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| The first jet bomber to employ the delta-wing configuration. The original Avro 698 Vulcan prototype was developed to Air Ministry Specification B.35/46, issued on 1 January 1947, flying for the first time on 30 August 1952. It was then fitted with four Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets, but was later re-engined with Bristol Siddeley Sapphires and subsequently Rolls-Royce Conways.
A second prototype powered by four Bristol Siddeley Olympus 100 - with a slightly longer fuselage to eliminate the need for shortening the nose-wheel leg during retraction - made its first flight on 3 September 1953. It was later fitted with wings having a redesigned leading edge with compound sweepback and it made its first flight in this form on 5 October 1955. On 31 August 1957 it began flight testing the larger wing of the Vulcan B.2.
All production Vulcans were fitted with wings having the revised leading-edge configuration and two main versions were produced. The first production version was the Vulcan B.1, powered by Olympus Mk 101 or Olympus Mk 102 engines. All of these engines were converted later to Olympus Mk 104 standard. Planned re-equipment of three Bomber Command squadrons of the RAF with this version was completed in 1960. The B.1A version was given electronics in a bulged tail-cone, like the B.2. A total of 45 B.1/1A were built. The B.2 was a developed version with Olympus Mk 201 or 301 engines, wing of increased span (with elevon controls) and the ability to carry the Blue Steel stand-off nuclear bomb. The first production B.2 flew on 30 August 1958. Production was completed in 1964.
| CREW | 5 |
| ENGINE | 4 x BS/RR "Olympus 301", 89.0kN |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 91000 kg | 200622 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 33.8 m | 111 ft 11 in |
| Length | 30.5 m | 100 ft 1 in |
| Height | 8.3 m | 27 ft 3 in |
| Wing area | 368.3 m2 | 3964.34 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Ceiling | 18300 m | 60050 ft |
| Range w/max.fuel | 6400 km | 3977 miles |
| ARMAMENT | one guided missile or bombs |
 | A three-view drawing (690 x 548) |
| roger cooper, e-mail, 27.08.2011 21:43 Les Aylott your co-pilot of 1977 -1980 has been trying to find you for 30 years. You made me love flying the Vulcan and taught me more about flying than anyone else. Hence I spent 16 years as a QFI. I remember many things - F101 Voodoos, Mad Dog, Filey RNLI post card for display centre, Red Flag etc etc
Please get in touch reply | | roger cooper, e-mail, 27.08.2011 21:31 For kevin you did see a Vulcan display at Cleveland in 1979. I was the co-pilot with Les Aylott as the Captain. We were doing both Cleveland and Toronto. As I remember one day at Cleveland the weather was awful with ultra low cloud and very poor visibility.Les managed to provide an ad hoc 5 minute display -what a pilot.Les get in touch!! reply | | Dave Langcake, e-mail, 13.06.2011 02:43 The B2's ceiling was never revealed publically but I can remember working a Vulcan B2,(Flight Watch) at FEAFOC in Singapore back in 1970 with the Pilot passing a Schedule report inflight with a FL720, That would be 72,000ft,it makes you dizzy just thinking about it, Beautiful Aircraft had 2 tours at RAF Scampton with three Vulcan Squadrons 27sqn, 83sqn and of course 617sqn, only 17yrs old it was fantastic. reply | | Kevin Morrow, e-mail, 17.04.2011 15:15 Where is she now the XH558 at RAF Brize Norton... reply | |
| | Dennis Osborne, e-mail, 11.04.2011 13:57 I recall 3 vulcans practising very low formation flying for an Air Show at RNZAF Ohakea in the Nth Island, New Zealand. A
most wonderful sight. BUT tell me, I have read that the max
operating altitude of this aircraft ranged from 55,000 to 75,000 feet. Surely after all this time an actual max altitude should be available for public consumption. ?? reply | | Will Farrugia, e-mail, 28.03.2011 19:13 My dad was a Navigator in the Vulcan with the RAF;. I still have his fying jacket. Seved his country well as did the Vulcan. RIP Dad. reply | | Kevin, e-mail, 27.03.2011 04:42 I remember the only time I got to see this remarkable aircraft. One performed a flyover at the Cleveland Air Show here in the states back in, I believe, 1979. I would have been 9 at the time and have had fond memories of seeing the Vulcan ever since. reply | | Barry, 19.01.2011 13:36 This was a remarkable aircraft. Designed and built in the 1950's along with the other two "V" bombers the Vickers Valiant and the Handley Page Victor they were the longest serving of all them and as noted elsewhere were not used in anger untill near the end of their carreer, in the now famous Black Buck missions over the Falklands noted elsewhere. It is all the more noteworthy to think that Britain was able to produce three different aircraft to do effectively do the same job, it would be impossible to produce just one now.
In the early sixties the RAF used Vulcans, three from the north and three from the south, to penetrate the North American Defense System (NORAD)which came as a great shock to the Americans and Canadians. Late in their life they were still capable of out turning F15's and F16's.
Christian the B2 /SR2 was capable of 640mph (Mach 0.94) with a service ceiling of 65000 ft and arange of 4500 miles. reply | | Christian, e-mail, 16.01.2011 19:31 An amazing aircraft. Could you please tell me how fast it was? reply | | Les Aylott, e-mail, 06.01.2011 18:23 I flew the Vulcan for some eleven years from 1969 to 1980 with a short break on the Canberra OCU in the middle of that time. I did some 100 displays worldwide and it was always a very popular machine with the spectators. I took part in the USA bombing competitions and the Red Flag exercises. It was by far my favourite aircraft in nearly 38 years flying. The performance was amazing for its size, it was reckoned to be the best "hooligan's" aircraft going! reply |
| ROBERT SYMONS, e-mail, 09.12.2010 12:29 The only station I served on with the Vulcan was Boscombe Down. What a lovely aircraft to watch. There is an ex RAF navigator living in Cape Town, and he told me of the time he was detached with his Shackleton to the USA. He saw all the American servicemen running, and on equiring what was going on, was told "The Vulcan's about to take off". The Vulcans would have a light fuel load which allowed them to virtually do a virtical climb after take off. This was just to impress their hosts. reply |
| Bert Haile, e-mail, 08.12.2010 14:43 I will allways remember the Vulcan as it flew over us on its bombing run before it dropped the H bomb, south of Christmas island what a sight,does any one remember it,I was with 12 IND,FLD,SQN,Royal Engineers. reply | | Guillo Ambrogini, e-mail, 18.11.2010 21:19 The Vulcan's most well-known operation in the RAF, were the 8,000 mile bombing trips against the Argentine held Falkland Islands in 1982. These were the Black Buck missions. Some Vulcans were equipped with wings pylons to carry the American supplied Shrike anti-radar missile, and plans for the aircraft to carry the Skybolt were abandoned. The last Vulcan was retired from service in March 1984. reply | | Trevor Barlow, e-mail, 14.11.2010 20:26 I had the great privilege of working on these a /c during my RAF career both the Mk1a and Mk 2 at RAF Waddington (1963-1968)and towards the end of my RAF carreer at RAF Scampton on 617 Squadron(1972-1974).
I would like to correct to observation of the Vulcan at the Farnborough Airshow that made to vertical climb(John Hancock), this test bed was for the Olympus engine version(with full afterburner) to be used on the illfated TSR2 low level bomber. Beleive this test a /c suffered a engine fire and was burnt out after the TSR2 programme was cancelled. reply | |
| | Mike Hodges, e-mail, 07.11.2010 11:43 I worked with Australia's Dept Civil Aviation Comm Centre at Cocos Island Indian Ocean in 1965-1966 and saw several types of RAF acft incl Shackleton, Bristol Freighter, Comet, Hastings, Argosy, Britannia but none aroused more interest on the island than the Vulcan.If I remember correctly, they were enroute to Salisbury in South Aust at the time Britain was using the Weapons Research Area at Maralinga. For some reason, the pilots usually requested a
"quick turnaround"; Qantas had it down to abt 20 mins reply | | Michael Donovan, e-mail, 31.10.2010 03:23 I saw my first Vulcan in 1964 in Iceland. I have some great memories of it as it took off. It was a fascinating aircraft with a great history. reply | | Jack Henley, 24.10.2010 23:25 I worked on the first B1 Vulcans on 230 OCU at RAF Waddington in 1956. We had four aircraft. Then when the B2s came in 1959 we did intensive flying trials on these four aircraft, with diversion to Idris Lybia, if we could not land back in the UK. Happy days, and a great aircraft to work with. reply | | J.B.Parkinson, e-mail, 14.10.2010 20:44 As a young boy and cub scout aged about 9 in the early /mid 50's I remember going to camp at a place called Pott Shrigley, Cheshire (next to Woodford).
The leader asked everyone to race to the top of a nearby hill and as we approached the top there could be heard this huge crackling roar.
Everyone stopped and looked at each other and then ran with childish fascination and intrigue the short distance to the top of the hill.
Exactly as we made the top, this huge bat-like being from hell, screaming and wailing passed closely (well it seemed so at the time) over our heads. This was followed by the most horrendous ground shaking, ear splitting roar.
Everyone hit the deck in abject fear.
On looking out from the top of the hill we could see we were at the end of the test runway of A.V.Roe, Woodford.
Luckily I've retained my hearing and been a great fan of Vulcans ever since and delighted to see the XH558 (correct me I am wrong) for the last two years at the Bournemouth Air Show. reply | | Geoff Meggs, e-mail, 24.09.2010 22:00 I last flew the Vulcan in 1976. There is one still flying, XH558, but only as long as the public support it...Help... reply | | R Jackson, e-mail, 25.06.2010 15:54 1st proto VX770 did `fly-past's` at Farmborough 1952 - shortly after it's maiden flight. I worked at AVRO Woodford 1952-65, initially on final assy of Mk1 XA889 to XA 892, then ar Experimental where I worked on the two proto's VX770 & VX777, and later `Development' a /c as they were passed to us. One night in the early 60s, 6 0f us i.e 4 fitters, 1 inspector, and the Bristol rep, removed all 4 engines, fitted replacements, and had the aircraft ready for engine run by 7.00am the next morning, - I have often wondered if this was ever beaten. I was fortunate in 2005 while visiting UK, to be able to once again climb up into the cockpit, and sit in the LH seat of XM603 at Woodford.
So Many memories of my Vulcan days. reply |
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ROBERT SYMONS
Hi Les,
I’m not even sure if this email address is still in use. I used to come along with my dad Bruce to watch you motor racing in the 70’s and have many fond memories of travelling in the old Leyland Tiger Cub (OWP 3)
My dad is still with us and was wondering what happened to yourself after the motor racing days?
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