Vulcan B2?
 

Hello All

How many hours could a Vulcan B2 fly without been refuelled in midair or on the ground, and what was the longest sortie without been refuelled flown if known?

Glider 90

*'being' not 'been'

Sorry its one of my bugbears.

There is a theoretical distance but your question needs to specify, weight, height flown, weather/air conditions, if it was carrying anything hanging underneath and probably several other parameters as well.

With respect the answer to your question will be meaningless unless you are more specific.

Old Duffer

You'll find an answer by using Google to search
To make it "easier" for you, Wiki has
The last B.2 XM657 was delivered in 1965 and the type served till 1984. Whilst in service the B.2 was continuously updated with modifications including rapid engine starting, bomb-bay fuel tanks, wing strengthening to give the fatigue life to enable the aircraft to fly at low level (a tactic introduced in the mid-1960s), upgraded navigation equipment, terrain following radar (TFR), standardisation on a common nuclear weapon (WE.117) and improved ECM equipment.[49] The B.1As were not strengthened, thus all were withdrawn by 1968.[50] Nine B.2s were modified for a maritime radar reconnaissance (MRR) role[51] and six for an airborne tanker role.[52] An updated bomb rack assembly allowed the carriage of 30 1,000lb bombs, up from 21[53] and the updated wing profile increased range to 4,000nm (7,400km).[54]

With 98% +16, probably a tadge over 7 hr if you really wanted to. Back in 1978 at Sunny Scampton, the 617th Dead Dog Mob and the 27th Geriatric Boat Spotters competed to fly the longest Vulcan sortie... Whereas 'Sweaters', our boss, told us that he'd personally kick the ar$es of any 35 Sqn crew to waste flying time on any such stupidity.

Good man!

Old Duffer

"Sir" with not "being" a Vulcan pilot I would not know the all upweight for take off and weather conditions etc, it was just a general question to pass away the time while "being" stuck in the snow!

Thanks to everyone else for the more positive answers.

"Sorry its one of my bugbears."

*it's not its*

That is one of mine!

GLIDER90

Firstly, I may be wrong, but my reading of Old Duffers post was not one of sarcasm or of trying to be unhelpful- merely pointing out that there is never one simple answer to such a simple question.

Again, in Old Duffers defence (not that he needs me to fight his battles) it wasn’t him who commented on the Been and Being issue either.

Grammar- the difference between knowing your **** and knowing you’re ****.

I would have thought that it wouldn't fly for long if it hadn't been refuelled on the ground...

Duchess Driver

Steady on Duchess! I was not having a go at Old Duffer it was just a general question that's all, as regards " being" I think you miss understood in what I was meaning regarding "Turin" comment.

G90. The longest unrefueled trip in my log book is a 6 hour high level transit. Most “bomber” sorties in my time were high -low and the longest of those was 5:20.
TL

Never heard of the 30x1000lb mod? When did that come in? Could wiki be wrong?

Wiki citation is taken from this video. Avro or RAF?

I’m pretty sure the 10 bomb carrier was never introduced.

Agree with Timelord.
Long duration would entirely depend on how much was in the bomb bay and what the minmum landing fuel for diversion was that day. Longest in my log book was 6 hours 30 minutes, which felt far too long. Cruise climb technique wouls have got a bit more.

There was a GroupEx in 1967 when alternative aircraft in the stream were diverted from UK to Akrotiri and required to bomb El Adem range outbound. The following day they were ordered to repeat the exercise bombing El Adem before heading home. I wasn't on this exercise but think homebound 6.45 due to headwinds and they were very much on minimums. The distance is about 2400 nm.

My longest sortie was a hilohi, 5.45, which included a primary nav leg about one hour, a 360 mile low level, 1.30, and a high level secondary navex about 2 hrs. We had to make straight in approach to Pershore from high level over the Lake District. We landed just below minimums.

Both these instances were without internal bomb bay fuel.

Another time a crew calculation they could fly home from Chicago but permission was denied.

The much quoted 4000 mile unrefuelled range would have equated to about 8 hrs 40 min and that was in the same ball park as the supersonic Jaguar.

I think the Mk 1 had a much greater range, much lighter airframe, lower powered engines with lower fuel consumption. The very powerful 301 engines were optimized to lift two Skybolt missiles to 50,000 feet plus. They were least suitable for low level missions.

As a spotty young rigger on E Dispersal, Scampton 1965, my recollection is the B2's (Blue Steel) would be seen-off to disappear into the wide, not very blue yonder only to reappear some five hours later and interrupt our bridge (or Uckers) pastime. ;)

Longest in my logbook is an incredible (in retrospect) 6:50 on Ex Highwood on 04 Jul 79 - the ultimate in maritime boredom!

IIRC the Giant Voice sorties were around 6 hours, can BB confirm?