Avro 698 Vulcan

Terry Steen, e-mail, 13.03.2018 00:16 After leaving the RAF in 1958 I found employment at A.V.Roe, Woodford Vulcan assembly, the first being Mk 1 Air Brake installations and later transfered to Night shift working on Main Gear Bay roof skinning and the Binocular ( Jet pipe end ) skinning and join up to the wing. The Vulcan structure was massively strong and designed for great bomb load capacity and flight performance. Later the assembly line became all Mk 2 aircraft some 89 were completed from 1959 to 1965. reply

Daniel Meakin, e-mail, 27.06.2015 09:50 The Avro 698 Vulcan is the nicest aircraft ever! Sorry to see it go too. reply

Daniel Meakin, e-mail, 26.06.2015 10:40 Can I say that the Avro 698 Vulcab is a fantastic Aircraft reply

Don Bramwell, e-mail, 25.06.2015 20:10 Living close to Woodford at the time, I saw the 1st test flight in 1952. Something dropped off the airframe and a Meteor T7( I think ) flew beneath it presumably to have a check. I was at Farnborough in 1953 when it flew in formation with the 707s. I hope to make it to Woodford tomorrow to see the last flight. How sad. reply

Brian Lee, e-mail, 02.02.2015 14:16 I worked in the Instrument Bay at RAF Scampton from Jan 1966 to Jan 1968. I worked on the General Instrument systems, oxygen equipment and some safety equipment. As part of my duties I was occasionally part of the QRA servicing team preparing the Vulcan B2s in case hostilities kicked off. Went off to other postings and aircraft until 1971 when I was posted to Offutt AFB, Nebraska, USA. This time carrying out 1st line servicing and rectification on the Vulcans and other Royal Air Force aircraft that visited the base. The Vulcans were there to take part in Oilburner Exercises on the Nevada electronic bombing ranges. There is no doubt that during the period I was at Offutt that the highlight of the Offutt Open Day each year was the Vulcan Display, I remember hearing one USAF serviceman say "Look at that SOB go"!! I reckon he got that right. It is good to know that so many people have such good memories of a great aircraft. reply

Les Aylott, e-mail, 23.09.2014 18:50 I think it is about time I added my opinion of this quite outstanding aircraft. I had been instructing at London UAS on the Chipmunk when I was posted to the Vulcan OCU as a student at RAF Finningley. I remember walking around to do the external checks with Wally George before my first flight. I Thought at the time that such a large aircraft at least would not be very difficult to keep up with during the take off. That was my first mistake. Wally in his usual manner,having got me to do all the checks for start up and and made me taxy the aircraft to the runway threshold said that having got that far, that I might as well do the first take-off! I lined up and opened up to 70% power as I was told and set off. I could not believe the acceleration from an aircraft of that size, and the unstick was more like a jump off the ground at the training fuel weight. My next shock was when I was told to turn for the climbing lane and the aircraft response to the flying controls was so positive and the controls so easy to use. That was when I instantly fell in love with the aircraft, a feeling which never changed during the years when I flew it. It was a revelation to fly it at low level for the first time. It felt like a much smaller aircraft and the manoeuverabiliy was quite amazing, so easy to fly down the valleys etc. It was a machine that I actively looked forward to flying every time. Nothing is perfect of course and there were shortcomings in the visibility at low level and the slight restriction looking through the windscreen because of the gold film screening. It was something that we got used to though. I found that I very much enjoyed flying with a crew as well. I was very lucky in that I had two very good crews during my flying tours, they were all particularly good from the operating point of view and it was always an absolute pleasure to fly with them. They all worked hard to achieve the best possible operational abilities. I was lucky enough to be allowed to do air displays which I did for quite some time. The Vulcan handled in an exceptional manner for such a large machine and it was quite something to look forward to when flying at a display. One could perform quite impressive manoeuvers for an aircraft of that size. The flying controls were light enough and also very effective. The aircraft felt surprisingly aerobatic but being pretty large it would not be difficu8lt to get into a ticklish situation if flown without sensible care. We were forbidden to roll it which was a wise restriction. Even though it would have been an easy manoeuver it would be only too easy to get into a nose low attitude during recovery and to find that the aircraft would be very difficult to recover to level flight. It would have been only too easy to overstress it. There was plenty of latitude during a display to impress with the ability of such a large aircraft to whirl around the sky without danger and a steep wingover to the inverted at the top was always good to see as long as care was taken during the approach to the recovery mode. I have been lucky enough to fly quite a large number of different aircraft of all types but the Vulcan still leaves me with the most unforgettable memory of one of the most impressive all round aircraft to fly. I miss it a great deal and regularly think about it and how wonderful it would be do another display followed by a series of roller landings even if it did drive the rest of the crew crackers! Les Aylott reply

George Haloulakos, CFA, e-mail, 25.06.2014 21:01 The quintessential Cold War bomber that excelled in the RED FLAG war game exercises between USAF and RAF strategic aircraft. The strategy and tactics used by the Vulcan to help win the Falkland Islands War is discussed in chapter 5 of my new book. Here is the info.: HIGH FLIGHT Aviation as a Teaching Tool for Finance, Strategy and American Exceptionalism By George A. Haloulakos, MBA, CFA ISBN: 9780-1007-2738-0 Order your copy online at: ucsandiegobookstore.com Or by phone: 858-534-4557 "Partial proceeds support aviation heritage" reply

Redherringz, e-mail, 27.01.2014 16:00 I used to knock off school to watch the Vulcan Concorde engine testbed fly over then head (I assume)for the Bristol channel. The engine made a noise like frying bacon as it started to accelerate away. reply

Ron, e-mail, 06.12.2013 18:14 Circa 1962 a Vulcan was being used as a flying test bed for the Bristol 593 engine (Concord), at the Filton /Patchway facitity. We watched from our office building after the test engine exploded rupturing a fuel tank resulting in the aircraft being destroyed by the fuel fire. One of the fire engines parked on the down slope where the fuel had leaked resulting in it also being engulfed in fire. reply

carl mann, e-mail, 13.09.2013 17:50 22 years 1956 78 avionics technician R.A.F. "many" hour spent on Vulcans 12 Sqd including flying Involved when "V" force went low level "Gary Powers" Flying at LOW level experience never to be foregotten reply

mike slingo, e-mail, 15.02.2013 08:01 I saw this aircraft taking off from an airfield in Lincolnshire when I was I young lad.it has stayed in my memory ever since. WOW I was with my dad picking up my future brother inlaw could not have impressed a young lad any better. Also only combat was in the Falklands they bombed the airfield, only one hit but that was enough to do the job. reply

James Snyder, e-mail, 10.01.2013 01:32 One of the most outstanding memories of my AF career was getting a tour of the interior of one of these great aircraft while TDY to Goose Bay Canada in the early 1980s. reply

James Snyder, e-mail, 10.01.2013 01:32 One of the most outstanding memories of my AF career was getting a tour of the interior of one of these great aircraft while TDY to Goose Bay Canada in the early 1980s. reply

tim, 03.12.2012 21:41 Vulcan xh558 is based at doncaster airport uk,£35 gets you a v.i.p tour of the aircraft..... reply

Reg Lamb, e-mail, 02.12.2012 13:17 I stood under these wonderfull aircraft at Waddington in 1964. Although at the time they were not my faverite but now I think that they and the only one left flying is the most iconic aircraft going. reply

Philip Oliver, e-mail, 22.04.2012 17:48 As a cadet in 1962 at Coningsby I was camped near the runway where they had practice alerts night and day,left a big impression.Granada tv did a documentary which went out on national TV,Does anyone know anything about this. reply

DWWhalen, e-mail, 21.03.2012 00:34 In the early 80s my pilot, Bernie Smith, and I (RSO /Nav) flew our SR-71 home from Andrews AFB after the annual "Open House". Another crew flew it in. The RAF was there with their spectacular Vulcan. I recall watching in dumbstruck awe as it took off and flew what we'd call a "low show". The performance was magnificent! The SR is normally quite the crowd pleaser, but while the Vulcan performed nobody, including us, payed any attention to our jet. The Vulcan crew could not buy a drink that evening in the club. Might be the most gorgeous aircraft ever to fly?! reply

Dave Hutchinson, e-mail, 19.11.2011 19:49 In 1965 we took Vulcans on detatchment From Scampton to Lossiemouth & Kinloss, sometimes on excercise and sometimes scrambled in panic when Fylingdales malfunctioned. MAGNIFICENT does not exagerate, UNBEATABLE at the time. reply

Ian, e-mail, 29.09.2011 19:25 I fondly remember sitting up in the cockpit of at St. Athan on the open day back in the late '70's. The guy inside was very informative & told us that the 3 crew not in the cockpit didn't have ejection seats & escaped thru a floor hatch, the one we used to enter, which was situated in front of the nosewheel. also that this hatch would not open unless the landing gear was down! Is this true or was he pulling my leg? reply

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