Im going to show my complete lack of knowledge by asking this, but when Roly Falk rolled a Vulcan at Farnborough, was it the full sized prototype, rather than a production one, I ask this as (and heres the lack of knowledge again) In my humble thinking the prototypes had a true delta wingspan, ie the leading edges were straight whereas the production ones had the kink in them to prevent buffeting found in the testing….
By: andyxh558 - 23rd December 2011 at 00:42
its a longer clip i put up and i can assure you its VX777.
By: plough - 22nd December 2011 at 14:13
The following clip appears to my eyes to be of one with the later wing being rolled (??) – the commentary (by Raymond Baxter) suggests it was Farnborough 1955, but it is possible that the film makers could have used a later piece of footage which was more spectacular.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPuTgcrA2Zs&NR=1 (the clip of the roll starts at about 23 seconds)
By: andyxh558 - 21st December 2011 at 21:43
This one was VX777 and was on the Vulcan Story Video. the guy talking was Dougie Godfrey. one of the guys who took care of Xm603 and my model Vulcan which was made from VX777’s original wing.
By: efiste2 - 21st December 2011 at 14:04
Excellent info gents, what a wealth of knowledge, and t hanks for sharing (teaching) others!!!!
By: TwinOtter23 - 21st December 2011 at 12:43
If you require any pictorial reminders don’t forget the Farnborough Vulcan Album in here! 😉
By: Tin Triangle - 21st December 2011 at 12:23
There are several Vulcans and different occasions in the clip, it’s quite mish-mash!
At 0:01,the aerial shot of the static park appears to show second prototype VX777 with the revised wing shape (note black tip to tail and Vickers Vanguard to the port side, 0:01),
But the ground shot at 0:03 shows a prototype with an all-white tail in a different static arrangement (Comet to port), this is probably 1st prototype VX770.
0:05 is definitely VX770 (no bomb-aimer’s blister) with the original wing, in yet another different static display (Valiant B.2 to port!).
Shots at 0:12 and 0:15 are VX770 again, and the same occasion as 0:05.
0:23 is also VX770, being prepared for flight.
The take-off shot at 0:30 is a production B.2, presumably shot several years later.
The actual barrel roll is being performed by a silver pure delta Vulcan with black tail tip. As far as I know neither prototype was ever painted silver, so the suggestion that it was one of the early production B1s (XA890) before the introduction of the kinked B.1 wing must be right…
By: l.garey - 21st December 2011 at 09:52
In that YouTube clip there are obviously 2 Vulcans. The early shots show what I assume is VX770 with an all-white nose, and later the take-off of a B1 with a black radome. According to scramble.nl the performer at Farnborough 1955 was B1 XA890, and that it was XA890 that Roly rolled is borne out by several reports elsewhere, so I wonder if the YouTube clip is of 2 different shows. I was there in 1954 and saw VX770, so maybe the grounds shots were taken then.
By: efiste2 - 21st December 2011 at 00:57
Now i have confused myself 😮 were there 2 vulcans at farnborough, as if you watch the film at the beginning, you do actually see a vulcan with the modded leading edge, but further on, during the actual roll isnt that a vulcan with the unmodified leading edge (pure delta), again apologies for my lack of knowledge…
By: andyxh558 - 20th December 2011 at 22:03
It was the second prototype VX777 that rolled at Farnborough I think. By then she had B2 Wings on her as she was the aerodynamic prototype for the B1 with kinked wings and the B2 Wings.
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th December 2011 at 18:34
The early production B.1’s had the straight wing. 😉
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December 20, 2011 at 6:28 pm