Avro Vulcan questions

The first batch of B.2’s were not originally capable of carrying Blue Steel- when that weapon became available those aircraft underwent the mod programme to allow them to carry the weapon while those on the production line had the mods incorporated before issue. It was originally intended that roling between Blue Steel and conventional would be a quick change thing however practical realities proved different. Although the cabling etc was installed in the bomb bay as were the extra fuel gallery connections swapping between roles would turn out to be a right pain. Not only were the bomb bay doors replaced but a cooling, hydraulic and electrical package needed fitting plus the nose and tail fairing panels needed fitting to replace the original panels. Given the amount of work needed to rerole it was decided that the Blue Steel aircraft would remain unchanged especially as getting the bomb doors off was a nightmare- only did this once – never again. The list of mods required was quite extensive and included seperate items for the front and rear spar- mountings for the services crates plus changes to the switching titles for the bomb bay doors which became fin gap doors- in fact the last aircraft to carry the fin gap door tags didn’t change until early 1974. Just to make life even more complicated some aircraft such as XM575 had a partial Skybolt panel fit in the Nav area so it sported relics at one time of conventional, Blue Steel and Skybolt.

Cheers
Mad Jock

re

Am i correct in saying there is currently no Vulcan with a Blue steel fitted?

I wonder if they could fit XH558 with a mock up? 😉

Make an interesting sight, and would be educational.

According to “Vulcan from a Different angle” by Craig Bulman (a great book for finding what mod happened to what aircraft when) of the 34 blue steel vulcans those still around are;

XL318 (Hendon), XL319 (NEAM), XL360 (Coventry), XL361 (Goose bay), XL426 (Southend), XM575 (East Midlands) and XM594 (Newark).

Apparently not all of these had two counterpoise plates (XL426 didn’t).

Interesting replies thanks gents! I didn’t know the one at Newark was Blue steel capable as well. Any ideas on the removal of one of the wing roundels?

obvious innit… saves paint 😉 😀

I also wondered why NCO aircrew (just Bomber Command ?) during at least part of WW2 went through a stage of wearing chevrons on one arm only,cut the use of cloth ??

cheers baz

The plates are called counterpoise plates. Just a splendidly useless piece of info from my Vulcan days.

John

Merely a thought – no factual basis to found the idea on!:confused:

Aren’t most of the Vulcans in the independent museums likely to be of a similar configuration?

The logic being that the original disposal to museums was delayed by the Falkland’s Campaign and weren’t all the airframes surveyed to identify the ‘Skybolt’ hard points for external missile fits?

Is there any correlation between these ‘Skybolt’ airframes and ‘Blue Steel’?:confused:

No correlation between Blue Steel and Skybolt, however you are correct in identifying that the only Vulcans to be used in the Falklands War of 82′ were Skybolt modded examples. They were all also Mk301 Olympus examples, this is why XL319 was a standby aircraft as it was configured for Skybolt but had the mk201 Olympus..

Regards,

Phil.

Merely a thought – no factual basis to found the idea on!:confused:

Aren’t most of the Vulcans in the independent museums likely to be of a similar configuration?

The logic being that the original disposal to museums was delayed by the Falkland’s Campaign and weren’t all the airframes surveyed to identify the ‘Skybolt’ hard points for external missile fits?

Is there any correlation between these ‘Skybolt’ airframes and ‘Blue Steel’?:confused:

your statement is not strictly true, if it where than in the same sense all Lancasters were capable of carrying bouncing bombs but were not modded to do so.

Proof that Midland Air Museums Vulcan XL360 was capable of carrying Blue Steel

http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/1_group_presentation/360bs.htm

Immediately behind the bomb bay doors there is a panel, approx 18″ x 8″ which was part of the BS mod… apparently.

Correct, although saying that Ive never mentioned the afore mentioned panel :p

None were capable until the mod was carried out which included brand new electrics for all the nuke’s services and a rebuilt under fuselage. Again it goes back to the Lancaster comment said earlier. A Boeing 747 is able to carry a nuke if a mod was designed and carried out but as far as I’m aware, that didn’t happen either.. 😀

Once again it boils down to how you are defining capable – which was the original question I posed. Capable as in had the potential to (which all of them did) or capable as in was modded (only 32) accordingly. Which from the above it is a Vulcan that was modded – sorted 😉

Jon

Thanks Phantom Phil, would make for an interesting display.

Correctamondo..

All were re-fitted back to standard bomb fit.

Am i correct in saying there is currently no Vulcan with a Blue steel fitted?

To be made capable then they would have had to have been modded up, your statement is not strictly true, if it where than in the same sense all Lancasters were capable of carrying bouncing bombs but were not modded to do so.:D

John.

Well said John!!

So that brings me back to my original point – ALL were capable but only 32 were ever suitably modded up to take it 😀

Jon

To be made capable then they would have had to have been modded up, your statement is not strictly true, if it where than in the same sense all Lancasters were capable of carrying bouncing bombs but were not modded to do so.:D

John.

Looking at some of my books it states that only 32 of the 89 Vulcan B2’s produced were ever modded to carry Blue Steel.

So that brings me back to my original point – ALL were capable but only 32 were ever suitably modded up to take it 😀

Jon

XA903

Do the mortal reamins of Blue Steel trials ship, B1 XA903 at Wellesbourne Mountford count?

Was given a fascinating and much appreciated tour of this cracking cockpit by her owner last weekend, who incidentally is doing a really great job of piecing back together this very rare old bird 😀

http://www.thevulcancollection.co.uk/

Interesting replies thanks gents! I didn’t know the one at Newark was Blue steel capable as well. Any ideas on the removal of one of the wing roundels?

I think it was generally just to do with a phase the RAF was going through at the time and had no real purpose, unless someone knows different??

Interesting replies thanks gents! I didn’t know the one at Newark was Blue steel capable as well. Any ideas on the removal of one of the wing roundels?