RE: Vulcan to be grounded

[Globs]

Cobnapint said:

Ali Chappussy said:

Globs said:

Such a shame, we (are forced to) pay £50m a day to the EU and yet we have this wonderful 'plane grounded due to lack of funds.

Something is very wrong with the political class in the Uk.

WTF are you on?

Yes, I agree we give far too much away to the EU and other sponging countries but why should any of that money go towards the Vulcan?

Erm...because we love it and its ours...?

And pussy, don't mind if I call you pussy do you, a great deal of public money is spent on preserving english heritage - perhaps you hadn't noticed?

[NDT]

Cobnapint said:

Erm...because we love it and its ours...?

In that case we (the enthusiasts) should pay for it.
If we can't or won't then it should be grounded.
There's no case for governmental support. The Vulcan isn't symbolic in the way that the BBMF is.

[b14]

NDT said:

In that case we (the enthusiasts) should pay for it.
If we can't or won't then it should be grounded.
There's no case for governmental support. The Vulcan isn't symbolic in the way that the BBMF is.

I agree. The Vulcan is an incredible sight and a great British engineering feat, but doesn't symbolise anything (primarily because, apart from the Black Buck missions, it never really did anything). The BBMF on the other hand, it's symbolism is pretty obvious and very important to the history of this country.

[Kitchski]

b14 said:

I agree. The Vulcan is an incredible sight and a great British engineering feat, but doesn't symbolise anything (primarily because, apart from the Black Buck missions, it never really did anything).

I think there are probably quite a few ex-V Bomber crews who'd like to debate that one with you. Probably the ones who used to sit at the start of the runway having been scrambled, engines running, hearts racing, emotions running into overload, waiting for the signal to get off the ground as quickly as possible.

It was because of the Vulcan, Victor and Valiant that they never had to. Not for the initial nuclear stage of the Cold War anyway.
I see what you're trying to say, but all the Vulcan (and the others) had to do to be successful was exist. If it wasn't as good as it was, existing wouldn't have been enough.

M.A.D and all that jazz....

[IanMorewood]

Yep the sheer fact that the 3V's existed was enough to do there part in a cold war that at times was more than a little warm for those involved. I’m not sure the Vulcan is any more important than the Victor or the Valiant (the only V that actually dropped an Atom bomb) but its shape is iconic and I would love to see it fly again, mind that said I would love to see a Victor fly too (on purpose) and realise that there is no chance that a Valiant could every be flown again.

Where the cost should lay, I would say a small contribution (either monetary or manpower) should perhaps come from the armed forces but the rest should be met by public donations and corporate sponsorship etc.

What we need is a couple of lottery winners who have a passion for aviation.

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

IanMorewood said:

Where the cost should lay, I would say a small contribution (either monetary or manpower) should perhaps come from the armed forces

I think you'll find that the Armed Forces are already overstretched as it is, with the situation only going to get worse as the effects of SDSR start to bite.

[Ayahuasca]

Kitchski said:

b14 said:

I agree. The Vulcan is an incredible sight and a great British engineering feat, but doesn't symbolise anything (primarily because, apart from the Black Buck missions, it never really did anything).

I think there are probably quite a few ex-V Bomber crews who'd like to debate that one with you. Probably the ones who used to sit at the start of the runway having been scrambled, engines running, hearts racing, emotions running into overload, waiting for the signal to get off the ground as quickly as possible.

It was because of the Vulcan, Victor and Valiant that they never had to. Not for the initial nuclear stage of the Cold War anyway.
I see what you're trying to say, but all the Vulcan (and the others) had to do to be successful was exist. If it wasn't as good as it was, existing wouldn't have been enough.

M.A.D and all that jazz....

True, however the general public were not all that aware at the time and rightly or wrongly don't think of the Vulcan as the difference between victory and defeat.

[DaveL485]

IanMorewood said:

Yep the sheer fact that the 3V's existed was enough to do there part in a cold war that at times was more than a little warm for those involved.

Imagine seeing those coming. Wouldn't even be any point in running away.

[Kitchski]

Ayahuasca said:

Kitchski said:

b14 said:

I agree. The Vulcan is an incredible sight and a great British engineering feat, but doesn't symbolise anything (primarily because, apart from the Black Buck missions, it never really did anything).

I think there are probably quite a few ex-V Bomber crews who'd like to debate that one with you. Probably the ones who used to sit at the start of the runway having been scrambled, engines running, hearts racing, emotions running into overload, waiting for the signal to get off the ground as quickly as possible.

It was because of the Vulcan, Victor and Valiant that they never had to. Not for the initial nuclear stage of the Cold War anyway.
I see what you're trying to say, but all the Vulcan (and the others) had to do to be successful was exist. If it wasn't as good as it was, existing wouldn't have been enough.

M.A.D and all that jazz....

True, however the general public were not all that aware at the time and rightly or wrongly don't think of the Vulcan as the difference between victory and defeat.

I don't think of the V bombers as the difference between victory and defeat so much, more of a vital input in whether the UK was levelled or not.
Mind you, that's only based on my civvy readings and watching books/TV etc. There's probably a lot I don't know!

[Ali Chappussy]

Globs said:

And pussy, don't mind if I call you pussy do you, a great deal of public money is spent on preserving english heritage - perhaps you hadn't noticed?

Don't mind at all, call me what you like but don't call me late for dinner.

As an ex Vulcan man myself, I would love to see her continue but IMHO I think the money needed for the Vulcan would be better spent on a number of other projects.

Maybe my opinion is blighted in some way by the lamentable way 558 has been managed for the last few years. If she does continue, I hope the bankers get rid of Phleming and get someone in who will handle the project a lot better.

[bad company]

Slightly off topic I am reading Vulcan 607. A great book IMO

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=vulcan+...

[jhfozzy]

bad company said:

Slightly off topic I am reading Vulcan 607. A great book IMO

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=vulcan+...

^^ I agree, really enjoyed it.

[Hooli]

jhfozzy said:

bad company said:

Slightly off topic I am reading Vulcan 607. A great book IMO

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=vulcan+...

^^ I agree, really enjoyed it.

I've got it, must get around to reading it.