Discussion
Dr Interceptor said:
It'll be winter in a minute, and she's parked out in the open. You wouldn't want to be outside in all weathers, working with freezing cold metal, having to disassemble a plane against the clock.
Plenty of aircraft spanner-turners work outside, at all times of year. Funnily enough, the V-Bombers were kept outside on their flight lines, only going into a hangar for longer scheduled maintenance tasks and major repairs. I wonder if anybody at VTTS has been watching the Goonzquad videos? It might have given them ideas
CUTTING OUR PORSCHE INTO PIECES
https://youtu.be/R5Wb-r4Qyqo
CUTTING OUR PORSCHE INTO PIECES
https://youtu.be/R5Wb-r4Qyqo
Tony1963 said:
Plenty of aircraft spanner-turners work outside, at all times of year.
Indeed....a Triple brake unit change at EDI in the middle of winter in 3 ft of snow whilst a blizzard came down sticks in the mind.10mins back into the car for a warm while team 2 does 10 mins......repeat until complete.
magpie215 said:
Indeed....a Triple brake unit change at EDI in the middle of winter in 3 ft of snow whilst a blizzard came down sticks in the mind.
10mins back into the car for a warm while team 2 does 10 mins......repeat until complete.
My most recent COLD experience: pitch control link adjustments on an Apache. Absolutely freezing cold, stand under the disc, blades turning, measurements taken, blades stop, snip lockwire as needed, adjust, rewirelock, repeat. Wirelocking with frozen solid fingers… what joy. 10mins back into the car for a warm while team 2 does 10 mins......repeat until complete.
I have no issue whatsoever with it being broken up, there is far too much sentiment attached to this plane, it was amazing when it flew and has created millions of memories for people, job done. It will NEVER fly again, nor does it need to. Job done.
there are countless Vulcans all over the place so it does not need to saved for the sake of it.
there are countless Vulcans all over the place so it does not need to saved for the sake of it.
Tony1963 said:
I’d guess the engines, all associated systems, avionics equipment, flying control actuators, landing gear etc might be grabbed by a fast-taxi team. Wing spars etc, scrap man.
This is an issue mentioned already......in how willingly will VTTS allow all their spares stash, and parts of '558 that would no longer be needed in a non-live a/c to be donated to 655 and 426 to keep them live.Many speculate that the answer to that is not a lot, based on past evidence.
aeropilot said:
This is an issue mentioned already......in how willingly will VTTS allow all their spares stash, and parts of '558 that would no longer be needed in a non-live a/c to be donated to 655 and 426 to keep them live.
Many speculate that the answer to that is not a lot, based on past evidence.
I’m sure that for a price they’d let it go to those who need it. A job lot to one customer makes for an easy life. Many speculate that the answer to that is not a lot, based on past evidence.
In the meantime, wouldn’t it be great news if they worked with the CAA, thoroughly discussed the possibility of a one-off ferry flight, and in a few week’s time permission was given.
Prove the engines work
Prove the flying controls work.
Properly inspect structures.
Work out a safer than safe route to the receiving airfield.
Make sure the egress system is serviceable.
Then just let the old girl make that journey.
No, I’m not even going to put a tenner on that happening, but the options are so bloody messy and sad.
Prove the engines work
Prove the flying controls work.
Properly inspect structures.
Work out a safer than safe route to the receiving airfield.
Make sure the egress system is serviceable.
Then just let the old girl make that journey.
No, I’m not even going to put a tenner on that happening, but the options are so bloody messy and sad.
Tony1963 said:
In the meantime, wouldn’t it be great news if they worked with the CAA, thoroughly discussed the possibility of a one-off ferry flight, and in a few week’s time permission was given.
Prove the engines work
Prove the flying controls work.
Properly inspect structures.
Work out a safer than safe route to the receiving airfield.
Make sure the egress system is serviceable.
Then just let the old girl make that journey.
No, I’m not even going to put a tenner on that happening, but the options are so bloody messy and sad.
As I understand it VTTS is maintaining the aircraft to standard RAF maintenance schedules under the command of Taff Stone who was crew chief on the VDF in the RAF and for VTTS.Prove the engines work
Prove the flying controls work.
Properly inspect structures.
Work out a safer than safe route to the receiving airfield.
Make sure the egress system is serviceable.
Then just let the old girl make that journey.
No, I’m not even going to put a tenner on that happening, but the options are so bloody messy and sad.
So I think the first three items on your list are covered.
JeremyH5 said:
Tony1963 said:
In the meantime, wouldn’t it be great news if they worked with the CAA, thoroughly discussed the possibility of a one-off ferry flight, and in a few week’s time permission was given.
Prove the engines work
Prove the flying controls work.
Properly inspect structures.
Work out a safer than safe route to the receiving airfield.
Make sure the egress system is serviceable.
Then just let the old girl make that journey.
No, I’m not even going to put a tenner on that happening, but the options are so bloody messy and sad.
As I understand it VTTS is maintaining the aircraft to standard RAF maintenance schedules under the command of Taff Stone who was crew chief on the VDF in the RAF and for VTTS.Prove the engines work
Prove the flying controls work.
Properly inspect structures.
Work out a safer than safe route to the receiving airfield.
Make sure the egress system is serviceable.
Then just let the old girl make that journey.
No, I’m not even going to put a tenner on that happening, but the options are so bloody messy and sad.
So I think the first three items on your list are covered.
Don't get me wrong, there seems to be a fair few unanswered questions with VTTS, but I think some of the remarks on here are a bit sad. 558 may just be 'another' Vulcan, but it's unquestionably the most important one in existance. Don't agree?
Sure, 607 and the other B/B aircraft were the only ones active in combat, but they don't run anymore. The B/B raids were an immense achievement for all involved, but ultimately did they really turn the tide of the conflict in a meaningful way? Honestly? Aircraft like the Lancaster and Mosquito are far, far more notable in this regard. I've huge respect for the B/B Vulcans and their crews (my own email address has been 'vulcan607' for probably 15 years or so, if not more) but other than aircraft and/or military enthusiasts, nobody really knows much about it.
558, on the other hand, HAS taught people not only about the B/B raids, but the Cold War itself. Having that aircraft in the sky again was nothing short of magical. There is NOTHING you could see at an airshow like a Vulcan. I remember being among the crowds in Bournemouth around ten years ago, waiting for it to arrive. You could sense the anticipation, waiting for it to roar into shot, only it didn't. Instead, it gracefully circled at the end of the Solent, before gliding along the edge of the coastline. There were cheers and claps when it arrived, and this wasn't the year it returned to the sky or anything, it was years and years after that. Hairs on the back of the neck, stuff.
After it finished its display, it banked over hard and howled up into the clouds (the Rumenator was at the controls), and it was gone. The Red Arrows followed shortly after, but half the crowd had gone; they were only there to see 'the Vulcan'.
For someone like me, who never saw any other Vulcan flying, I will ALWAYS be in debt to VTTS for the memories I have of seeing one of the most beautiful man-made objects in the sky. The sound, and the smell. The excitement of it. I wouldn't go as far as to say they've earned their salaries (and I wouldn't mind betting the most important people in the whole operation were volunteers), but I will always be grateful.
My kids know what a Vulcan is, because of XH558. Thousands, if not millions will know what one is, because of XH558. How forgotten would the Vulcan type be now, if 558 had never got back to the air? You can say it's "Just another Vulcan" but that's wide of the mark. It's the most significant Vulcan in existence, in my opinion.
It'll be scrapped, without a doubt. It's going nowhere. RH was always the wrong place for it, most people agree that. It should have been donated, free of charge, by VTTS to an established museum as part of its final flight (I admit finding one with a runway long enough to land it could be tricky.) I refuse to believe none of them were interested in the aircraft itself, even if they already had another. It was a famous aircraft with a story to tell, and it would have brought people in as a static exhibit who could continue to learn about the return to flight story. This would surely have satisfied their N.Lottery heritage obligations, at minimal cost. I suspect this never happened because guaranteeing the future of 558's existance as a story piece wouldn't have lined their pockets as well as some pie-in-the-sky idea about building an education centre around a plane that can't fly anymore. It's a kick in the face to the people who did put their hands in their pockets, the lottery fund, and the countless volunteers who worked on it, as well as the people who have enjoyed it, and are now emotionally invested.
But to pass it off as "Just another Vulcan", for me personally, is really sad. I get that many of you are ex-military, and they are all just lumps of metal and rubber; ten-a-penny at one time, but 558 served in a very different way to the other Vulcans, and has a unique story.
It's not just another Vulcan; it's THE Vulcan.
Sure, 607 and the other B/B aircraft were the only ones active in combat, but they don't run anymore. The B/B raids were an immense achievement for all involved, but ultimately did they really turn the tide of the conflict in a meaningful way? Honestly? Aircraft like the Lancaster and Mosquito are far, far more notable in this regard. I've huge respect for the B/B Vulcans and their crews (my own email address has been 'vulcan607' for probably 15 years or so, if not more) but other than aircraft and/or military enthusiasts, nobody really knows much about it.
558, on the other hand, HAS taught people not only about the B/B raids, but the Cold War itself. Having that aircraft in the sky again was nothing short of magical. There is NOTHING you could see at an airshow like a Vulcan. I remember being among the crowds in Bournemouth around ten years ago, waiting for it to arrive. You could sense the anticipation, waiting for it to roar into shot, only it didn't. Instead, it gracefully circled at the end of the Solent, before gliding along the edge of the coastline. There were cheers and claps when it arrived, and this wasn't the year it returned to the sky or anything, it was years and years after that. Hairs on the back of the neck, stuff.
After it finished its display, it banked over hard and howled up into the clouds (the Rumenator was at the controls), and it was gone. The Red Arrows followed shortly after, but half the crowd had gone; they were only there to see 'the Vulcan'.
For someone like me, who never saw any other Vulcan flying, I will ALWAYS be in debt to VTTS for the memories I have of seeing one of the most beautiful man-made objects in the sky. The sound, and the smell. The excitement of it. I wouldn't go as far as to say they've earned their salaries (and I wouldn't mind betting the most important people in the whole operation were volunteers), but I will always be grateful.
My kids know what a Vulcan is, because of XH558. Thousands, if not millions will know what one is, because of XH558. How forgotten would the Vulcan type be now, if 558 had never got back to the air? You can say it's "Just another Vulcan" but that's wide of the mark. It's the most significant Vulcan in existence, in my opinion.
It'll be scrapped, without a doubt. It's going nowhere. RH was always the wrong place for it, most people agree that. It should have been donated, free of charge, by VTTS to an established museum as part of its final flight (I admit finding one with a runway long enough to land it could be tricky.) I refuse to believe none of them were interested in the aircraft itself, even if they already had another. It was a famous aircraft with a story to tell, and it would have brought people in as a static exhibit who could continue to learn about the return to flight story. This would surely have satisfied their N.Lottery heritage obligations, at minimal cost. I suspect this never happened because guaranteeing the future of 558's existance as a story piece wouldn't have lined their pockets as well as some pie-in-the-sky idea about building an education centre around a plane that can't fly anymore. It's a kick in the face to the people who did put their hands in their pockets, the lottery fund, and the countless volunteers who worked on it, as well as the people who have enjoyed it, and are now emotionally invested.
But to pass it off as "Just another Vulcan", for me personally, is really sad. I get that many of you are ex-military, and they are all just lumps of metal and rubber; ten-a-penny at one time, but 558 served in a very different way to the other Vulcans, and has a unique story.
It's not just another Vulcan; it's THE Vulcan.
Edited by Kitchski on Thursday 18th August 11:16
Kitchski said:
Don't get me wrong, there seems to be a fair few unanswered questions with VTTS, but I think some of the remarks on here are a bit sad. 558 may just be 'another' Vulcan, but it's unquestionably the most important one in existance. Don't agree?
Sure, 607 and the other B/B aircraft were the only ones active in combat, but they don't run anymore. The B/B raids were an immense achievement for all involved, but ultimately did they really turn the tide of the conflict in a meaningful way? Honestly? Aircraft like the Lancaster and Mosquito are far, far more notable in this regard. I've huge respect for the B/B Vulcans and their crews (my own email address has been 'vulcan607' for probably 15 years or so, if not more) but other than aircraft and/or military enthusiasts, nobody really knows much about it.
558, on the other hand, HAS taught people not only about the B/B raids, but the Cold War itself. Having that aircraft in the sky again was nothing short of magical. There is NOTHING you could see at an airshow like a Vulcan. I remember being among the crowds in Bournemouth around ten years ago, waiting for it to arrive. You could sense the anticipation, waiting for it to roar into shot, only it didn't. Instead, it gracefully circled at the end of the Solent, before gliding along the edge of the coastline. There were cheers and claps when it arrived, and this wasn't the year it returned to the sky or anything, it was years and years after that. Hairs on the back of the neck, stuff.
After it finished its display, it banked over hard and howled up into the clouds (the Rumenator was at the controls), and it was gone. The Red Arrows followed shortly after, but half the crowd had gone; they were only there to see 'the Vulcan'.
For someone like me, who never saw any other Vulcan flying, I will ALWAYS be in debt to VTTS for the memories I have of seeing one of the most beautiful man-made objects in the sky. The sound, and the smell. The excitement of it. I wouldn't go as far as to say they've earned their salaries (and I wouldn't mind betting the most important people in the whole operation were volunteers), but I will always be grateful.
My kids know what a Vulcan is, because of XH558. Thousands, if not millions will know what one is, because of XH558. How forgotten would the Vulcan type be now, if 558 had never got back to the air? You can say it's "Just another Vulcan" but that's wide of the mark. It's the most significant Vulcan in existence, in my opinion.
It'll be scrapped, without a doubt. It's going nowhere. RH was always the wrong place for it, most people agree that. It should have been donated, free of charge, by VTTS to an established museum as part of its final flight (I admit finding one with a runway long enough to land it could be tricky.) I refuse to believe none of them were interested in the aircraft itself, even if they already had another. It was a famous aircraft with a story to tell, and it would have brought people in as a static exhibit who could continue to learn about the return to flight story. This would surely have satisfied their N.Lottery heritage obligations, at minimal cost. I suspect this never happened because guaranteed the future of 558's existance as a story piece wouldn't have lined their pockets as well as some pie-in-the-sky idea about building an education centre around a plane that can't fly anymore. It's a kick in the face to the people who did put their hands in their pockets, the lottery fund, and the countless volunteers who worked on it, as well as the people who have enjoyed it, and are now emotionally invested.
But to pass it off as "Just another Vulcan", for me personally, is really sad. I get that many of you are ex-military, and they are all just lumps of metal and rubber; ten-a-penny at one time, but 558 served in a very different way to the other Vulcans, and has a unique story.
It's not just another Vulcan; it's THE Vulcan.
To you. Sure, 607 and the other B/B aircraft were the only ones active in combat, but they don't run anymore. The B/B raids were an immense achievement for all involved, but ultimately did they really turn the tide of the conflict in a meaningful way? Honestly? Aircraft like the Lancaster and Mosquito are far, far more notable in this regard. I've huge respect for the B/B Vulcans and their crews (my own email address has been 'vulcan607' for probably 15 years or so, if not more) but other than aircraft and/or military enthusiasts, nobody really knows much about it.
558, on the other hand, HAS taught people not only about the B/B raids, but the Cold War itself. Having that aircraft in the sky again was nothing short of magical. There is NOTHING you could see at an airshow like a Vulcan. I remember being among the crowds in Bournemouth around ten years ago, waiting for it to arrive. You could sense the anticipation, waiting for it to roar into shot, only it didn't. Instead, it gracefully circled at the end of the Solent, before gliding along the edge of the coastline. There were cheers and claps when it arrived, and this wasn't the year it returned to the sky or anything, it was years and years after that. Hairs on the back of the neck, stuff.
After it finished its display, it banked over hard and howled up into the clouds (the Rumenator was at the controls), and it was gone. The Red Arrows followed shortly after, but half the crowd had gone; they were only there to see 'the Vulcan'.
For someone like me, who never saw any other Vulcan flying, I will ALWAYS be in debt to VTTS for the memories I have of seeing one of the most beautiful man-made objects in the sky. The sound, and the smell. The excitement of it. I wouldn't go as far as to say they've earned their salaries (and I wouldn't mind betting the most important people in the whole operation were volunteers), but I will always be grateful.
My kids know what a Vulcan is, because of XH558. Thousands, if not millions will know what one is, because of XH558. How forgotten would the Vulcan type be now, if 558 had never got back to the air? You can say it's "Just another Vulcan" but that's wide of the mark. It's the most significant Vulcan in existence, in my opinion.
It'll be scrapped, without a doubt. It's going nowhere. RH was always the wrong place for it, most people agree that. It should have been donated, free of charge, by VTTS to an established museum as part of its final flight (I admit finding one with a runway long enough to land it could be tricky.) I refuse to believe none of them were interested in the aircraft itself, even if they already had another. It was a famous aircraft with a story to tell, and it would have brought people in as a static exhibit who could continue to learn about the return to flight story. This would surely have satisfied their N.Lottery heritage obligations, at minimal cost. I suspect this never happened because guaranteed the future of 558's existance as a story piece wouldn't have lined their pockets as well as some pie-in-the-sky idea about building an education centre around a plane that can't fly anymore. It's a kick in the face to the people who did put their hands in their pockets, the lottery fund, and the countless volunteers who worked on it, as well as the people who have enjoyed it, and are now emotionally invested.
But to pass it off as "Just another Vulcan", for me personally, is really sad. I get that many of you are ex-military, and they are all just lumps of metal and rubber; ten-a-penny at one time, but 558 served in a very different way to the other Vulcans, and has a unique story.
It's not just another Vulcan; it's THE Vulcan.
Tony1963 said:
Kitchski said:
Don't get me wrong, there seems to be a fair few unanswered questions with VTTS, but I think some of the remarks on here are a bit sad. 558 may just be 'another' Vulcan, but it's unquestionably the most important one in existance. Don't agree?
Sure, 607 and the other B/B aircraft were the only ones active in combat, but they don't run anymore. The B/B raids were an immense achievement for all involved, but ultimately did they really turn the tide of the conflict in a meaningful way? Honestly? Aircraft like the Lancaster and Mosquito are far, far more notable in this regard. I've huge respect for the B/B Vulcans and their crews (my own email address has been 'vulcan607' for probably 15 years or so, if not more) but other than aircraft and/or military enthusiasts, nobody really knows much about it.
558, on the other hand, HAS taught people not only about the B/B raids, but the Cold War itself. Having that aircraft in the sky again was nothing short of magical. There is NOTHING you could see at an airshow like a Vulcan. I remember being among the crowds in Bournemouth around ten years ago, waiting for it to arrive. You could sense the anticipation, waiting for it to roar into shot, only it didn't. Instead, it gracefully circled at the end of the Solent, before gliding along the edge of the coastline. There were cheers and claps when it arrived, and this wasn't the year it returned to the sky or anything, it was years and years after that. Hairs on the back of the neck, stuff.
After it finished its display, it banked over hard and howled up into the clouds (the Rumenator was at the controls), and it was gone. The Red Arrows followed shortly after, but half the crowd had gone; they were only there to see 'the Vulcan'.
For someone like me, who never saw any other Vulcan flying, I will ALWAYS be in debt to VTTS for the memories I have of seeing one of the most beautiful man-made objects in the sky. The sound, and the smell. The excitement of it. I wouldn't go as far as to say they've earned their salaries (and I wouldn't mind betting the most important people in the whole operation were volunteers), but I will always be grateful.
My kids know what a Vulcan is, because of XH558. Thousands, if not millions will know what one is, because of XH558. How forgotten would the Vulcan type be now, if 558 had never got back to the air? You can say it's "Just another Vulcan" but that's wide of the mark. It's the most significant Vulcan in existence, in my opinion.
It'll be scrapped, without a doubt. It's going nowhere. RH was always the wrong place for it, most people agree that. It should have been donated, free of charge, by VTTS to an established museum as part of its final flight (I admit finding one with a runway long enough to land it could be tricky.) I refuse to believe none of them were interested in the aircraft itself, even if they already had another. It was a famous aircraft with a story to tell, and it would have brought people in as a static exhibit who could continue to learn about the return to flight story. This would surely have satisfied their N.Lottery heritage obligations, at minimal cost. I suspect this never happened because guaranteed the future of 558's existance as a story piece wouldn't have lined their pockets as well as some pie-in-the-sky idea about building an education centre around a plane that can't fly anymore. It's a kick in the face to the people who did put their hands in their pockets, the lottery fund, and the countless volunteers who worked on it, as well as the people who have enjoyed it, and are now emotionally invested.
But to pass it off as "Just another Vulcan", for me personally, is really sad. I get that many of you are ex-military, and they are all just lumps of metal and rubber; ten-a-penny at one time, but 558 served in a very different way to the other Vulcans, and has a unique story.
It's not just another Vulcan; it's THE Vulcan.
To you. Sure, 607 and the other B/B aircraft were the only ones active in combat, but they don't run anymore. The B/B raids were an immense achievement for all involved, but ultimately did they really turn the tide of the conflict in a meaningful way? Honestly? Aircraft like the Lancaster and Mosquito are far, far more notable in this regard. I've huge respect for the B/B Vulcans and their crews (my own email address has been 'vulcan607' for probably 15 years or so, if not more) but other than aircraft and/or military enthusiasts, nobody really knows much about it.
558, on the other hand, HAS taught people not only about the B/B raids, but the Cold War itself. Having that aircraft in the sky again was nothing short of magical. There is NOTHING you could see at an airshow like a Vulcan. I remember being among the crowds in Bournemouth around ten years ago, waiting for it to arrive. You could sense the anticipation, waiting for it to roar into shot, only it didn't. Instead, it gracefully circled at the end of the Solent, before gliding along the edge of the coastline. There were cheers and claps when it arrived, and this wasn't the year it returned to the sky or anything, it was years and years after that. Hairs on the back of the neck, stuff.
After it finished its display, it banked over hard and howled up into the clouds (the Rumenator was at the controls), and it was gone. The Red Arrows followed shortly after, but half the crowd had gone; they were only there to see 'the Vulcan'.
For someone like me, who never saw any other Vulcan flying, I will ALWAYS be in debt to VTTS for the memories I have of seeing one of the most beautiful man-made objects in the sky. The sound, and the smell. The excitement of it. I wouldn't go as far as to say they've earned their salaries (and I wouldn't mind betting the most important people in the whole operation were volunteers), but I will always be grateful.
My kids know what a Vulcan is, because of XH558. Thousands, if not millions will know what one is, because of XH558. How forgotten would the Vulcan type be now, if 558 had never got back to the air? You can say it's "Just another Vulcan" but that's wide of the mark. It's the most significant Vulcan in existence, in my opinion.
It'll be scrapped, without a doubt. It's going nowhere. RH was always the wrong place for it, most people agree that. It should have been donated, free of charge, by VTTS to an established museum as part of its final flight (I admit finding one with a runway long enough to land it could be tricky.) I refuse to believe none of them were interested in the aircraft itself, even if they already had another. It was a famous aircraft with a story to tell, and it would have brought people in as a static exhibit who could continue to learn about the return to flight story. This would surely have satisfied their N.Lottery heritage obligations, at minimal cost. I suspect this never happened because guaranteed the future of 558's existance as a story piece wouldn't have lined their pockets as well as some pie-in-the-sky idea about building an education centre around a plane that can't fly anymore. It's a kick in the face to the people who did put their hands in their pockets, the lottery fund, and the countless volunteers who worked on it, as well as the people who have enjoyed it, and are now emotionally invested.
But to pass it off as "Just another Vulcan", for me personally, is really sad. I get that many of you are ex-military, and they are all just lumps of metal and rubber; ten-a-penny at one time, but 558 served in a very different way to the other Vulcans, and has a unique story.
It's not just another Vulcan; it's THE Vulcan.
Got any other pearls of wisdom?
Kitchski said:
Well, yeah, obviously. I wrote it.
Got any other pearls of wisdom?
Loads Got any other pearls of wisdom?
. But you were stating that 558 is The Vulcan when to many people it really isn’t. It’s worth saving if possible, and I’d be happy if it could be, but don’t be blinded by the fact that it’s the only one that many have seen fly. Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff