RE: Vulcan versus Vulcan: Pic Of The Week

RE: Vulcan versus Vulcan: Pic Of The Week

Friday 2nd October 2015

Vulcan versus Vulcan: Pic Of The Week

Could anything be more sinister than the Aston Martin Vulcan? How about a nuclear bomber of the same name?



The name 'Vulcan' was an inspired choice for Aston Martin's super evil looking, limited edition plaything for (very) rich track day obsessives. As we know, just 24 examples of the 800hp-plus, flame-spitting, track-only monster will be built. Though reserved for just a small group of buyers its role previewing the brand's new design language is an important one though.

Other powerful things named Vulcan include the Roman god of fire and - of course - the iconic delta-winged V-bomber. While it would have been nice to include the former in a photoshoot with the car that bears his name he sadly wasn't available. So it fell to the soon to be grounded XH558 and a carefully orchestrated flypast at Elvington to create this rather nice image we've prepared for your desktop as Pic Of The Week. And just in case you thought it was a carefully contrived bit of of Photoshoppery there's a video proving, yes, it really did happen.

After several stays of execution it seems this really is XH558's final month of airworthiness, this symbolic handover to its Aston Martin namesake combining two of PH's favourite things.

Video here

Traditional (4:3)
Computer widescreen (16:10)
TV widescreen (16:9)
Portrait (smartphone etc)





   
   
Author
Discussion

rogerhudson

Original Poster:

338 posts

157 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
When i feel a bit full i only have to remember seeing a Vulcan ( plus trucks) on dispersal to RAF St Mawgan (Newquay) that terrible weekend in October 1962 to loosen the bowels. We are all lucky to be here to see the plane and car. The plane has a lovely wing, the car's wing is just ugly.

Gilhooligan

2,211 posts

143 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
  • Goes off to youtube to listen to Vulcan engine noises **

Uncle John

4,271 posts

190 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
I like!!

simonrockman

6,843 posts

254 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
As a kid I was at a summer school - it must have been late 1970s - and some vulcans flew over. Amazing, super intimidating.

The car is pretty intimidating too. I saw one at Salon Prive, wow.

Remember the cars are made in a factory built on the site of the bomber factory.

Simon

FastRich

542 posts

199 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Finally a decent POTW after a few weeks.

More like this please.

marksx

5,052 posts

189 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Proper size version of the last pic please!

Feirny

2,500 posts

146 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Su-bloody-perb.

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Gilhooligan said:
** Goes off to youtube to listen to Vulcan engine noises **
https://youtu.be/Yry2LnaNeXc?t=33

Job jobbed

balls-out

3,586 posts

230 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Vulcan?


JetskiJezz

662 posts

135 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Does anyone know a source for the high resolution versions of these pictures?

LordGrover

33,532 posts

211 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
The aircraft is still a work of art.
That car, not so much.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Can we have full-size of all the pics in the article please (or as many as you can), they're absolutely magnificent.

marksx

5,052 posts

189 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
One with a little more grace:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCLcrLO08L0

soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Why does it remind me of a Corvette?

Mannginger

9,032 posts

256 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Can we have full-size of all the pics in the article please (or as many as you can), they're absolutely magnificent.
Agreed amazing car, plane and pics - more please!

PunterCam

1,069 posts

194 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Always loved the plane, but the car looks a bit st. The souped up Astons of recent times have always looked a bit Halfords boy-racer to me. Somehow the other manufacturers manage to make some look more race car, while Aston always make it look more friday night at a McDonalds car park.

They need to start thinking more about the shape rather than the details. It doesn't help that the current Corvette is a better looking, faster, much cheaper Aston at the moment I suppose... Perhaps time to shun the front engined and move amidships? Maybe then they'd stop trying to make cars that look like bloody Astons.

Orange Rocket

45 posts

128 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Can we have full-size of all the pics in the article please (or as many as you can), they're absolutely magnificent.
+1


Actually, +quite a lot of people.


As a child of the 80's and 90's I was obsessed with the big V-Bomber even though it wasn't in service when I was old enough to appreciate it. My Dad, who served in the Her Majesties Royal Flying Club would tell me about them and we saw the odd one in museums.

I finally got to see XH558 last year at Little Gransden Airshow where it came to do its fly pasts just shortly after the 3 flying Lancasters and their fighter escorts made everyone grin did their bit. I watched it approach and thought "I don't know what all the fuss is about, it's not THAT noisy". Then it flew over and every molecule of my being vibrated with the aural assault that it presented as it buggered off for another turn. Once it had finished it's piece the announcer came back onto the PA and said any other aircraft was going to have to wait for 30-45 minutes for all the air turbulence to die down and the Vulcan had carved it's way through the sky.

I feel so privileged to have seen it, and the 3 Lancasters. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of either of them in their front line duties...

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Shame the video doesn't feature the infamous Vulcan howl. The link above of the missed approach, at Yeovilton, doesn't show that XH558 thereby scored her one and only 'kill' - one of the sheep at the downwind end of the runway expired! Here's her arriving at Dunsfold in August: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyyWrMGiV7g - and one cannot begin to imagine through the video just how chuffing loud that is!

RoadRunner220

940 posts

192 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
What a fantastic picture, best POTW for a while.