1960s Vulcan crash at Boscombe Down

I have just had a look in ‘UK Flight Testing Accidents 1940-197, Derek Collier Webb, Air-Britain where that one is noted, but there is nothing on a Vulcan for September of that year or the years either side.

Yes, I had checked that, and the TSR2 text books – thanks to all the relevant replies posted here, and wow, aren’t some of you sensitive (and yes, I have lost eight frienda and work colleagues in air accidents over the years, and no, I am not particularly an enthusiast and had no idea a Vulcan was about to fly, after all this is the historic section)

I am researching TSR2 history and am trying to tie down that date, I have an eye witness who saw the Vulcan run off the end of the X-runway while XR219 was blocking the main, but maybe it wasn’t as seriously damaged as he thought.

SB

Well Martin I assume you are referring to my post about the Swordfish. Yes I could have worded the title a little better but if you read the fifth line of the post you will see that I did not have a date or year for that matter and neither was I sure of the aircraft type either. It takes a few seconds to open a post so hopefully you can contain your dread and shudders and I also hope that your hypersensitivity is curable.

I don’t personally feel over hypersensitive but having witnessed four high profile accidents that sadly cost six people there lives i do naturally have some sensitivity to such things.

XA889 is a possibility, it was broken up at BD in 71 but whether this followed damage I dont know.
Cat 5 damage is usually terminal, perhaps in the case mentioned the damage was less severe and the a/c flew again, in which case it could be any one of 15 or so Vulcans that were with the A&AEE at some time or other.

I’d agree to that, CRASH is a five letter word that put dread and a shudder through me everytime i see it.

Well Martin I assume you are referring to my post about the Swordfish. Yes I could have worded the title a little better but if you read the fifth line of the post you will see that I did not have a date or year for that matter and neither was I sure of the aircraft type either. It takes a few seconds to open a post so hopefully you can contain your dread and shudders and I also hope that your hypersensitivity is curable.

I understand that in about September 1964 a Vulcan of A+AEE B Squadron overshot the short cross runway at Boscombe Down and suffered Cat 5 damage.

The reason this happened was that the TSR.2 XR219 was blocking the main runway with over heated brakes followinga taxi run and the Vulcan was short of fuel.

I wonder if any has the Vulcan records which give the date and serial number, I don’t see this anywhere on the web.

Cheers
Steve B

Back to the original question gentlemen please! As has been quoted previously no Vulcan seems to have crashed at Boscombe Down when the TSR- 2 XR219 was doing taxi trials in Sept. 1964. In ‘TSR-2 PHOENIX OR FOLLY’ by Frank Barnet-Jones it quotes that on no. 7 taxi trial the brake chute was selected at 140 knots, the chute deployed but candled. This was an apt time to try the full power of the brakes which became red hot and pieces broke away but it stopped before the end of the runway when pilot Bee Beamont quickly released them to stop them welding together.
Ray

It takes fractions of a second for a person to move from the title to the text of the request. At the moment probably 99% of aircraft enthusiasts are aware that the Vulcan (XH558) isn’t flying yet – you cannot make any title
absolutely foolproof in terms of some people getting the wrong message.

I’d agree to that, CRASH is a five letter word that put dread and a shudder through me everytime i see it.

Totally agree with the date dilemma. ‘Stockport crash’ would be fairly self explanatory but could also be ambiguous. Think TWICE before you title a thread!:p

Would it be possible for the Mods to ammend the Forum Conduct Sticky to include discussions on crashes to include the dates? Does anyone else agree with this suggestion? Bex

I’d agree to that, CRASH is a five letter word that put dread and a shudder through me everytime i see it.

Suggestion

Would it be possible for the Mods to ammend the Forum Conduct Sticky to include discussions on crashes to include the dates? Does anyone else agree with this suggestion? Bex

😮 Any chance of renaming this thread,i know xh558 has’nt flown yet but it does make you catch your breath when you read it.

Would be nice if people included that date in the title, This is the second thread that has had something to do with a old crash that has not had a date in the title and could cause offence.

😮 Any chance of renaming this thread,i know xh558 has’nt flown yet but it does make you catch your breath when you read it.

The only record I can find of an A&AEE Vulcan that crashed near Boscombe Down is that of XH535 which crashed near Andover whilst returning to BD on the 11th May 1964.
Is this the one?John.

I have just had a look in ‘UK Flight Testing Accidents 1940-197, Derek Collier Webb, Air-Britain where that one is noted, but there is nothing on a Vulcan for September of that year or the years either side.

The only record I can find of an A&AEE Vulcan that crashed near Boscombe Down is that of XH535 which crashed near Andover whilst returning to BD on the 11th May 1964.

Is this the one?

Regards,

John.