We were interested to hear from Paul Johnson of the campaigning Friends of the Line railway group that the surviving Vulcan bomber, based near Doncaster, followed part of the route of the Brigg Line (Gainsborough and Northorpe) during one of its recent farewell flights.
Brigg Blog is strictly non-political, but we can't be the only ones to think it disgraceful that the Government has not stepped in with wads of cash to ensure this historic plane is kept in full working order.
We all love to see the WW2 Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane and Dakota of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, based in Lincolnshire, flying over the Brigg area. It would be good if a Vulcan could be added.
Built to a 1950s design, Vulcans did very important post-war work for decades.
We'd be just as critical if another party was in power at Westminster, and we don't see this as a political issue. But surely this historic bomber of the Cold War period needs to be kept flying - for the nation. Whatever it costs. The Vulcan is a very important part of our heritage.
Being pedantic, Nige....the Vulcan design specification goes back to 1946/47....
ReplyDeleteAvro evolved the Vulcan from Air Ministry specifications that requested a delta-wing bomber capable of high altitude and being able to carry a nuclear weapon.
The Avro 707 and Avro 710 flew at the Farnborough in about 1953.....and the Vulcan Mk 1 first entered RAF service circa 1956...
By about 1960, the Vulcan Mk2 with its new wing design entered production.
UP to this time, the Vulcan relied on its high altitude ceiling as it principle defence.......it was assumed the it could out-fly fighter aircraft and Soviet SAM missiles....
However, the Gary Powers episode in the early 1960's when the USA's high-altitude U2 spy plane was shot down over the USSR, meant that the 'V' force - Valiant, Vulcan and Victor were given the role of low-level (below radar detection) nuclear bombers.
The Valiant was retired in circa 1964 when its wing spar was found to be suffering from metal fatigued......
After the RN assumed the UK's nuclear deterrent with submarine Polaris missiles, the Victor was given a different role.....in-flight refuelling.
Of the 3 'V' bombers, the Vulcan remained in active service until 1984.
I recall 3 Vulcan crashes.....one crashed at RAF Waddington when the crew bailed out..circa 1963...one RAF Waddington's a/c crashed in the Brecon Beacons in 1964.......all killed......while in about 1965, one Vulcan crashed on landing at Scampton......one report indicates it skidded towards the Air Traffic Control tower, outside which a guy was sitting on the toilet.....the wing sliced off the toilet roof while the ablution guy reported that there was a loud bang and when he looked up there was a giant RAF roundel above his head.......
The episode hit the press....not so much about the crash, but the wreckage landed on lots of private cars near the ATC tower......and insurance companies were refusing to compensate using the exemption clause about acts of war and etc...
it isn't cash there short on but skill's,they have implemented a training program so watch this space
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Pete.....
ReplyDeleteThe Civil Aviation Authority - CAA- classify vintage aircraft into 3 categories with regard to maintenance needs.
The single-engined Spitfire is regarded as simple....something like a Hunter/Lightning etc as medium, while the large multi-engined Vulcan as complex...Although its airframe is from the 50's technology, sub-systems are comparative very advanced and require regular and complex checks.
Those who worked on the Vulcan in the RAF are now ageing and well-dispersed about the UK, so there's no
central pool of experts, however keen volunteers are, to call upon.
Unlike the aircraft of the BofB Memorial Flight in which RAF personnel maintain the aeroplanes...the maintenance costs come out of the overall defence budget....and facilities ie hangaring...specialist tools/equipment can be usually found on an RAF station, or within the RAF as an organisation, the Vulcan preservation group rely on charity funding.