Vulcan XH558 Offical Update

I’d rather see a Vulcan than a Lanc any day

😉

Oh dear. I am all for reasoned debate and the rights of free speech, but just how many more times do we have to go round and round with this paricular argument before we all get dizzy and fall off? Can we not accept that those for, and those against the VTTS project have both had a very good airing of their views – several times over – and it is now time to talk about something else – please?

I’d rather see a Vulcan than a Lanc any day

LOL, I was waiting for someone to try and be clever by simply changing ‘Vulcan’ for ‘Lancaster’ in my thread.

That argument doesn’t work in the slightest though, as the Lanc and it’s little friends etc have such a history, they are quite rightly untouchable. The Vulcan does not have that history; nothing even remotely like it.

And the indignity lies in the way this whole thing has been, and continues to be, managed.

Kev’s posts say a lot of what I think about it all, too.

I think many of us are convinced that this project will end in tears.

But it may not.

Even if there is only a 5% chance of it succeeding, isn’t it worth giving it a go?

I don’t want the ‘We could have restored (insert favourite aircraft here) argument’. These guys have got off their backsides and secured this funding by sheer hard work. It is/was open to any other group to do the same.

I don’t want the ‘we could have built a hospital’ argument either. if one listened to most popular opinion there’s be nowhere to land a Vulcan as all the available space would be taken up with hospitals built by saving money on foreign aid / armaments / motorways / art / culture / sport / etc etc etc.

And let’s leave aside (please) their horribly amateurish approach to press and public relations.

When it does all fall to pieces we really haven’t lost that much. The money which would otherwise have gone to disadvantaged lesbian single mothers in Hackney will have been spent with suppliers, or in keeping skilled engineers in employment. Money goes round in circles, it isn’t lost. (Assuming nobody legs it with the cash as happened earlier in the Vulcan saga)

So, what do you say? I think it’s worth the punt. You?

Moggy

I think you’ll fine that its those out there who still have a bit of good old British get up and go about their person, whom you will have to indoctrinate with your negative sentiments Lancman!

:diablo:

I still have a little get up and go and so spent Sunday helping out with a Historic aircraft. Needless to say it wasn’t the Vulcan.

Now, many supporters have invested in the project to restore 558 to the air. Correct me if I’m wrong, but is it true you no longer have access to the aircraft? But access can and will be provided for another £50? The aircraft is purchased for the ‘Nation’ but the Nation aren’t allowed to see the aircraft.

So, you’re going to buy a new house, but the rules are that you aren’t allowed to see progress of the work unless you pay, there is no guarantee that work will be completed, if you don’t pay more money the work already done will be demolished, and, Oh! By the way, we’re not exactly sure how much the final price will be.

If you invest in schemes like that one can only conclude that some people have more money than sense.

Regards,

kev35

I am in favour of the vulcan powering round the airshow circuit but I am against it going to duxford

We’ve HAD the sights and the sounds

I haven’t…

I loved the Vulcan when it was in the air, and was very sad to see it go, but I believe that it’s had it’s time, and that not everything can be kept going forever; as stated, the Vulcan as a type had 10 years or whatever of airshow life beyond it’s operational days, and for a type that barely saw any real operational use in the role for which it was intended, that was pretty good going, and a real testament to what a fabulous aircraft type it is/was. The thing is, lots of other great types of aircraft have gone and stayed gone, and the Vulcan- with it’s MAMMOTH costs- should be no different. We’ve HAD the sights and the sounds, and those of that that saw the same should just count ourselves lucky.

For God’s sake, just let the thing retire with some dignity.

I loved the Lancaster when it was in the air, and was very sad to see it go, but I believe that it’s had it’s time, and that not everything can be kept going forever; as stated, the Lancaster as a type had 60 years or whatever of airshow life beyond it’s operational days, and for a type that saw operational use in the role for which it was intended, that was pretty good going, and a real testament to what a fabulous aircraft type it is/was. The thing is, lots of other great types of aircraft have gone and stayed gone, and the Lancaster – with it’s MAMMOTH costs- should be no different. We’ve HAD the sights and the sounds, and those of that that saw the same should just count ourselves lucky.

For God’s sake, just let the thing retire with some dignity.

What exactly is undignified about flying again? Should the Lancaster, Spitfire, Mustang etc etc retire now with some dignity? Sounds very New Labour to me?

I think you’ll fine that its those out there who still have a bit of good old British get up and go about their person, whom you will have to indoctrinate with your negative sentiments Lancman!

:diablo:

i simply said as you point out the RAF kept her going for 10 years after retirement but why not longer?

Money, resources, money…..err, oh and money… :rolleyes:

IIRC she was due her major, which MOD didn’t want to pay for……

And as I recall, with the imminent retirement of the Victors as well, the RAF decided it would no longer have the personnel and support structure needed to continue to operate a V-bomber.

I loved the Vulcan when it was in the air, and was very sad to see it go, but I believe that it’s had it’s time, and that not everything can be kept going forever; as stated, the Vulcan as a type had 10 years or whatever of airshow life beyond it’s operational days, and for a type that barely saw any real operational use in the role for which it was intended, that was pretty good going, and a real testament to what a fabulous aircraft type it is/was. The thing is, lots of other great types of aircraft have gone and stayed gone, and the Vulcan- with it’s MAMMOTH costs- should be no different. We’ve HAD the sights and the sounds, and those of that that saw the same should just count ourselves lucky.

For God’s sake, just let the thing retire with some dignity.

Ok so some are dreaming out there including me 🙁 B52 refuelled by a VIC or VAL!!! now we can talk air shows but it never happened :confused:

US scrap

The USA had plenty of aircraft with pedigree when the war ended but either scrapped them or sold them to third world allies also if you go to california there were whole tracts of desert given over to world war 2 airframes i went to planes of fame in chino a few years ago and the man there told me that in the chino area nearly a thousand ww2 aircraft were strpped of parts and buried in the desert or blown up for testing.
If the RAF can boast a flying lancaster (and britain soon a flying vulcan) why could’nt the Worlds largest nation keep a bomber and a couple of fighters, don’t get me wrong i have a lot of american friends and they dont believe we have ww2 aircraft in service with the RAF in the 21st century, but they told me they have the problem of if ‘it happened before vietnam it is not really relevant’ look at korea for example we have aircraft from that era the only reason they remember it is because of MASH.
Unfortunately the USAF probably got out having a BBMF because someone trimmed a A out of their original title after the war.

This is my last reply as we seem to be getting off topic somewhat, but if we have a vulcan when will they get a B52 in private hands ?

curlyboy

Most of the US past got scrapped here in Europe in WW II!!

not trying to defend the USA but if you look at all that they left behind I guess it up to us to restore it! if we can find the planes and vehicles :confused: 😀

As for your comments Curlyboy – your ideal of seeing her again in the air but who cares what happens afterwards is your thoughts . However historic aircraft preservation is about safeguarding our precious heritage for future generations.
If we view the sole purpose of the Vulcan to be to gratify a few thousand people at airshows well great but does that really tell a story or is it just showing the aircraft off as a machine and not really for the role it was designed for.

Hello

The point i was trying to make was that not enough people seem to want to see the vulcan fly again but are more concerned with what happens when she stops.
If we had the internet (let alone forums) in the 1960’s i am sure that someone would post that PA474 is not historic and is not a good role model as she was a test aircraft not used in war (unlike XH558), but here we are 40 years later and everyone still looks at the lancaster with amazement not as a airshow warbird but a symbol of the sacrifice of aircrew in world war 2 i have seen her hundreds of times and it still makes me think.
Some could say that the falklands (and cold war) was not a war but a skirmish but i think it is still a patriotic event in this countries history and should be remembered even if it only effected a few hundred people the sacrifice is still there.

And at least we have a flying heritage in this country unlike a lot of other countries in the world, how many B17s or B24s (or P51s OR P47s) do the USAF operate to remember their past ?

curlyboy

Firebird i was there refuelling Xl426 in the late 80,s for her displays i simply said as you point out the RAF kept her going for 10 years after retirement but why not longer?

Best we go out and scrap a few Spits and a Lanc David

The RAF is about defence of the realm . To keep a Vulcan flying back in 1993 would have cost money and have been a drain on resources. The RAF is already enough of a
historic flight with antiquated kit like the VC-10. There is a perception that the RAF
has guys standing around with nothing better to do than maintain aircraft for airshows.
As for your comments Curlyboy – your ideal of seeing her again in the air but who cares what happens afterwards is your thoughts . However historic aircraft preservation is about safeguarding our precious heritage for future generations.
If we view the sole purpose of the Vulcan to be to gratify a few thousand people at airshows well great but does that really tell a story or is it just showing the aircraft off as a machine and not really for the role it was designed for.

Why did the RAF not try and keep one flying? just for displays like certain other aircraft :rolleyes:

Err…it did 😉

The RAF Vulcan Dislay Flight flew XL426 and then this Vulcan, XH558, for almost 10 years after the Vulcans were retired from RAF service.

Well just my little bit 😉 in my stupor brought on by another overdose of Pastis 😀
Why did the RAF not try and keep one flying? just for displays like certain other aircraft :rolleyes:
For me its an aircraft that is part of the heritage of the UK and instead of the government investing in speed cams and other c**p the should chuck some money in 😀 😎

HIC HIC! pastis going down bad 😮

Who gives a stuff about what will happen when it retires, i have some great memories of THIS vulcan and i think we should all be greatful that they are at least trying to FLY it again.
what would you prefer a big beautiful flying vulcan or ANOTHER ex raf jet taxying up and down a runway getting to take off speed then stopping because the caa says so.

we would all like to see lightnings and other planes of this era fly again but unless you move to SA it ain’t going to happen, support the vulcan as when you see it flying you won’t be thinking ‘well in five years its going to duxford with the non flyer they already have or it will be smelted’ you’ll be thinking damn that looks great as you tell your kids about seeing them when they were in their prime.

May rant for this year is concluded.

curlyboy