Potentially controversial - Is the Vulcan REALLY that noisy?
Discussion
Dr JonboyG said:
Ayahuasca said:
I believe the SR71 could annoy the neighbours a bit.
One took off at Farnborough in 87 or 89; it's still the loudest thing I've ever heard (including a space shuttle take off 3 miles away and a grid full of F1 cars when they still had big engines).Oddly I dont remember the sound being that special. I do remember the clearly visible diamond patterns while reheat was on, sadly the pictures i took don't show them as clearly as I remember.
When asked I always say the Lightning doing a vertical ascent at Woodford was the loudest, but remember as a much younger boy holding my hands over my ears as I looked up to see the Vulcan fly overhead.
The Saab Viggen, however, wasn't overly loud but remember the sound used to resonate with my chest - I can still remember the feeling now.
The Saab Viggen, however, wasn't overly loud but remember the sound used to resonate with my chest - I can still remember the feeling now.
mebe said:
My memory says 87 - was looking at the photos I took not that long ago.
Oddly I dont remember the sound being that special. I do remember the clearly visible diamond patterns while reheat was on, sadly the pictures i took don't show them as clearly as I remember.
It can't have been 1987 because there was no Farnborough Air Show that year. They are only held every second year - and only on even years. You are probably remembering Farnborough 1986. The SR71 also appeared at Farnborough 1974.Oddly I dont remember the sound being that special. I do remember the clearly visible diamond patterns while reheat was on, sadly the pictures i took don't show them as clearly as I remember.
Eric Mc said:
Did you get wet? It was one of the wettest Farnborough Air Shows ever. Even the Basingstoke Canal burst its banks and flooded one end of the main runway.
I don't recall it being wet, but do remember the C5 (I think you could walk thru it end to end) and I came home with a signed info sheet from the SR71 pilots.I remember seeing a Vulcan at RAF St. Athan when I was a kid. It was wheeling around above us at what seemed like impossibly low speeds for such a large aircraft and it still stands out in my mind as one of, if not the, the loudest things I've ever heard in my life.
I was once "buzzed" by a pair of Jaguars while on top of a mountain in mid-Wales at a ridiculously low height. Certainly under 100ft. They were loud but I think the Vulcan still pips it.
I was once "buzzed" by a pair of Jaguars while on top of a mountain in mid-Wales at a ridiculously low height. Certainly under 100ft. They were loud but I think the Vulcan still pips it.
Eric Mc said:
mebe said:
My memory says 87 - was looking at the photos I took not that long ago.
Oddly I dont remember the sound being that special. I do remember the clearly visible diamond patterns while reheat was on, sadly the pictures i took don't show them as clearly as I remember.
It can't have been 1987 because there was no Farnborough Air Show that year. They are only held every second year - and only on even years. You are probably remembering Farnborough 1986. The SR71 also appeared at Farnborough 1974.Oddly I dont remember the sound being that special. I do remember the clearly visible diamond patterns while reheat was on, sadly the pictures i took don't show them as clearly as I remember.
Was definitely the star of the day for me, such a menacing, almost otherwordly, presence.
SAAB Viggen for a single engine aircraft makes a proper racket.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_sk6lgNEUk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_sk6lgNEUk
During the last Vulcan display at Finningley Air Show, she came over the Harvey Arms at about 75 feet ... shook the pub to bits ... we even stopped playing cards and went outside to see what it was although we had already guessed 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGYSTacyIVE
Video added (not mine)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGYSTacyIVE
Video added (not mine)
Edited by ATTAK Z on Saturday 17th October 13:04
LittleEnus said:
DamienB said:
1. Turn volume on PC to absolute maximum
2. Warn neighbours
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djd1pPQZ_LE
Wowsers!! Thanks for that!2. Warn neighbours
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djd1pPQZ_LE
The thing about the Vulcan isn't about outright decibels. Hearing Eurofighters is like being at a Slayer concert - but the Vulcan is a cathedral organ at full chat. It's the sheer massive volume of sound that gets you. It comes in behind you really quietly, then you hear this ominous crescendo and then the howl kicks in, THEN the back end hits you - it doesn't merely assault your ears, it whacks you in the ribs and stomach, then shakes the ground under your feet. It resonates for miles around.
RoverP6B said:
The thing about the Vulcan isn't about outright decibels. Hearing Eurofighters is like being at a Slayer concert - but the Vulcan is a cathedral organ at full chat. It's the sheer massive volume of sound that gets you. It comes in behind you really quietly, then you hear this ominous crescendo and then the howl kicks in, THEN the back end hits you - it doesn't merely assault your ears, it whacks you in the ribs and stomach, then shakes the ground under your feet. It resonates for miles around.
Yup, I'd go along with that. I'm the OP, and I probably should have made more noise (geddit?) that I felt the Vulcan was one of the best sounding aircraft, irrelevant of any measurements dB wise! I also love the almost shriek-like sound the Hunters make.Neonblau said:
For me whilst the Vulcan sounds impressive there is absolutely nothing that can beat a Starfighter howl.
I remember seeing a pair - Norwegian or Danish - at Prestwick Airshow in the mid 70s. There is nothing else like it.
It is very distinctive - I remember hearing them whilst at Coningsby during one Exercise "Elder Forrest" in the 70's - they came over head and seemed to be coming off the throttle - almost like an animal in pain. I remember seeing a pair - Norwegian or Danish - at Prestwick Airshow in the mid 70s. There is nothing else like it.
The Dutch, German, Belgian, Norwegian, Danish and Greek one's I saw over the years all did it but the Italian one's never seemed to.
I remember being able to buy a book which had a CD attached with all the engine sounds on ( this was after I hung up my spotting scope and log book - so I could never justify the purchase
)Not sure I ever saw Starfighters, and based on their reputation I probably don't want to! There's an old joke in Germany: "How do I get hold of a Starfighter?". "Buy a field, and wait". I do remember Lightnings and Phantoms at Leuchars, though - the former really were something else, coming down the crowdline in absolute silence and at unimaginable speed, the noise following a few seconds later and threatening to tear a hole in the space-time continuum...
RoverP6B said:
Not sure I ever saw Starfighters, and based on their reputation I probably don't want to! There's an old joke in Germany: "How do I get hold of a Starfighter?". "Buy a field, and wait". I do remember Lightnings and Phantoms at Leuchars, though - the former really were something else, coming down the crowdline in absolute silence and at unimaginable speed, the noise following a few seconds later and threatening to tear a hole in the space-time continuum...
I saw over 150+ at various times and I only knew of four of those subsequently crashing ( bird strike / engine failure / mid air collision ) - I remember a lot of the early German losses was down to the fact that trained their pilots in Nevada in very sunny climes and the losses were attributed to poor European Weather and it certainly improved in the latter stage of it's service life.Neonblau said:
For me whilst the Vulcan sounds impressive there is absolutely nothing that can beat a Starfighter howl.
I remember seeing a pair - Norwegian or Danish - at Prestwick Airshow in the mid 70s. There is nothing else like it.
Goes off to Youtube. Again. Is it any wonder my work rate is so low! I remember seeing a pair - Norwegian or Danish - at Prestwick Airshow in the mid 70s. There is nothing else like it.
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