Vulcan book
 

My Vulcan book's nearly finished - just "mopping up" now!

Anyone have (or know where I could find) any pictures showing Vulcans with the OCU at Finningley (ie- with Finningley in the background)?

Second plea - anyone have a shot of XH539 during its service at Boscombe Down? It had rather odd calibration markings on the bomb bay.

Even more obscure - anyone got a shot of XH478 when it carried dayglow strip markings? We're assuming this was in connection with refuelling trials although the stripes seem to have been applied at a later date - a mystery!

As ever, any pictures that haven't been seen much before would be very welcome. I want to try and make the book as interesting as possible but of course it's a struggle to include anything which hasn't been seen many times before. Same with the text - there's only one developmental/service history to tell so there ain't much scope for flexibility, but I'm counting on some good accounts from Vulcan personnel to at least make the book a decent read! Thanks folks!

Tim

Whereabouts on the aircraft were these strips?

538 had 2 circular dayglo rings around the AAR probe. Although we told the American girls that these were lipstick marks, they were actually intended to assist visual release point assessment during some bombing comp with non-standard bombing parameters!

A thinly disguised use of a thread to advertise it.:rolleyes:

TM: Try these you might find something of use:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=...CN)&u=location

http://www.rob.clubkawasaki.com/1969bindex.htm

http://www.rob.clubkawasaki.com/page5indexb.htm

http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/bae/539bs.htm

http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/pm/1/479_brawdy1.htm

A thinly disguised use of a thread to advertise it.

Not really - to be honest I couldn't give a rat's a*s whether anyone buys it or not as I don't get any royalties from it, so I'm afraid you're wrong there matey!

I simply want to do a decent job for all the Vulcan folks who might buy it, that's all. That's a lot of cynicism for a Sunday afternoon ain't it?!:)

Beagle, the dayglow strips on XH478 are at the top of the fin, on the nose behind the radome, on the ECM housing and (possibly) on the wing tips. I guess they would fit-in neatly with the aircraft's refuelling trials but the dates don't tally, so it's hard to work-out what they were applied for.

On 539 the black rectangles are in a line, straddling each side of the bomb bay doors along the centreline. I've seen these markings (rather foolishly) referred-to as camera ports in the past but they're obviously calibration markings associated with weapon drops of some sort - the clue's also in the camera fairings attached under the wing tips.

Exrigger, thanks for the pointers;)

TM: I remember on another thread the discussion about the conversion of aircraft from Mk 201 engines to 301's the link below has some interesting comments re some aircraft flying with both Mks at the same time.

http://www.jet-flight.net/vvisits.html

Indeed, one aircraft did have both 201 and 301's fitted for a time, and contrary to the blurb I got from BAe years ago, it's clear that some aircraft were re-engined, so I think I've got all that sorted now - finally! I note that in the article you mention the infamous "B.Mk.2A" gets mentioned yet again. That non-existant variant is never gonna lay down and die it seems! I'm looking forward to seeing if any of the new books uncover anything of interest and if they'll perpetuate any of the old myths yet again - I'm sure they will, but then I'm sure I'll probably add a few gaffes of my own in my book - it's not the most reliable of projects when you're relying on hopelessly confused books, dubious magazine features, a manufacturer that is now only interested in airliners, and former staff who have either died, or long-since lost any records of what really happened back in the 'fifties. I'm aiming to base much of my book on personal accounts (to make it a decent read) rather than just churning-out the usual history yet again (it's not as if you can re-invent it). I think the most interesting thing I've discovered so far though is that despite every book and article crediting the Vulcan's delta/flying wing idea to Roy Chadwick, it seems it wasn't actually his brainchild at all! Just goes to show you can never rely on published information I guess!

When's it going to print Tim?

Goes to print in couple of weeks so I guess it'll be out by Christmas hopefully. Might wait until XH558 takes to the air if they don't encounter any more delays though:)

Vulcan weapon question
 

I keep noting references to the arming systems on the Blue Danube and Yellow Sun (and Blue Steel, WE.177) as carried by Vulcans. Can anyone remember what the basic procedure was for Vulcan crews? Not after details as such but I would like to establish how the aircraft were armed. I assume that it involved some sort of electronic de-coding in-flight? Anyone remember?

TM: All I have found so far is at the two links, again don't know if these are of use.

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Uk/UKArsenalDev.html

http://www.century20war.co.uk/page5.html

Tim,
Those sound awfully like Cold Weather Trials markings, carried when they deployed to suitably cold parts of Canada. According to Tim Mason's book, XH478 was used by AAEE for RWR Orange Putter trials

Alternatively - found this on a quick google :

http://worldwar2airfields.fotopic.net/p12554397.html

Tim, what ever you want to know about the Vulcan arming, EP for RB/YS and ER for WE.

If you care to post specifice questions, open or PM, and I will answer as best I can.

Thanks Pontious. Well as I said, I'm not particularly concerned by the details as such, but there doesn't seem to be any available info on just how the various weapons were armed. There are some occasional references to "in flight" arming but again they don't specify what this would involve. Naturally, it didn't involve the last-minute insertion of material (as was the case on some early bombs) but on the other hand I can't find anything to explain just what the procedure was. Seems a shame not to make mention of such a relevant point in my book, especially when it's been overlooked in every other Vulcan/V-Bomber book to date.

XV277 - thanks for the pointer, I think that solves the mystery. Despite references saying the dayglow markings were applied at a different stage, they were indeed applied during the trials, as that photo illustrates. Sorted!

Tim,

what happened to the RAF book you were working on?

Well he's already posted most of the pictures taken from some expensive back seat rides on free internet forums so not quite sure what else said book will contain.

Tombstone (ignoring the bitter comments from Regie, whoever he is), the book project was put on hold because the PR guy who was overseeing the project was just totally impossible to work with (he's the same guy that was behind the partwork collection and the RAF Magazine disasters...) and he finally threw a tantrum and withdrew the RAF's support. We could produce the book without the RAF's endorsement of course but I don't know if that will happen or not. To be honest I don't really care as it's their loss not mine. Yet another PR disaster to add to their growing list I fear!

'PR Disaster' - yeah right.