Did You Fly The Vulcan?? (Merged)
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
VB, thank you. Now I should recognised him. Mind you I would have sworn I had flown with him but found I haven't. I see though that Ricky was the captain on one OCU sortie. Equally surprising I thought I had flown with Don Briggs but found I hadn't but that I had flown with Joe L'Estrange when he was posted to 35 - another fact I had forgotten.
On stealling sorties I see I flew with IX to UK and back for some reason when I was on 35.
On stealling sorties I see I flew with IX to UK and back for some reason when I was on 35.
Vulcan bomb bay access
In 1968, while on the UBAS Summer Camp at Lindholme, a group of us went to Finningley to have a look around a Vulcan.
I have a very clear memory of looking down the length of the bomb bay (with the doors closed) but I cannot remember how we got there. Can someone refresh my memory concerning the access to the bomb bay?
I have a very clear memory of looking down the length of the bomb bay (with the doors closed) but I cannot remember how we got there. Can someone refresh my memory concerning the access to the bomb bay?
Can someone refresh my memory concerning the access to the bomb bay?
YS
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Remember the split hatch well. Used to have to climb through it in order to sort out the STR18 aerial coupler at the rear of the bomb bay. Thought it was a neat idea, the notch in the base of the rudder, thus using the whole of the airframe as an antenna. Pity the mechanics of the coupler weren't up to the task, jamming with some regularity.
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A slightly more standard crew!
1 Group Standardisation Unit
L-R - Sqn Ldr Adams (plt) Flt Lt Prescott (nav plot) Sqn Ldr Watkins (AEO) Wg Cdr Smeaton (plt) AVM Steedman (VIP pax) Flt Lt McRae (nav rad)
1 Group Standardisation Unit
L-R - Sqn Ldr Adams (plt) Flt Lt Prescott (nav plot) Sqn Ldr Watkins (AEO) Wg Cdr Smeaton (plt) AVM Steedman (VIP pax) Flt Lt McRae (nav rad)
Do Vulcan crews still eat and drink beer?
I have a new Vulcan painting ready to go to press. Instead of the usual suspects as signatories I was thinking of inviting a Vulcan crew + crewchief and groundcrew to sign it. Do you by any chance know of a group to fit that bill living in the Norfolk area? I am at Dereham and would be pleased to host a lengthy lunch and short signing session (30 mins) at my local.
The place I have in mind serves great food, *in the style of an aircrew feeder, has good beer and is open as long as you care to sit and talk bollocks with your mates.
Late October/early November 2011. First team of 7or8 to call me is in.
Google is your finder.
Mike Rondot
The place I have in mind serves great food, *in the style of an aircrew feeder, has good beer and is open as long as you care to sit and talk bollocks with your mates.
Late October/early November 2011. First team of 7or8 to call me is in.
Google is your finder.
Mike Rondot
Last edited by mike rondot; 27th Sep 2011 at 10:58. Reason: In praise of feeders, *deleted word "not"
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Mike, don't be so dismissive of aircrew feeders. The food there for QRA crews was often of a higher standard than officer's messes. A Sunday lunch might consist of a whole salmon set out in a bed of aspic jelly with melon or lemon sampans on the green lake.
One year the officer's mess was instructed to create the buffet for the summer ball based on the food provided in the buffet. One reason was the 'special' diet required for high altitude flight required 'special' foods and attracted a higher per capita per meal rate. A typical feeder on a week day might produce over 30 breakfasts, lunches, dinners and suppers not to mention 45 or so inflight meals.
Back to the OQ, try Tankertrashnav. While not on the mighty V his is in touch with a number of Vulcan aircrew and may well be able to contact a near complete crew. Of my era several are unfortunately flying in higher places.
One year the officer's mess was instructed to create the buffet for the summer ball based on the food provided in the buffet. One reason was the 'special' diet required for high altitude flight required 'special' foods and attracted a higher per capita per meal rate. A typical feeder on a week day might produce over 30 breakfasts, lunches, dinners and suppers not to mention 45 or so inflight meals.
Back to the OQ, try Tankertrashnav. While not on the mighty V his is in touch with a number of Vulcan aircrew and may well be able to contact a near complete crew. Of my era several are unfortunately flying in higher places.
Feeders
Thanks. I meant no disrespect to that fine institution - the aircrew feeder - I had my share of grub from the feeder at Wyton while on PR9s during the 1970s. Sadly, our sortie length did not merit the grand style of cuisine reserved for 51 Squadron but we did occasionally feed from their scraps.
Thanks for the nudge in my direction, P-N, Mike has been in touch and Ive suggested he try an 'ad' on the V Force Reunion website, as any contacts I have in Norfolk are not surprisingly old Victor hands.
Re Aircrew feeders, certainly the one at Marham produced good plain fare, but in six years I can count the salmon on aspic served there on the fingers of no hands! Or were you, as I suspect, pulling our proverbials
Mind you, as we were merely tankertrash, maybe the good stuff was all saved for Scampton & Waddington. In-flights could sometimes go wrong -we once did a Marham - Catania - Marham slot on two packets of Maltesers between 5 of us, possibly the only occasion when a survival knife has been used to cut a Malteser in two!
Re Aircrew feeders, certainly the one at Marham produced good plain fare, but in six years I can count the salmon on aspic served there on the fingers of no hands! Or were you, as I suspect, pulling our proverbials
Mind you, as we were merely tankertrash, maybe the good stuff was all saved for Scampton & Waddington. In-flights could sometimes go wrong -we once did a Marham - Catania - Marham slot on two packets of Maltesers between 5 of us, possibly the only occasion when a survival knife has been used to cut a Malteser in two!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
TTN, as if . . .
Anyway it was Cottesmore. I think that the 24/7 with QRA crews was what made the difference and they emloyed their culinary skills out of sheer boredom.
We tried to arrange that we did QRA on our birthdays (singlies that is) as they did birthday cakes. A 'standard' Sunday roast used to be two roast chickens on a tray.
The only gripe we had was no wine
Anyway it was Cottesmore. I think that the 24/7 with QRA crews was what made the difference and they emloyed their culinary skills out of sheer boredom.
We tried to arrange that we did QRA on our birthdays (singlies that is) as they did birthday cakes. A 'standard' Sunday roast used to be two roast chickens on a tray.
The only gripe we had was no wine
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but in six years I can count the salmon on aspic served there on the fingers of no hands!
Cunning Artificer
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I can count the salmon on aspic served there on the fingers of...
The Queen Mum came to Waddington to present a new standard. A buffet luncheon was to be served in No.3 Hangar afterwards. They made the mistake of storing the goodies in the airmen's mess. It was the best lunch we ever had.
V Force reunion
Just to let you know the V-Force Reunion website has just been updated. If you haven't had a look yet, go to the site now and have a browse. We can still do with more photos for the gallery, particularly those with named individuals.
If you were serving on the V Force around the time of the Cuban missile crisis and would like to help Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire with a project they are doing on this, go to entry 108 on the guestbook where there are details of who to get in touch with.
We've had a lot of interest already so let us know if you are hoping to come along by completing the enquiry form on the site - you won't be committing yourself, but it just helps us gauge interest.
Just to let you know the V-Force Reunion website has just been updated. If you haven't had a look yet, go to the site now and have a browse. We can still do with more photos for the gallery, particularly those with named individuals.
If you were serving on the V Force around the time of the Cuban missile crisis and would like to help Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire with a project they are doing on this, go to entry 108 on the guestbook where there are details of who to get in touch with.
We've had a lot of interest already so let us know if you are hoping to come along by completing the enquiry form on the site - you won't be committing yourself, but it just helps us gauge interest.
Last edited by Tankertrashnav; 23rd Nov 2011 at 09:13. Reason: Correcting typo
No, you aren't seeing double - it's just that no-one has posted on this thread since my last one. Anyway we have got a new update on the website V-Force Reunion. Not a lot new, just a request for people who can man tables to contact us and to let you know that we are having a widows/families table this time, where those whose husbands/fathers etc have passed on can come along and sign in and feel part of the reunion. If you know of anyone in this category who you think would be interested, please help by passing the details of our website to them.
Oh yes and we've changed the nice picture of a Victor for one of some other funny-looking aircraft!
Oh yes and we've changed the nice picture of a Victor for one of some other funny-looking aircraft!
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Oh yes and we've changed the nice picture of a Victor for one of some other funny-looking aircraft
Just for balance I saw 558 at Culdrose at last year's air day and once again was reminded what an awesome (in the old sense) aircraft the Vulcan was, and still is.
Mind you I was never jealous of the poor sods stuffed in the hole down the back. And the Victor was prettier too
Mind you I was never jealous of the poor sods stuffed in the hole down the back. And the Victor was prettier too
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A little titbit about the Vulcan, offered as a Christmas period irrelevance.
In 1957 at our annual CCF camp at Waddington, a friend and I crept up the ladder of a gleaming new white painted Vulcan and sat in the two front seats. It was a Sunday, the hangar was empty, and we were wearing cadet uniforms which passed as pukka RAF ones, anyway. We read the Pilots Notes folder resting between the seats, turned to the "Performance Limitations" page, and were astonished to see "Limiting Mach No. 1.01 in a shallow dive". And sure enough, both machmeters had a bug on their dial, set at 1.01!
Despite our colossal cheek in daring to enter a nuclear bomber without a shred of authority, we were both actually very responsible young men, and kept the incredible news that the tin triangle was apparently supersonic entirely to ourselves, for over 50 years.
And then I bought Tony Blackman's excellent book on test flying the Vulcan. Only then did I learn that there was a significant position error with the Vulcan's machmeter sensors, and that the indicated mach figure was an overestimate. It was apparently only ever subsonic, and our shared "secret" was nothing of the kind. What a let-down!
In 1957 at our annual CCF camp at Waddington, a friend and I crept up the ladder of a gleaming new white painted Vulcan and sat in the two front seats. It was a Sunday, the hangar was empty, and we were wearing cadet uniforms which passed as pukka RAF ones, anyway. We read the Pilots Notes folder resting between the seats, turned to the "Performance Limitations" page, and were astonished to see "Limiting Mach No. 1.01 in a shallow dive". And sure enough, both machmeters had a bug on their dial, set at 1.01!
Despite our colossal cheek in daring to enter a nuclear bomber without a shred of authority, we were both actually very responsible young men, and kept the incredible news that the tin triangle was apparently supersonic entirely to ourselves, for over 50 years.
And then I bought Tony Blackman's excellent book on test flying the Vulcan. Only then did I learn that there was a significant position error with the Vulcan's machmeter sensors, and that the indicated mach figure was an overestimate. It was apparently only ever subsonic, and our shared "secret" was nothing of the kind. What a let-down!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
IIRC the Mk 1 had a TMN of 0.98 or thereabouts. The Mk 2 was less slippy at I think 0.93 although some said it could be hand-flown with automach trim off at higher speeds.
Got a bit noisy though
Got a bit noisy though