Avro Vulcan XL319 landing video

There are a few more pics of last years MV meet HERE

Steve

Thunderbird 167 is right – if you look at NEAM they have achieved so much in the 25 or more years since the Vulcan flew in with a very limited workforce. If you look at the collection there are more than enough gems to make up for the scruffiness of the Vulcan.

Lottery funding would not pay for a hangar – the Heritage Lottery Fund seem to be of the opinion that if there is one undercover elsewhere we don’t need another!!

Looks like I’ll have to get along to the next Military vehicle rally – looks good…!

there getting a building?

I wonder if they could get lottery funding? I am sure a company would donate paint for her and then at least she wouls be able to cope better being outdoors.

Here’s a few more of 319, taken within the last two years. The tailpipes are quite rusted, with holes in places. The paintwork is very faded, with the tail markings almost gone. Overall, and just going from memory of Duxford, I don’t think it is any better or worse than the IWM Victor. They must have both been outdoors for a similar time.

I think with the limited money available to the museum, spending it on getting the majority of the collection under cover was a better choice than work on the Vulcan which could only be considered temporary unless it is under cover.

One of the pics shows a general view of the museum grounds during the military vehicle meet last September. There were about 14 vehicles on display, along with several dioramas, including an Auster and Bomb Disposal displays. The Military Vehicle Trust are hoping to return to NEAM this September 8th/9th, making a whole weekend out of the event.

Steve

Nice pic Vultee!

Any more of the Vulcan? If they are still allowing public access inside the vulcan, her overall condition cant be that bad.

Ok guys, point taken. I was a bit harsh on NEAM. Its not their fault – they have had alot of unhelpful people through their doors. If it wasn’t for NEAM , I would not have been involved with Lusty Lindy (Victor K2 XL231) for so many years, and for that, I am thankful.

Its a big collection of aircraft there, and there are only two airframes outside – the vulcan and the Canberra TT18 (my skin repair on the tail – I did it when I was 15…) Worth a visit!

Here you go, a pic with the entry door open.

Steve

At a military Vehicle Rally there last September, the Museum staff were allowing people into the cockpit.

Steve

Has anyone been there recently? Are people allowed to walk up to her? Or is she THAT bad now? :confused:

Why cant something be done now before it is too late??

Some years ago I visited East Fortune and looked at their Vulcan. They had applied a thin bead of silicone (?) to the camoflage line which prevented water tracking under the airframe and rotting the aircraft from the ground up. I suggested this to NEAM, but sadly they ignored the advice.

Lindys lad,

Neat idea it helps to slow the onset of deterioration.
I think you should still contact the museum on a friendly basis and offer to help even so much as going for an Adopt the vulcan type of thing.

Misha is quite right that it is unfair to be too critical of the management.

With limited resources, priorities have to be set and the main priority for a number of years was to provide undercover accomodation for the majority of the collection. This entailed raising in excess of £100,000 and managing the project whilist carrying out full time jobs. After all the management are also volunteers.

XL319 sits six miles from the sea and would have required several repaints during the 24 years it has been in the museum. The funds for this simply did not exist after the arrival of the aircraft and I suspect are unlikely to exist to support any major work.

Let us be grateful that we have enjoyed the sight of these aircraft for nearly 25 years due to a few dedicated enthusiasts rather than them ending up as coke cans on retirement. Of those that were flown into museum’s we have been fortunate to loose only a very small number.

I can well remember a particularly critical article in the aviation press in 1983 that predicted that they would only last a few years and that the money spent on their acquisition was a complete waste.

I would encourage more people to become involved in museum’s such as NEAM as the more members there are the less frequently the turn will come to do the admin rather than work on the aircraft.

Think you are being unduly harsh on the NEAM management there Lindys Lad – in general I believe that any offer from qualified engineers would be accepted like a shot – however that is but one part of volunteering at a museum (and someone has to cut the grass!).

There could be any number of reasons for not working on the aircraft (ie cost / safety / etc.) Having been involved in running museums and volunteer organisations, the number of times we have had people coming into “save our aircraft / cars / trains” only to find that once they were in they found out the full story and were never seen again!

Perhaps if the approach was not only offering your time but also the money required to complete the work there may be an altogether different response!

Unfortunately, I don’t think a splash of paint will suffice now. The airframe skinning is corroded quite badly, and certainly the elevons require re-skinning. I have not viewed the aircraft with a view to examining its structural integrety, just as a casual observer. The brakes were removed some years ago and the pads have seen service again with Lusty Lindy, Andre Tempests Victor at Elvington.

In my view as a structural engineer, this aircraft needs help NOW. Perhaps if NEAM’s policy was to let people with aircraft engineering backgrounds and references to match actually work on the aircraft rather than cut the grass, maybe something would be done. NEAM has had alot of problems in the past, and the management trust no-one. Maybe the next couple of years will be XL319’s last. I hope not.

I am going to approach them sometime soon to see if I can be of assistance with its stabilisation. Some years ago I visited East Fortune and looked at their Vulcan. They had applied a thin bead of silicone (?) to the camoflage line which prevented water tracking under the airframe and rotting the aircraft from the ground up. I suggested this to NEAM, but sadly they ignored the advice.

Is anyone willing, in principle to save this aircraft?

Doesnt look like its seen any work

Its a shame really why dont they approach nissan or a paint company to see about sponsership>

She looks rough now though. Have they abandoned any work on her?

Nice Vid, Hopefully a sight we can see again within the next couple of months…..

There were actually three Vulcans flown into Catterick IIRC. They were covered on the local news as they had to shut the main A1 road. So we may be lucky someone somewhere may have them on Video.

Very nice video – now has anyone got footage of the Vulcan landing at Catterick? Bet that was a sight ‘n’ half!!

XL319 was looked after by James Caruthers who also had a web site

http://www.vforce.co.uk/index_content.htm which is no longer active

James was still at school during his time looking after XL319 he subsequently went to University. This unfortunately limited his time looking after XL319.

not too bad rough but not gone yet

She needs a bit of tlc for sure. There was a chap looking after her but he went back to school i think. She could do with a repaint for sure.