing dive bombing and straffe all on east to west tracks on to the target. Then Bas Gowling came down the low level route under Paramali West, the Bloodhound SAM site, and at 300 feet dropped a stick of 21 retard 1000lb bombs.
Where the Buccs and Phantoms had slavoed all their bombs from dives, the Vulcan stick was a continuous barrage of noise.
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Episkopi 72?
Yes!!, it was Buccs, (not Lights), & Phants coming in behind our heads over the cliffs and strafing the rafts out to sea. Very spectacular for an 11 yr old!!, & having a bloody big grin on my face. Much to the amusement of my Dad. Would I be correct in saying that you had to go through a tunnel to get to the beach at Happy Valley?
ps My Dad also told me a story of a Lightning letting off a full magazine, unintentionally, across Ladies Mile or close to whilst on the pan. Or was it a Canberra? ('71 or '72)
Would I be correct in saying that you had to go through a tunnel to get to the beach at Happy Valley?ps My Dad also told me a story of a Lightning letting off a full magazine, unintentionally, across Ladies Mile or close to whilst on the pan. Or was it a Canberra? ('71 or '72)
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Certainly not a Canberra as the Canberras on 56 were purely there as targets. I don't recall the guns incident.
Back on the airpower demo, during the practice before hand the Buccs and Phantoms were supposed to use inert heads on the target. The F4s flew as a 3-ship in formation and used HE SNEB and blew the target - up and out of the water were wrong - which promptly sank.
A new target had to be readied in short order. On the great day one F4 failed to release its bombs. Now there was an obvious reason however the crew repaired to the jettison area 30 miles south of Akrotiri and press the jettison button. Having dropped 3 MACE each with 3x1000lb HE, 3 dummy Sparrow, and a strike camera, they returned to Akrotiri with their story intact and the evidence in 8000 feet of water
Back on the airpower demo, during the practice before hand the Buccs and Phantoms were supposed to use inert heads on the target. The F4s flew as a 3-ship in formation and used HE SNEB and blew the target - up and out of the water were wrong - which promptly sank.
A new target had to be readied in short order. On the great day one F4 failed to release its bombs. Now there was an obvious reason however the crew repaired to the jettison area 30 miles south of Akrotiri and press the jettison button. Having dropped 3 MACE each with 3x1000lb HE, 3 dummy Sparrow, and a strike camera, they returned to Akrotiri with their story intact and the evidence in 8000 feet of water
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GPU power cables
Just discovered this great thread in recent weeks and have been compulsively reading through it. 84 pages...phew!!!
Just jumping in to add my 2 cents worth on the angled/not angled ground power cables. I worked on both B1A's at Waddington and B2's at Finningley, (in reverse order, if you please). If memory serves me right, the angled connectors were on the B1A's and were for the sim-start cables coming from the massive batteries on the sim-start trolley. Although, in theory, they were supposed to pull out by themselves, we always pulled them out manually. My experience of this was on QRA and on Open Day scrambles. On the B2, of course, there were no sim-start cables. The 28vdc power cable connector was located on the side of the crew cabin, somewhere the vicinity of the pitot head, and required a folding servicing ladder to access it for connection and disconnection. It was definitely straight in, at right angles to the a/c centre line, and not angled. Likewise, the 200 vac cable was at the rear of the aircraft, in the vicinity of the power compartment. The connector for this cable (to the best of my recollection) was not angled aft either. On start-up, the 28vdc was removed, once the AEO fired up the static converter(s). The 200 vac was the last to be removed, after the engines had started and the alternators synchronized on line. Admittedly, my B2 experience was on normal starter crew, and never had the dubious pleasure of participating in a B2 scramble. Came close to it though...my first experience of an alert was the "real thing". The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred about 7 weeks after I joined 230 OCU at Finningley, and I spent three or four days on the ORP awaiting Armageddon, but totally peed off because it interfered with my weekend adventures in Doncaster.
Just jumping in to add my 2 cents worth on the angled/not angled ground power cables. I worked on both B1A's at Waddington and B2's at Finningley, (in reverse order, if you please). If memory serves me right, the angled connectors were on the B1A's and were for the sim-start cables coming from the massive batteries on the sim-start trolley. Although, in theory, they were supposed to pull out by themselves, we always pulled them out manually. My experience of this was on QRA and on Open Day scrambles. On the B2, of course, there were no sim-start cables. The 28vdc power cable connector was located on the side of the crew cabin, somewhere the vicinity of the pitot head, and required a folding servicing ladder to access it for connection and disconnection. It was definitely straight in, at right angles to the a/c centre line, and not angled. Likewise, the 200 vac cable was at the rear of the aircraft, in the vicinity of the power compartment. The connector for this cable (to the best of my recollection) was not angled aft either. On start-up, the 28vdc was removed, once the AEO fired up the static converter(s). The 200 vac was the last to be removed, after the engines had started and the alternators synchronized on line. Admittedly, my B2 experience was on normal starter crew, and never had the dubious pleasure of participating in a B2 scramble. Came close to it though...my first experience of an alert was the "real thing". The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred about 7 weeks after I joined 230 OCU at Finningley, and I spent three or four days on the ORP awaiting Armageddon, but totally peed off because it interfered with my weekend adventures in Doncaster.
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Waddo Liney, welcome but the California sun has got to you.
http://www.pprune.org/5454535-post1624.html
http://www.pprune.org/5455287-post1626.html
And if there's still any doubt -pictures 15 and 16 here. Note the forward hinged door on 15 - hard to see.
Vulcan XM655 plays host to the flight crew from XH558
On the B2 ... the 28vdc power cable connector was located on the side of the crew cabin.
.. the 200 vac cable was at the rear of the aircraft. The connector for this cable (to the best of my recollection) was not angled aft either.
And if there's still any doubt -pictures 15 and 16 here. Note the forward hinged door on 15 - hard to see.
Vulcan XM655 plays host to the flight crew from XH558
Last edited by forget; 30th May 2010 at 12:09.