RE: Vulcan to be grounded
Discussion
I think that we all saw this day coming and hoped that it would be further away. Well done to the guys for keeping it up there as long as they have and giving me the chance to see it in its natural habitat again - when she is grounded, Vulcan will lie third in my all time list of planes that I miss being able to see in the air again behind Concorde and Blackbird 
I was dead square underneath it when it flew over in that last image (just behind the supercar paddock where they have the really old cars)- looking up and seeing the sky disappear, replaced by two MASSIVE open bomb bay doors, remains one of the most amazing experiences of my life....
BLUETHUNDER said:
Some of our taxes should be going to keep historic aircraft with a strong national heritage in the air. Rather than some of the crap they do with our money.
Erm - they are. Battle of Britain memorial flight operates 12 aircraft at the taxpayers expense and while a charity, the Royal Navy historic flight is partially subsidised with the availability of some Navy resources/facilities. The thing that makes this possible is the public will to support the heritage of the second world war, whereas a hugely more expensive cold war aircraft designed to drop nuclear weapons on the Soviet Union is always going to be a tougher sell to the element of the public that would sooner see the money spent on mundane s
t that will have no historic relevance beyond the following week This is actually one of those rare cases where you can't really pin it on the politicians - it is the public. If it was a vote winner then you can be your arse that any politician of any allegiance would find the money and make it happen. As things are, I reckon that the only person in politics who could spin such a thing without being hounded out of office would be (love him or hate him) Boris.
Used to watch this with my chest vibrating from the noise in the late seventies at the Stoughton air show in Leicestershire, back in the days when they REALLY used to stand the thing on its wing tips during a display, with the haunting whale-like noise from the resonance on the air intakes resounding in my ears.
Bloodcurdingly brilliant. Can't we divert a bit of foreign aid in the direction of this masterpiece? I'm sure a few corrupt foreign leaders can go without their 'please be our friend' international bribery money for a few weeks...
Bloodcurdingly brilliant. Can't we divert a bit of foreign aid in the direction of this masterpiece? I'm sure a few corrupt foreign leaders can go without their 'please be our friend' international bribery money for a few weeks...
J98 said:
Shame to see it get grounded, hopefully some very rich aero enthusiast feels like parting with some cash.
On another note, I can't believe it's been back in the air for five years.
When I was little my Dad used to take me to see it when it was still in bits, went to the first public flight it did in 07, seen it virtually every year since, the atmosphere at that first flight was surreal.
I was going to have a go there and say it wasn't 07, don't be daft, it was much more recent than that.On another note, I can't believe it's been back in the air for five years.
When I was little my Dad used to take me to see it when it was still in bits, went to the first public flight it did in 07, seen it virtually every year since, the atmosphere at that first flight was surreal.
Then I checked. Where's the time gone?
Anyway, as for the news
A decent use of tax money.DiscoColin said:
Erm - they are. Battle of Britain memorial flight operates 12 aircraft at the taxpayers expense and while a charity, the Royal Navy historic flight is partially subsidised with the availability of some Navy resources/facilities. The thing that makes this possible is the public will to support the heritage of the second world war, whereas a hugely more expensive cold war aircraft designed to drop nuclear weapons on the Soviet Union is always going to be a tougher sell to the element of the public that would sooner see the money spent on mundane st that will have no historic relevance beyond the following week
This is actually one of those rare cases where you can't really pin it on the politicians - it is the public. If it was a vote winner then you can be your arse that any politician of any allegiance would find the money and make it happen. As things are, I reckon that the only person in politics who could spin such a thing without being hounded out of office would be (love him or hate him) Boris.
Unfortunately 'DiscoColin' is exactly correct.... though it should annoy any 'bloke' with any interest in anything mechanical (witness all the recent programs on BBC channels about UK engineering heritage)t that will have no historic relevance beyond the following week This is actually one of those rare cases where you can't really pin it on the politicians - it is the public. If it was a vote winner then you can be your arse that any politician of any allegiance would find the money and make it happen. As things are, I reckon that the only person in politics who could spin such a thing without being hounded out of office would be (love him or hate him) Boris.
Reason why it should be preserved - flying...is because the Vulcan design is pretty much unique (US B1 excepted)...and its British!. It is part of our engineering heritage..along with bloomin' stationary steam engines...locomotives...cars (eh? - on PH?..)and all the other stuff that gets preserved, so we should be proud of it!.
Unfortunately the only media coverage I've ever seen of it - was on an early evening programme, done by John Sargeant (I cant remember the one it was) - so yes the general public is completely ignorant of its demise or its greatness
I have contributed to the cause - and yes its entirely volunteer funded...no lottery...some small business funding (there was even an american firm that found an unused fuelling cart and donated it along the way...)
For impact on how huge/great/impressive a Vulcan is - I recommend the RAF museum at Hendon... we took our kids along years ago, you walk into one hall...with loads of small plane exhibits at eye level. They asked 'Why's it so dark..?' - just told them to look up.... most of the halls exhibits are fitted under the wings of a Vulcan (on its long stalk like landing gear)...the moment of silence,awe,and then appreciation of the size of the thing was priceless.
bad company said:
We had Vulcans when I served at RAF Waddington in the 1970's. They were taking off & landing all day but I never got bored with watching.
My old man was flying them out of Waddington in those days - my formative years were spent watching them fly overhead virtually every day, with the occasional treat of the Lancaster that was based there at that time as well.Seen 558 a number of times over the years, most memorably flying over the house a couple of summers ago at very low level. I shall miss her
miniman said:
Terrible shame, but inevitable I guess. If it was simply money required, one would hope that Branson or someone similar would pitch in.
I went down to Filton to see the fly past the other week, will definitely go to a couple of airshows in 2013.
XH558 by binaryimage, on Flickr
You were at Filton? So was I! (on the blue bike). Looked brilliant didnt it!I went down to Filton to see the fly past the other week, will definitely go to a couple of airshows in 2013.
XH558 by binaryimage, on Flickr
What I dont get is, what with all the millionaires and entrepreneurs etc, why they couldnt easily raise the £200k between them - to most, it would be pocket money each let alone as a collective donation. Or as someone else said, the Lotto. And there shirely must be some company somewhere than can rebuild jet engines, again for what would amount to pocket money for the lotto or a plutocrat
Of course, driving up or down the A15, (Lincs), past RAF Waddington you can see XM607 - the actual Falklands Vulcan. 
Considering she's the only Vulcan to have delivered a bomb in aggression, not much is made of her. Merely a shell now, I believe. I was told that quite a lot of her bits went to help restore 558 but no idea if that is the case or not.
The book Vulcan 607 by Roland White (?) is superb reading............as has been mentioned more than once before.
Considering she's the only Vulcan to have delivered a bomb in aggression, not much is made of her. Merely a shell now, I believe. I was told that quite a lot of her bits went to help restore 558 but no idea if that is the case or not.The book Vulcan 607 by Roland White (?) is superb reading............as has been mentioned more than once before.
mat777 said:
And there shirely must be some company somewhere than can rebuild jet engines
Only RR themselves had the facilities to zero-time Vulcan engines, and RR scrapped those facilities/tooling etc after the RAF stopped flying the Vulcan in the mid 1980's, the RAF retaining sufficient stocks of zero-timed engines for the projected remaining life of the then, Vulcan Display Flight.ChrisP T5 said:
DiscoColin said:
Erm - they are. Battle of Britain memorial flight operates 12 aircraft at the taxpayers expense and while a charity, the Royal Navy historic flight is partially subsidised with the availability of some Navy resources/facilities. The thing that makes this possible is the public will to support the heritage of the second world war, whereas a hugely more expensive cold war aircraft designed to drop nuclear weapons on the Soviet Union is always going to be a tougher sell to the element of the public that would sooner see the money spent on mundane st that will have no historic relevance beyond the following week
This is actually one of those rare cases where you can't really pin it on the politicians - it is the public. If it was a vote winner then you can be your arse that any politician of any allegiance would find the money and make it happen. As things are, I reckon that the only person in politics who could spin such a thing without being hounded out of office would be (love him or hate him) Boris.
Unfortunately 'DiscoColin' is exactly correct.... though it should annoy any 'bloke' with any interest in anything mechanical (witness all the recent programs on BBC channels about UK engineering heritage)t that will have no historic relevance beyond the following week This is actually one of those rare cases where you can't really pin it on the politicians - it is the public. If it was a vote winner then you can be your arse that any politician of any allegiance would find the money and make it happen. As things are, I reckon that the only person in politics who could spin such a thing without being hounded out of office would be (love him or hate him) Boris.
Reason why it should be preserved - flying...is because the Vulcan design is pretty much unique (US B1 excepted)...and its British!. It is part of our engineering heritage..along with bloomin' stationary steam engines...locomotives...cars (eh? - on PH?..)and all the other stuff that gets preserved, so we should be proud of it!.
Unfortunately the only media coverage I've ever seen of it - was on an early evening programme, done by John Sargeant (I cant remember the one it was) - so yes the general public is completely ignorant of its demise or its greatness
I have contributed to the cause - and yes its entirely volunteer funded...no lottery...some small business funding (there was even an american firm that found an unused fuelling cart and donated it along the way...)
For impact on how huge/great/impressive a Vulcan is - I recommend the RAF museum at Hendon... we took our kids along years ago, you walk into one hall...with loads of small plane exhibits at eye level. They asked 'Why's it so dark..?' - just told them to look up.... most of the halls exhibits are fitted under the wings of a Vulcan (on its long stalk like landing gear)...the moment of silence,awe,and then appreciation of the size of the thing was priceless.
Beautiful plane, seen her many times both pre and post resurrection. A true shame that the end is nigh and I'm dreading the last display as that really will be it, she'll never fly again (other than to a museum or whatever) but also I know I'll see my father in an emotional state I have never seen him in before.. he is totally in love with this plane.
XH558 and all who made it possible for us to see her over the past few yearsAs a kid here in Malta I still remember this plane very good since we lived on the approuch of runway 24 which was very busy at that time with all types flying by at low alt... Lightning, Victor, Vulcan , Camberra, JAGUARS , bacanirs, nimrods, Shegiltons,phontoms .... I still remember the engine rorr!!
I also remember the Vulcan crash here in Malta in Zabbar .. I was still at school at those days ... still remember the smoke coming up from Zabbar were the Vulcan fell...
M- Malta.
I also remember the Vulcan crash here in Malta in Zabbar .. I was still at school at those days ... still remember the smoke coming up from Zabbar were the Vulcan fell...
M- Malta.
Having read accounts of the bombing raid on the Falklands, this one is probably in far better condition and more airworthy (some of the tales I read were a little scary), but I think most of us subconsciously knew that this was going to be a limited time project.
Shame they can't get a second one sorted out to be a standing exhibit at Duxford, would be great to see one of these close (in time) to the B52 there.
BTW anyone know if the Canberra is still flying ?
Shame they can't get a second one sorted out to be a standing exhibit at Duxford, would be great to see one of these close (in time) to the B52 there.
BTW anyone know if the Canberra is still flying ?
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