Vulcans In Circuits?

[GLIDER 90]

Hello All

In the operational days how many Vulcans could be in the Circuit at anyone time?

Glider 90

[Herod]

Considering the size of "Bomber Command Circuits", probably dozens.

[Bill Macgillivray]

I seem to remember three visuals and one on radar several times at Waddo. and once four visuals at Scampton (in OCU days).

[staircase]

'Bomber Command Circuits'

I remember being told by my QFI at Sleaford, that Waddington plotted their MATZ on a 1,000,000 topo, using a blunt chinagraph, with a Mars bar as a template!

[FantomZorbin]

Bill M. IIRC it was the same at Finningley.

[GLIDER 90]

Hello All

Thanks for your replies.

Glider 90

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Herod

Considering the size of "Bomber Command Circuits", probably dozens.

And 'Transport Command Circuits' were even bigger

[Herod]

'Transport Command Circuits' were even bigger

That was so those of us in "Eating Command" could finish our lunch.

[teeteringhead]

And don't forget the Maritimers. I was once flying a Gazelle between Chiv and Culdrose (or vice versa - can't remember) in connection with some display or other.

At low level, needed to skim a bit of the St Mawgan MATZ and cross its extended centreline; called and asked permission.....

......."Negative, negative!" came the reply, "we have a Nimrod in the circuit, currently on finals."

long pause...

..."The Nimrod is at 12 miles finals, you are clear as requested!"

[FantomZorbin]

And then there was the Vulcan capt. who called for a steer whilst "downwind" at FY.

[Bill Macgillivray]

There is an obvious thought on this thread that we flew enormous visual circuits in the Vulcan!! As an ex. fighter pilot/JP QFI etc.and then(!) Vulcan capt./QFI I was always impressed at how well behaved and manouverable the aircraft was in all aspects of flight. I never bothered to really measure anything but I guess that I flew a visual circuit in the Vulcan within roughly the same parameters as say, a Canberra, Scimitar and nearly a Hunter! For its size it was a great aircraft (and I had no wish to be posted to it!) but never regretted my time flying it. Long ago !! (and four more crew?? Great !!!!).

Bill

[Pontius Navigator]

Once, recovering into Cottesmore on a major exercise, probably Micky Finn, we had gone from the Force Dispersal Point to the Group Disperal Point to the Cottesmore Entry Point which was over the Lake District. Once established inbound we were on of 20 aircraft on recovery. As many aircraft had plenty of fuel, the ones before us were requesting visual or instrument circuits to burn off fuel. We were number 5 in the instrument pattern and extended downwind at 2,000 ft. My skipper obediently set off on 080. As we reached Skegness I tentatively suggested he check with Cottesmore. Naturally we were below the radar and they told us to climb. They had simply lost us.

After a similar exercise, this time in Cyprus, and again flush with fuel, the Vulcans went to Cyprus while the Lightnings recovered to Cyprus. Nicosia then had 4 or may be 5 in the visual circuit. The controller then allowed a training aircraft to get airborne and join the circus. Shortly after he changed runways and immediately lost the plot!

I guess the answer therefore is four or five.

[Wander00]

Weren't V Force circuits what the rest of us called "X-country" or "sector recce"?

[John LeBrun]

Originally Posted by Bill Macgillivray

I seem to remember three visuals and one on radar several times at Waddo. and once four visuals at Scampton (in OCU days).

Bill is nearly right. We were limited to a grand total of about five in the two circuits together . A visual circuit took some 4 to 5 minutes of relentless work for the two pilots; an instrument circuit about 10 to 11 minutes of fairly relaxed flying. When the OCU went to Scampton from Finningley, in the circuits their aircraft had to mix it with the two existing squadrons (I think 83 had left by then), which made life difficult compared to Finningley where the OCU was the only flying unit.

On the OCU, at Scampton initially, asymmetric flight was demonstrated near-by along the Trent Valley using the three large power station as ground references. Soon the unit was asked to move elsewhere as the noise (at 2000 feet, full power on two Olympus engines whose tailpipes were nearly pointing at the ground) disturbed the cows, the sheep and sleepy villages. A spot was found over the North Sea just off Flamborough Head. The herring didn't mind.

[Bill Macgillivray]

John,
Remember the Flamborough Head area very well ! Also remember doing ICC training in Cyprus, used to use what is now a very popular tourist area for assym. training ! Long ago and life moves on ! (I think !).

Regards,
Bill