Vulcan at Halton?
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vULCAN
The Bucks press still has photos of the vulcan landing, with a Landrover firetruck statigically placed to show scale. the photos also appear in the History of Bucks also by the Bucks press.
The touchdown point of the '67 one was still visible for some time afterwards. The touchdown was perfectly judged about 100 yds from the boundary of the airfield on what is now runway 20 with a displaced threshold some 400yds further on!!
As well as being a staff cadet on 613, which gave me chance to examine the wheelmarks closely, I was just finishing 6th Form at Chesham High School and we happened to be carrying out a project near Halton involving filming with an 8mm cine camera (remember those) and the cameraman managed to get a shot of the Vulcan on final from Aston Clinton.
As well as being a staff cadet on 613, which gave me chance to examine the wheelmarks closely, I was just finishing 6th Form at Chesham High School and we happened to be carrying out a project near Halton involving filming with an 8mm cine camera (remember those) and the cameraman managed to get a shot of the Vulcan on final from Aston Clinton.
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Catterick
I remember there being at least two Vulcans, possibly three(?) at Catterick as well as the Victor, a Hastings (TG536?) an Argosy and in the latter days a Super VC10. (Though that one did arrive by road.) There was also a Sea Vixen, Canberra and a lightning dotted around the old CVR(T) track.
All were burnt/removed before the Army moved.
I have recollections the Vulcans and Argosy at Halton in the late 70's and early 80's along with the lines of JP T.4's - was an in patient at the hospital but those don't seem to fit with the dates being quoted here. Certainly the Comet had gone by the late 70's. Anybody any firm(er) dates of disposal?
All were burnt/removed before the Army moved.
I have recollections the Vulcans and Argosy at Halton in the late 70's and early 80's along with the lines of JP T.4's - was an in patient at the hospital but those don't seem to fit with the dates being quoted here. Certainly the Comet had gone by the late 70's. Anybody any firm(er) dates of disposal?
Nemesis of the Proot Dynasty
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As Mandator mentions, the first Comet to arrive at Halton in 1961 (?) was flown by 'Cats eye' Cunningham.
I'm not sure of the mk, but it had single main wheels, so was a very early version. I was a Halton brat at the time and watched it land, fully expecting it to sink up to the wings in the turf. In the event, absolutely nothing untoward happened.
I'm not sure of the mk, but it had single main wheels, so was a very early version. I was a Halton brat at the time and watched it land, fully expecting it to sink up to the wings in the turf. In the event, absolutely nothing untoward happened.
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PEPPERMINT. I would suggest that whoever flew the Vulcan in would have to be a pretty experienced Vulcan Captain, and would therefore think that it would be an RAF pilot, or a Company test pilot. I am not aware of Avro ever having a female Vulcan qualified Captain, but does anyone else shed any light, or is this another urban myth.?
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Slight thread drift.
Nothing new about bombers landing at Halton. I was evacuated there during the war (uncle was a W/O) and witnessed several B 17s make emergency landings there. One dropped it's bombs on the edge of the airfield prior to landing, fortunately they didn't explode!
Also saw Halifaxes taking off towing Horsa gliders
Small boy's paradise for aircraft spotting.
Nothing new about bombers landing at Halton. I was evacuated there during the war (uncle was a W/O) and witnessed several B 17s make emergency landings there. One dropped it's bombs on the edge of the airfield prior to landing, fortunately they didn't explode!
Also saw Halifaxes taking off towing Horsa gliders
Small boy's paradise for aircraft spotting.
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The last one to be flown in (a camouflaged B1A I think) came from Waddo with an AAEE crew - there was an article about it in a contemporary Air Clues (approx 1970), which explained the planning and practicing they carried out.
There's also Panavia Tornado XZ630 - actually an MRCA which was a pre-production GR1 (the 12th MRCA to be built) that first flew in 1977 and did a lot of the early weapons trials work. She sits on the RAF Halton parade ground and is a backdrop to the Passing Out Parade that occurs every month for our "newbies".
No bang seats or RB199 engines though...
Interestingly, the current parade ground sits on the same location that 3 Sqn RFC flew from in 1913. They conducted the very first "Balloon Affil" sorties trying to prove the value of a heavier than air machine over a lighter than air balloon. They used Bleriot monoplanes.
LJ
PS. Here's an artistic rendition by Michael Turner of the 1913 flying
The British Army Military Exercises in September 1913 saw the first tactical deployment of aircraft, with the 'Brownland' Force's headquarters sited in the grounds of Halton House. On Monday 22nd the airship 'Delta', observing for the Whiteland Forces, emerged from the mist, and a Bleriot, with underwing surfaces partly painted black for identification, was rapidly launched to intercept. Supported by a BE and a returning Farman, the intruder was successfully driven off. The temporary airfield was sited on what is now the main Parade Square, lying in the shelter of the steeply rising ground of Wendover Woods and the Chilterns.
No bang seats or RB199 engines though...
Interestingly, the current parade ground sits on the same location that 3 Sqn RFC flew from in 1913. They conducted the very first "Balloon Affil" sorties trying to prove the value of a heavier than air machine over a lighter than air balloon. They used Bleriot monoplanes.
LJ
PS. Here's an artistic rendition by Michael Turner of the 1913 flying
The British Army Military Exercises in September 1913 saw the first tactical deployment of aircraft, with the 'Brownland' Force's headquarters sited in the grounds of Halton House. On Monday 22nd the airship 'Delta', observing for the Whiteland Forces, emerged from the mist, and a Bleriot, with underwing surfaces partly painted black for identification, was rapidly launched to intercept. Supported by a BE and a returning Farman, the intruder was successfully driven off. The temporary airfield was sited on what is now the main Parade Square, lying in the shelter of the steeply rising ground of Wendover Woods and the Chilterns.
Last edited by Lima Juliet; 19th Aug 2011 at 20:11.
In fact it was part of a very early Beaufighter Mk1F. X7688 was built in 1941, and later became maintenance airframe 3858M -
3858M was subsequently registered as G-DINT to a private owner at an address near Sandy, Beds., although it was de-registered by the CAA in Mar 2010. Hopefully it's still at his farm?
3858M was subsequently registered as G-DINT to a private owner at an address near Sandy, Beds., although it was de-registered by the CAA in Mar 2010. Hopefully it's still at his farm?
Tim put the Beau project up for sale quite a while back, and it's recent de-registration is because the project has been bought by an Australian collector, and is shortly due to be shipped out to Australia (may have even departed by now)
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The last Vulcan flown in to Halton was XH479, a B1A delivered from Waddington on 28 June 1970. The crew comprised Flt Lts R L Beeson (Captain), N R J Wingate (Co-pilot) and M S Cull (AEO). The crew was from the Bomber & Maritime Flight Test Squadron, AAEE.
I have also found an account of the second Argosy delivery, XR140, which came from 115 Sqn at Brize on 10 February 1978. The crew in this case comprised Flt Lts Frank Hayward (Captain), Les Bryson (Co-pilot) and Terry Jones (Navigator). Frank Hayward was an ex-Brat.
I have also found an account of the second Argosy delivery, XR140, which came from 115 Sqn at Brize on 10 February 1978. The crew in this case comprised Flt Lts Frank Hayward (Captain), Les Bryson (Co-pilot) and Terry Jones (Navigator). Frank Hayward was an ex-Brat.
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The crew in this case comprised Flt Lts Frank Hayward (Captain), Les Bryson (Co-pilot) and Terry Jones (Navigator). Frank Hayward was an ex-Brat.