V Bomber program (22/7/09)
 

V Bombers always seem to generate a lot of interest on PPrune so in case some ppruners were not aware of it, More4 tonight, at 10 PM, has a program called "Engineering Britain's Superweapons" which is all about the V bombers.

:D Well spotted Sir.!

Nowt about the Forgotten "Alternative" V Bomber, Though.....aka Sperrin

Been searching, what is More4? Never heard of it.

Where's More 4? - This Depends on your TV provider eg Freeview - Sky Virgin etc check here for channel numbers More4 | Documentary | Channel 4

Bit of a curate's egg.

Some good interviews and period film, interspersed with Bruntinghthorpe and Wellesbourne Mountford shots.

But the usual misunderstanding about the nuclear role of the Vulcan between 1969 and 1982.....

It really brought home just how much of our hard earned cash those cretins we call "politicians" can waste in playing space invaders with each other. Just imagine how much better off we would all be if the millions spent on the V-Force, which was only used a couple of times in anger, had been spent on better education, health, etc.

Think about it - Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, etc., didn't need nuclear deterrents and the Soviets didn't march through them.... or have I missed something?

As for the half-dozen or more refuelling exercises en route for the Falklands... Verey cartridges fired from tanker aircraft (fer Chrissakes!!!), and claiming to have come from "Huddersfield".... Well, I guess they were heroes in their time but it all looks terribly Fred Karno today....

I cheered the V-bombers at Farnborough in the 50s but now I'm an old man, looking back on such nonsense makes me sick.....

Very good Docu, thought I saw my old Uncle climbing into a Vulcan, will have to try and get him to find the replay and look , that was in the days of me being a smallish boy who was impressed by such things as Uncles in big Jets,.... now I am significantly older and a little larger, I am WELL IMPRESSED!!:ok::ok:


PeterR-B
Vfr

Where's More 4? - This Depends on your TV provider eg Freeview - Sky Virgin etc check here for channel numbers More4 | Documentary | Channel 4
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Thanks for that. Bought a Freeview box about three years ago but only switched it on twice as everything on there was rubbish. Stick to the four main channels and I watch about 3 hours of TV a week. Nothing of interest except Question Time and Univercity Challenge and Mastermind.

Thankfully we are old enough to not pay for a TV licence.

Although rather overly harsh, that is a fair point. The success of the V Force was that they were never used in the N role. It’s called deterrence.

I can also never understand people who simply want to make money in a world run by foreigners.

H D. When you ask "have I missed something?" Yes, I believe you have.

Fishtailed... I welcome sensible debate and I readily accept that others may not agree with me, but rudeness is quite uncalled for.

GBZ... If the UK needed a deterrent, how come the other countries I mentioned did not?

Due to a domestic cock-up I missed it, and as as I live on the (European) mainland, I cannot i-player it. Coiuld anyone let me have it on a DVD for which I would happliy pay +postage, or e-mail me a file

Wander00

More here....Britains Cold War Super Weapons

On 4OD here...Engineering Britains Super Weapons

In fact there are two more programs in the series coming up on 29th July and 5th august. Here!

Good call, will set the video.:ok:

That is something we will never find out. Thankfully.

Some more info on Scrambles
 

Thought I would share this with you all

After the Show on More 4 I contacted my old Uncle to tell him about the film, says that he watched it and it was V Good, but added

for the 1959 or 1960 Farnborough show they sent three teams, Valiant, Victors and the Vulcans, apparantly the three teams crews had a bet for a barrel of Ale as to who would be the fastest off the ground, the fourth Vulcan cleared the ground at 1min 18secs, all in the rain!!:eek: the Vulcan crews won the barrel.

I cant get my house locked and car started in that sort of time, never mind leave the end of the drive.

Peter R-B
Vfr

There's an hilarious account by Air Cdre Bonnor in the latest issue of The Victor Association Newsletter describing how 100 Sqdn laid on a 4 Victor QRA scramble at a Wittering Families Day in 1964...

"... 16 Conways .. aircraft went to full power.....airborne in 2 mins... There was chaos, screaming children, distraught mothers many in a state of shock." :ok:

He went on to say they didn`t repeat the trick the following year...

Wouldn't have been allowed for the last couple of years of the Vulcans' life at Waddo. Too much fear of FOD being kicked up by the aircraft ahead.

I believe that 10 years separates the design of the Avro Lancaster and the Avro Vulcan complete with slide rules and drawing offices. Somehow I cant imagine that happening nowadays.