Vulcan Question

[Rocket2]

Quick question guys (age is getting the better of me) how many fire bottles were there in the mighty Vulcan? I seem to recall 24 or more but just can't be certain. Along the same lines were there even more in the Victor?
Need to settle a beer bet
R2

[132bod]

I don't know how many bottles, but from trade training there were a number in the wing leading edge. During maintenance, the a/c fire protection system could be connected to a hangar "dalek" providing remote ground activation. Apocryphally, operating the ground trip was even quicker at getting a sootie? (propulsion tradesman) out of the wing than profering a mug of tea at the access panel!

[Rocket2]

Thanks 132. We used to test the systems by shorting a couple of terminals out on the fire control units to trigger the automatic operation of the bottles. All well and good so long as you removed the links before connecting the bottles and turning power on. Sadly sometimes that never happened the result being a loud bang, awful smell and a one sided conversation with the boss!

[Treble one]

Vulcan B3

Originally Posted by Thelma Viaduct

How fast could it go? (never going to happen, I know) could a new build Vulcan be effective in the 21st century ala B52??? Could it carry stormshadow internal ly? Carrying PGMs, What would its loiter time be compared to Typhoon?
All hypothetical I know, before the usual pedants/arm chair experts/ wankers from Surrey and their ilk pipe up.

Thelma if you search for Vulcan B3- it was an upgraded B2 with upgraded engines (and reheat), extended fuselage, and room for additional crew (all seated on MB's finest escape device). It was designed as an airborne alert aircraft to carry up to 6 Skybolts.

[Pontius Navigator]

Originally Posted by Treble one

Thelma if you search for Vulcan B3- it was an upgraded B2 with upgraded engines (and reheat), extended fuselage, and room for additional crew (all seated on MB's finest escape device). It was designed as an airborne alert aircraft to carry up to 6 Skybolts.

Not a record AFAIK answering a 4 year old question, but good try..

With enough money and re-engineering it could have had 4 Spey, configure for 2-engine cruise, new lighter offensive systems, rotary missile launchers ASM and AAM and you could have had a reasonable battleship but not one capable of operating in contested airspace. Right for its time and a good decision retiring it when they did.