£1.5m to save last Vulcan bomber
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Are the RAF still using Victors as tankers?
The Valiants had to be retired early I think due to airframe problems so I doubt if it is at all possible to get one of those in the air again. Of the three V-bombers the Vulcan was by far the most impressive. The purest roar from those engines was wonderful. Worth downloading this 385k wav file: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/mongsoft/sound.htm but it can never really compensate for the real thing.
As for the TSR-2: another aircraft way ahead of its time and a great British technological triumph scuppered by politicians. http://warbird.totavia.com/tsr2.html
The Valiants had to be retired early I think due to airframe problems so I doubt if it is at all possible to get one of those in the air again. Of the three V-bombers the Vulcan was by far the most impressive. The purest roar from those engines was wonderful. Worth downloading this 385k wav file: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/mongsoft/sound.htm but it can never really compensate for the real thing.
As for the TSR-2: another aircraft way ahead of its time and a great British technological triumph scuppered by politicians. http://warbird.totavia.com/tsr2.html
Guest
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A mate of mine, one Roy Jacobsen, bought Vulcans XM655 and XM558 off the RAF about 15 years ago for around £7,000 each. Shedloads of spares were thrown in for nothing!! Both were flown in, one to Wellesbourne Mountford, one to Southend, so they were fully airworthy then.
He then proceeded to fight the CAA for about 10 years, bashing his head against a brick wall and eventually - and who can blame him - gave up the good fight to preserve his sanity. Rather than spend the rest of his life in a rubber room, he sold the aeroplanes, for nothing like what he paid for them.
He is delighted that somebody else took up the fight and will, hopefully, get this wonderful aeroplane back in the sky where it belongs.
I saw one at Biggin about 10 years ago. It came howling down the runway at 200 feet, pulled up and POURED the power on. The ground shook and 50,000 car alarms went off in the car park!!!!! Brilliant!
He then proceeded to fight the CAA for about 10 years, bashing his head against a brick wall and eventually - and who can blame him - gave up the good fight to preserve his sanity. Rather than spend the rest of his life in a rubber room, he sold the aeroplanes, for nothing like what he paid for them.
He is delighted that somebody else took up the fight and will, hopefully, get this wonderful aeroplane back in the sky where it belongs.
I saw one at Biggin about 10 years ago. It came howling down the runway at 200 feet, pulled up and POURED the power on. The ground shook and 50,000 car alarms went off in the car park!!!!! Brilliant!
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Thanks for the info Troy. I will go there sometime.
The first time I saw the Vulcan was in 1987 (I was about 9 or 10 at the time), it was the weekend of the Fairford Air Tatoo and I was cycling home in the rain and it flew right over my head. Truely awesome sight over the suburbs where I lived. That was it, my aviation fascination had begun!
Saw her many times after at airshows and the take-offs were always the highlight - loud did someone say?!! I really could bang on all night about 'that' aeroplane but I'll spare you!
Take care, VFE.
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And up we go!
The first time I saw the Vulcan was in 1987 (I was about 9 or 10 at the time), it was the weekend of the Fairford Air Tatoo and I was cycling home in the rain and it flew right over my head. Truely awesome sight over the suburbs where I lived. That was it, my aviation fascination had begun!
Saw her many times after at airshows and the take-offs were always the highlight - loud did someone say?!! I really could bang on all night about 'that' aeroplane but I'll spare you!
Take care, VFE.
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And up we go!
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VFE, if you venture 'up North' , do pay a visit to Carlisle Airport, and the Solway Aviation Society's excellent Vulcan. No longer able to move under it's own power, it is however in beutiful condition and its 'systems' are regularly run up. They usually make the cockpit available to visitors at weekends for a small fee. That in it's self is worth the journey. Can anyone imagine what it must have been like for a crew of 5 to be stuck in that 'cave', especially from Waddington to the Falklands?!
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Try http://www.tvoc.co.uk for The Vulcan Operating Company. Some cool movie clips on there too, one in particular showing an awesome t/o and climb out. There's a Vulcan at Blackpool, but it's had no TLC at all and coupled with the damp and salty sea air (it's 500yds from the sea) has resulted in it becoming corroded to bu99ery. 
Saw the Vulc at Carlisle. Looks lovely, but still corroded. Their Lightning is totally knacked from what I could see. Spent half an hour probing round it (couldn't see high enough into the Vulc...!) Looks like some murderer took an angle grinder to the Lightning to make sure it'd never fly again.
TVOC can have my fiver for sure.
Aq
(Edited to correct typo)
[This message has been edited by AquaPlane (edited 16 October 2000).]
Saw the Vulc at Carlisle. Looks lovely, but still corroded. Their Lightning is totally knacked from what I could see. Spent half an hour probing round it (couldn't see high enough into the Vulc...!) Looks like some murderer took an angle grinder to the Lightning to make sure it'd never fly again.
TVOC can have my fiver for sure.
Aq
(Edited to correct typo)
[This message has been edited by AquaPlane (edited 16 October 2000).]
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Lets leave the past in the past.
Keep that wonderful aircraft on the ground where it belongs. Putting a jet like that back in the air is asking for trouble and I for one would not like it flying over my head or house. Can it really be operated safely, I think not!
Keep that wonderful aircraft on the ground where it belongs. Putting a jet like that back in the air is asking for trouble and I for one would not like it flying over my head or house. Can it really be operated safely, I think not!
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Being the webmaster for both the TVOC and Vulcan 558 Club sites I thought I'd better add my quid's worth.
Official sites are www.tvoc.co.uk and www.vulcan558club.co.uk
The TVOC site has the address and tel. no.s for sending donations but it would be best to give them a call to find out who to make cheques out to as the Vulcan Restoration Trust at Southend will be taking the money, they are a registered charity and can claim the tax back. Online credit card donations are in the pipeline.
A few places to get inside a Vulcs cockpit are as follows:
Jet Age Museum, Staverton, Glos, they have a nose section which you can climb in.
Newark Air Museum, Notts?, complete airframe and they occasionally run up the APU.
Southend Airport, the Vulcan Restoration Trust's Vulc has open days during the year where cockpit visits are possible. For dates go to www.xl426.com
Another worthy cause is the Comet 'Canopus' at Bruntingthorpe, they were supposed to fly it to Lasham this month but as Frank Spencer would say "they are having a bit of trouble", with the CAA so the flight wont take place until next year.
For those who have never experienced a Vulcan in flight I feel sorry for you. First time I saw it in action was at an airshow at North Weald. I was standing about half way down the runway, the Vulcan was lined up, the engines wound up to an amazing howl, the brakes released and it came thundering down the runway. It took off with the characteristic steep climb and the noise made your whole body vibrate. Its whole display stays virtually within the airfield boundary, no other aircraft has given so much pleasure to airshow crowds.
I've been doing an 'Airshow Awards' feature on my own website (www.airshows.co.uk) throughout the summer and in the most missed display category the Vulcan takes up at least 50% of the nominations. It needs to be flown!
Official sites are www.tvoc.co.uk and www.vulcan558club.co.uk
The TVOC site has the address and tel. no.s for sending donations but it would be best to give them a call to find out who to make cheques out to as the Vulcan Restoration Trust at Southend will be taking the money, they are a registered charity and can claim the tax back. Online credit card donations are in the pipeline.
A few places to get inside a Vulcs cockpit are as follows:
Jet Age Museum, Staverton, Glos, they have a nose section which you can climb in.
Newark Air Museum, Notts?, complete airframe and they occasionally run up the APU.
Southend Airport, the Vulcan Restoration Trust's Vulc has open days during the year where cockpit visits are possible. For dates go to www.xl426.com
Another worthy cause is the Comet 'Canopus' at Bruntingthorpe, they were supposed to fly it to Lasham this month but as Frank Spencer would say "they are having a bit of trouble", with the CAA so the flight wont take place until next year.
For those who have never experienced a Vulcan in flight I feel sorry for you. First time I saw it in action was at an airshow at North Weald. I was standing about half way down the runway, the Vulcan was lined up, the engines wound up to an amazing howl, the brakes released and it came thundering down the runway. It took off with the characteristic steep climb and the noise made your whole body vibrate. Its whole display stays virtually within the airfield boundary, no other aircraft has given so much pleasure to airshow crowds.
I've been doing an 'Airshow Awards' feature on my own website (www.airshows.co.uk) throughout the summer and in the most missed display category the Vulcan takes up at least 50% of the nominations. It needs to be flown!
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I'm with you waco. It sometimes seems to me that we are asking too much of our vintage fleet. Heaven forbid, but it would only take one horrific accident involving a heavy aircraft to throw the whole warbird movement into question. I have the utmost respect for those who restore and operate old aircraft, but aged designs are one problem, and the temptation to push the envelope just a little too far is te other.
I used to admire the Vulcan too, but it is just too big and too complex to be operated privately.
I used to admire the Vulcan too, but it is just too big and too complex to be operated privately.
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You use the word "privately" in a pejorative sense. If you had met the TVOC crowd, they are professional rather than private. They have a lot of backing from BAe; the designated skipper is the captain of the BoB Lancaster, and that is only his weekend job. They deserve support.
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I too would love to see a Vulcan flying again after an experience in the early 80's.
I was sitting on a farmers fence at the end of the runway at Yeovilton during the airshow. A Vulcan came in for landing, must have been no more than 60ft above me, the vibration knocked me off the fence, face down into a cow pat
I was sitting on a farmers fence at the end of the runway at Yeovilton during the airshow. A Vulcan came in for landing, must have been no more than 60ft above me, the vibration knocked me off the fence, face down into a cow pat
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Waco / Raptor:
Understandably there might be some concerns (as with all flight matters) but I'd say that if they get 558 airborne again they would more likely treat it with kid gloves than push it to its limits.
In terms of risk, how much time will it actually be in the air per year? The risk must be a blummin' lot lower than having say a Malaysian 747 running on empty flying over London every day (OK I'm exaggerating here but you know what I mean).
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"If I press this button do the wings fall off?"
Understandably there might be some concerns (as with all flight matters) but I'd say that if they get 558 airborne again they would more likely treat it with kid gloves than push it to its limits.
In terms of risk, how much time will it actually be in the air per year? The risk must be a blummin' lot lower than having say a Malaysian 747 running on empty flying over London every day (OK I'm exaggerating here but you know what I mean).
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"If I press this button do the wings fall off?"
Well said waco. In a previous life I can remember how difficult it was to keep them flying even when we had hangars full of spares and barrack blocks full of well trained technicians, we've been shaving with all the others for nearly 20 years.
be careful out there.
be careful out there.
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PA38
I have lived! And have been 'living' since I was 9 when the family went for a walk up Dunkery Beacon in Somerset and a low flying Vulcan went right over top of us. The image of that great big delta wing right overhead is an enduring childhood memory, and until my eyes let me down I wanted to join the RAF and fly one.
ES
I have lived! And have been 'living' since I was 9 when the family went for a walk up Dunkery Beacon in Somerset and a low flying Vulcan went right over top of us. The image of that great big delta wing right overhead is an enduring childhood memory, and until my eyes let me down
I wanted to join the RAF and fly one.ES
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When I think of how many of us it took, and how hard we worked, to keep them airborne when they were the "V" Force with absolutely top priority on spares (anyone remember 'VOG' which trumped 'AOG'?) I really don't think that one and half million pounds is realistic. That may get the majestic old beast airborne again but for how long? Let the old girl rest in peace. She's earned it!
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Through difficulties to the cinema
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Through difficulties to the cinema
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The Vulcan was a joy to fly but it's over now.It is a very complex and ageing aircraft. I agree that it should be kept in flyable condition, but not flown. Let's remember that in its day it bit quite a few people and they were all current on it. I do not know what the quals of the current BoB Flt Lanc pilot are but I am afraid that I don't see Lanc currency as relevant and anyway who will the co-pilot be and just as importantly who will act as AEO? You can't operate 10P from the front (ex Vulcan mates will understand that one).
It was great jet and I admit that I have stood under the one at Duxford and whispered "One more time, just once more, please" But, it's over, let's let it be.
It was great jet and I admit that I have stood under the one at Duxford and whispered "One more time, just once more, please" But, it's over, let's let it be.
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If that is the case: that they bit back so-to-speak, and now more so (no doubt), then so be it.
I didn't know that it was one of those 'tricky' machines. My respect to those in the know.
£1.5m is very small when you look at some of the things that Camelot spend dosh on isn't it though?
Still, if it's going to be a hazard then I'll be very happy to stick to the childhood memories. RIP V.
But I'll never give up.
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And up we go!
I didn't know that it was one of those 'tricky' machines. My respect to those in the know.
£1.5m is very small when you look at some of the things that Camelot spend dosh on isn't it though?
Still, if it's going to be a hazard then I'll be very happy to stick to the childhood memories. RIP V.
But I'll never give up.
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And up we go!