V Bombers in Australia and NZ
 

Did the V bombers travel out to Australia and NZ for training or military exercises?

They certainly did!
543 Squadron Valiants visited Australia on a number of occasions; most notably out to Townsville for the Solomon Islands survey ; and earlier, in 1958 to photograph the Blue Streak trials.

In the first half of the 1960's there were 16 visits to Australia, spread over about two years, by Vulcan 2's from Scampton. Each delivered a missile to Edinburgh Field (Adelaide) for the Blue Steel trials programme. The inbound and outbound route included Darwin.

There was strong competition amongst Scampton crews for the 16 'Blue Ranger' trips. They were divided as fairly as possible between the resident squadrons; 27, 83 and 617.

When I was growing up on the base at Pearce, WA (lucky bugger), all three V's visited during 1961-3, along with Comets and Britannias. One of the factors that led me into the RAF as a pilot (again, lucky bugger).

I remember being at Milford Sound, NZ, in the early 70's when a Vulcan came down the canyon for a low pass then flew down the sound out to sea, a few minutes later he was back going quite quick, pulled up over the hotel for a quick circuit of Mt Tutoko for another pass, this time much lower, much, much faster and disappeared in a cloud of kerosene smoke and stink that took hours to dissapate, the sound eventually died away too!:)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-18Feb2008.jpg

A Vulcan almost came to grief at Wellington, NZ, when one undercarriage leg contacted the stop bank at the end of the runway. No doubt others will post of that incident.

On the ninth of July 1963 a Vulcan of what I believe was 101 Squadron flew non-stop, in a record time, from UK to Australia with the assistance of the Valiant Tankers of 214 Squadron which were positioned at strategic points along the route. The final refuel took place near to Gan in the Maldives. The hope was that the Australians would be interested in buying some of the bombers. The current record is also down to 101 Squadron with a VC10 as reported elsewhere. I was fortunate in being involved in both flights.

All three V bombers visited New Zealand at various times.
The first visit was by a Valiant in the mid 1950's, and thereafter, based at Ohakea, it was mostly to participate in air displays.

In 1973, I was lucky enough to be a Captain on 10 Sqn RAAF, flying SP2H Neptunes. We took part in an exercise in Darwin with RAAF Mirages, RAF Vulcans and RNZAF Skyhawks. A great time was had by all, both professionally and socially. Even the RAF support "Trash-haulers" got a look in!

Allegedly, during the exercise, a RNZAF pilot flew as pax in a Vulcan, and played his bagpipes at an incredible altitude, which must have taken quite some puff. He tried to claim a Guiness Record, but he was refused because some Yankee astronaut had played a Penny Whistle in orbit. Shame.

Happy days.

At least three Vulcan's were in Western Australia for the 1962 Commonwealth Games flypast, accompanied by RAAF Sabres - see photos at below links:

SLWA Online Catalogue /Pictures


SLWA Online Catalogue /Pictures

Regards,
David

If they want to come back again, as an ex-liney Vulcan Air Radio Fitter, I would be happy to help out. Have toolbox, will travel.
:ok:

NR

The bagpipe playing sortie took place out of Ohakea before we (50 Sqn Vulcans) got to Darwin. A carroty haired Kiwi flying officer of Scottish ancestory, possibly named Graham something or other, was taken up by M..e H....n and his crew.

An exciting trip in a Victor in Oz Victor Incident

Some history of the two of the V's in Oz Blue Steel South Australian trials 1957 -1965

A Valiant B.1 (WZ366) of No 49 Squadron was the first RAF aircraft to drop a British operational atomic bomb when it performed a test drop of a down-rated Blue Danube weapon on Maralinga, South Australia, on 11 October 1956.

What RAAF aerodromes could accommodate the V Bombers during this time?

Likewise what major civilian aerodromes could be used if needed?

You might check Michael J.E. Tarrant Photographic Collection - 1956 - Ill-fated Avro Vulcan B1 XA897 Landing at RNZAF Harewood near Christchurch New Zealand Picture 1 of 4 on Douglas Ian Holland's Weekly Update Site

and
Michael J.E. Tarrant Photographic Collection - 1956 - Ill-fated Avro Vulcan B1 XA897 Post Arrival at RNZAF Harewood near Christchurch New Zealand Picture Index on Douglas Ian Holland's Weekly Update Site

Remember in the early sixties, a Vulcan doing ILS approaches into Hobart and then tracking visually via the city back for another approach. Apparently was on a training flight from Woomera.

Vulcans visited Australia regularly during the squadron Far East detachments, alternately to either Butterworth or Tengah, for the annual "Moonflower" exercises in the 1960s. Three of the detachment aircraft would position to Darwin for fighter affiliation exercises with the RAAF. If an Aussie Mirage could even get close to, never mind catch, a Vulcan it could handle anything flying in Indonesia - which was where their most likely threat lay at the time.

1973? Too late. 101 Sqn AEO Flt Lt Keith "Ginge" Knight took the world bagpiping altitude record at 43,000 feet in a squadron BMk1A in 1965, with the altitude verified by the special radar unit in the Shetlands. I doubt if any subsequent claim could be independently verified with similar accuracy. Although the Vulcan could fly higher than that, taking cabin differential limits into account it would not be advisable to remove one's oxygen mask much above that height. Besides, the Penny Whistle is a musical instrument whereas the bagpipes are a weapon of war. ;)

http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/o...cf970b-pi1.jpg

(click on the photograph to open a webpage that explains why the Vulcan is wearing RNZAF insignia)