The end for Vulcan Bomber XL391
Discussion
monkey boy 1 said:
someone posted a video of one at an air show, Awesome sight & sound
That was probably me, I`ve posted my old converted VHS (into WMV) clips of 558 in 1990 at Biggin Hill on here before but I don`t have my own website at the mo - if anyone wants to hear that awesome howling, email me through my profile and I`ll send it as an attachment if you want (about 5mb if I remember rightly)
Petrolted - can we have an aviation section yet?!
Eric Mc said:
True - although you have to remember that the Shackeltons were withdrwn slightly before the last Vulcan was grounded so there's not much in it when it comes to available pilots.
It is also difficult to remember that the Lancaster and Vulcan are not that far apart time wise and indeed were designed by the same person, Roy Chadwick who also designed the Anson, Manchester, Lincoln and the ill-fated Tudor (in which he died).
I can vouch for that, the 48KVA electrical systems in the Victor K2 were very similar to the Lancaster and used antiques such as carbon pile regulators, as used in the Spitfire, the busbars had to be manually paralleled and if you go it wrong you could flip a power set (Houchin) on it's side, some resistance circuits consisted of a metal box full of light bulbs, very odd
>> Edited by apache on Friday 13th January 08:54
mojocvh said:
I take it they didn't bother to de-inhibit the engines prior to going for a blast
MoJo
I got caught out by that once during my Victor days, I was doing a generator balance on a new engine run (No 3)and was in the plenum chamber on the headset, they fired the engine up, the inhibiter caught alight and started punching out 30 foot flames, "that's not right" I pondered as they started to curl around the tailfin, so I ripped off the headset and legged it accross the wing doing a nice roll as I dived off the wingtip. Much to the amusement of the rest of the crew.
apache said:
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I can vouch for that, the 48KVA electrical systems in the Victor K2 were very similar to the Lancaster and used antiques such as carbon pile regulators, as used in the Spitfire, the busbars had to be manually paralleled and if you go it wrong you could flip a power set (Houchin) on it's side, some resistance circuits consisted of a metal box full of light bulbs, very odd
Is that because the pulse from a nuclear explosion would destroy transitors within a certain radius , so they used antique electricals
There is a place for both in the aviation preservation scene. Keeping an aircraft airworthy (and actually flying it) literally costs hundreds of times the money keeping it in presentable static condition does. If only airworthy examples were retained, we would have about 1/20 of the aircraft preseved compared to what we actually have. Also, great collections like Hendon and Cosford would not exist. Finally, there are some aircraft that are just too rare and valuable to fly - historically significant airframes or rare, one off test aircraft and prototypes, for example.
I say, keep as many as we can, keep 'em flying (if feasible) but above all, keep 'em.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 13th January 10:31
I say, keep as many as we can, keep 'em flying (if feasible) but above all, keep 'em.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 13th January 10:31
If the one at Coventry is still there, it's worth a visit. Approx 7 or 8 years ago, we called in there, and were lucky enough to be given a guided cockpit tour. The climb up the steps its a bit special, and the room, once inside, is minimal. I also got to tour the ramp at Marham back in the 80's, and went inside a Victor. Thats was tiny too for 5 people.
This month's Aeroplane Monthly has a cockpit guide to the Vulcan. It does look extremely primitive and the ex-Vulcan pilot quoted in the article states that visibility out the windows was pretty poor.
The article states that the plane was originally designed for single pilot operations only (just like the Lancaster and Halifax) and was only amended to two pilot configuration after the cockpit dimensions had been finalised. This explains the cramped conditions.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 13th January 11:09
The article states that the plane was originally designed for single pilot operations only (just like the Lancaster and Halifax) and was only amended to two pilot configuration after the cockpit dimensions had been finalised. This explains the cramped conditions.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 13th January 11:09
If you like V-Bombers try to find a copy of Warbirds Illustrated book number 35. "V Bombers". I've got it and it's a great photographic resource of all 3.
(Just googled it and it only appears as 2nd hand or as a lost book???) Might be out of print.
www.capricornbooks.ca/si/13285.html
(Just googled it and it only appears as 2nd hand or as a lost book???) Might be out of print.
www.capricornbooks.ca/si/13285.html
I`ve uploaded a short film of Vulcan XH558 at Biggin Hill airshow in the early 90`s (WMV converted from VHS) to Pistonheads.tv and Ted is currently considering putting it on
Look out for it - and you may want to turn your speakers DOWN a little!
>> Edited by iandbeech on Friday 13th January 11:52
Look out for it - and you may want to turn your speakers DOWN a little!
>> Edited by iandbeech on Friday 13th January 11:52
i have fond memories of vulcans doing display flying.
i used to go to quite a few airshows with the tornados i used to work on, at one, leeming i think, i met up with some old collegues who were then working on VC10's. they'd just come back from a tour in south america, and we were invited up into the aircraft, and ended up sitting on the wing of the VC10 leaning against the wing fence, drinking chilean beer, watching a vulcan do its worst!
all that and being paid for it!....happy days!
i used to go to quite a few airshows with the tornados i used to work on, at one, leeming i think, i met up with some old collegues who were then working on VC10's. they'd just come back from a tour in south america, and we were invited up into the aircraft, and ended up sitting on the wing of the VC10 leaning against the wing fence, drinking chilean beer, watching a vulcan do its worst!
all that and being paid for it!....happy days!
GregE240 said:
Thats awful. Another piece of our manufacturing heritage down the shitter 
On a brighter note.....
How is the one they are restoring at Bruntingthorpe progressing?
Quite well according to the guys at Cottesmore. Apparently a load of Vulcan spares was moved from Cotty to Brunters recently...
telecat said:
They also have a Bucaneer that does ground runs too! How long before they try to get CAA approval for flight.
There will be one quite soon - www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=231914
Phwoar the Victor is a beauty!
The Victor and the Vulcan were always my favourite two planes at Cosford when I used be taken there on a rainy summer Sunday. That and the white RAF supersonic jet, forget the name, was a prototype, trying desperately to remember what it was called!
Sad to see that Vulcan go, I love radomly placed static displays of old aircraft.
The Victor and the Vulcan were always my favourite two planes at Cosford when I used be taken there on a rainy summer Sunday. That and the white RAF supersonic jet, forget the name, was a prototype, trying desperately to remember what it was called!
Sad to see that Vulcan go, I love radomly placed static displays of old aircraft.
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