Can You help us locate one of these for our VULCAN
 

http://https://www.facebook.com/phot...type=1&theaterWe the Vulcan Restoration Trust Southend are looking to find a flare gun that used to fitted in the VULCAN to the left of the AEO position . See photo for a closer image of the gun . Thanks in advance.

As it is a firearm it will not be in someone's garage.

Just a thought, but whilst the AVRO Vulcan and the DE HAVILAND Comet were from very different stables, the HAWKER SIDDLEY Nimrod contained several identifiable AVRO components. Now I am not intimately associated with flare guns in Nimrod and Vulcan it seems likely that they might be a common item.

Similarly the Victor may also have used the same flare gun as the Periscopic Sextant mount was an RAF standard item.

Follow on to Pontius! I'm pretty sure that the Hercules sextant mount was a British one, and at one time a signal pistol and cartridges were carried. ISTR in the locker above the Nav Station. As Albert inherited the Vulcan refuelling probes, is it possible they also inherited the signal pistol ? Just a thought.

Smudge

Bit of a Woolly area there as you do not need a firearm licence to buy flares but do for the gun for your aircraft I believe. Though you can buy the larger hand held ones or the plastic launcher ones without one.

You might find a deactivated one here

Flare/Very/signal Pistol for sale :: GunStar

Yes, a serviceable one would require a Firearm Certificate. The VRTS would not qualify for a free certificate under FA 1968 S32(3), as they are not fitting it to an aircraft. The Vulcan would not qualify as such under the terms of that act. However they may qualify for a Museum Licence provided they are:

Otherwise a FAC or SGC will be required. This could present some unwelcome problems and in any case fully functional items are unlikely to be readily available. A deactivated item is definitely preferable and may be easier (but by no means easy) to find. It might be advisable to go down the route of producing a fairly simple replica.

YS

I know where there was one in a scout hut 40+ years ago including a box of various coloured flares that were like big shotgun cartridges. I am sure it would be somewhere safe these days. No idea where it came from.


Re the sextant: I have experience of the Nimrod and Herc. Smuge may recall the PLGR mod we did. We did the trial fit on one from a Lancaster borrowed from a museum. (essentially similar) Lancaster and Vulcan came from the Woodford stable who also did the Nimrod. What I am not sure of is did the Comet have the same? May the manufacturer have been Elliot? I don't think it was AVRO or DeH or HS


Rays tek had one [sextant] on e bay a couple of years back.

Don't know about the flare gun or sextant, but I donated the case for a periscope sextant to East Fortune a few years ago.

Have you contacted: Castle Air Museum ?

This is an air musem on the site of the former Castle AFB in California and they have a Vulcan B.2 on display.

TWB

As Pontius has said, it is a firearm, and if you do get your hands on one and install it, it will cause you immense problems. Talk to your local friendly Mr Plod about having a firearm and all the things you will need to keep it. If you are desparate to get something to fill the gap, get a fabricator to make something that looks like one, but DON'T try and get your hands on a real one, it will be more trouble than its worth, believe me.

I think you are all tossers.

a flare pistol is not a firearm in australia.
you do not need a firearms licence to own a flare pistol.
it is a signalling device.

seriously go check out the firearms regulations.

Hmmm,
Good post there uu
Perhaps you could enlighten us as to when Australian laws applied to the UK?

His Info is also wrong, in most states they have to be registered as a handgun which means a license. In the states that dont insist on a license you have to ask the police and they will tell you to get one. Importing one is nigh on impossible unless you own a rain forest for the forms and have a large bank balance to pay the duty.

Anyway back on topic, I would ask TTF at Shawbury, every runway caravan has 2 very pistols, and I am sure they will know who supplies them.

On firearms, even a mini-flare is a firearm. We used to travel 1st class if carrying them.

When first developed German youth, can't remember the name :), would fire .22 bullets with them. In survival we were told you could kill (and cook :)) a rabbit with them but aimng would be a bitch.

This one is sold however this company may be able to assist.

Deactivated Webley and Scott Aircraft Signal pistol.

XL426,
I think you might be referring to a 'Cabin Pressure Pistol?' if that is the case, they were fitted on a hinged mount in the flight deck to enable loading/firing without affecting cabin pressurisation. That is what was fitted to Nimrod MR2.

I would have thought you will struggle to find one nowadays, but if you can find out who carried out the scrapping of the Nimrod MR2s they might be able to help.

I hope you find one, good luck!

The same Flare Pistol as that used in Victor and Vulcan was also used in the VC10K.
The "Scrappers" at Bruntingthorpe may be able to give you a lead as to what
happened to the ones removed from the recently departed VC10Ks.

TT,
I would expect the armorers to have removed them, along with any other 'explosive type' stuff before the aircraft ever got to Bruntingthorpe. All that kind of stuff is all very accountable these days.

Just a thought about finding signal pistols at aircraft disposals and the like; it's almost certain that devices such as pistols and explosives found in seats would be removed immediately after final landing by armourers.

Of course the other question is what was it for?

It was very much an old fashioned piece of kit. Of course its main use on Nimrod was for SAR but the Vs?

In war the codes included a set of colours of the day. These were NATO-wide colour recognition signals for aircraft, ships, and submarines.

Now submarines one can understand, and ships to some extent too, but one wondered about such distinctive aircraft as the Vs. I suppose at night, during recovery, radio comms out, an interceptor might have been sent for a VID and the bomber could fire off the appropriate colours.

Remember too that much of the design work preceded our nuclear capability and even when we were so equipped the number of devices in the world was still limited in number until into the 60s.

Dubbleyew eight - Pistols at dawn......
To buy even a mini flare pack from Paynes Wessex needs a fire arms
licence. I know this to be a fact as I decided to own a pack to go with my dinghy when I was ferrying from Canada and Brazi The local plod came to inspect my gun cabinet and make a decision if I was safe to have it or not.
Verey Pistols and the ammunition is exactly the same.
I win.