Avro Vulcan XL319 Restoration Project

Yes, they know. For now I think Keeping it on its tail is the safest option. It can be lowered in a more controlled manner at a later date. Stopping it slamming back down is a high priority.

Dont forget about the crack on the nose leg drag brace. Be bloody careful guys…..

Wouldn’t a stand (or even a pile of pallets) under the tail have stopped this happening? Just a thought.. 🙁

Wow i never would have thought snow would do that to a Vulcan, i love the pics …….i just hope she comes back down ok 😮

Dispels the talk that such occurrences were a ‘myth’ and that Vulcan snow clearing teams would never be required on those airframes in preservation.

When XM594 first came to Newark in 1983 they had a ‘temporary snow clearing team’ on standby should the need arise. This team was stood down when NAM had the concrete dug out and the nose wheel of XM594 was tethered into the ground via a large red hook onto the undercarriage.

I do hope something is done and soon before the snow slides off or begins to melt and she makes the hardest landing of her life.

:confused:

I live 500 yards away and no-one phoned…. how odd….

That’s worth a mention. I’ll drop them an email.

Maybe a stupid idea, but can’t the local fire dept help with lift bags or something?

There are plans to get a hangar over the Vulcan, but for now, restoration work is focussing on repairing corrosion and a repaint to keep out the weather. There are big changes coming to the museum fingers crossed, so hopefully a hangar will be part of those plans.

That is great news and I really do hope that it can be done. It would be a shame for this mighty aircraft to have survived so long and all the hard work that has no doubt been expended on it only for it to be damaged for want of a “roof”.

There are plans to get a hangar over the Vulcan, but for now, restoration work is focussing on repairing corrosion and a repaint to keep out the weather. There are big changes coming to the museum fingers crossed, so hopefully a hangar will be part of those plans.

I echo the sentiments on this thread, be very careful! Once she is safely back on the ground then a means put in place so that this never happens again!

Impressive photographs, thanks for posting them. I guess this shows why (in my somewhat harsh opinion) that aircraft in the UK that are not going to fly in the next few hours should be in a hangar protected from the elements. It is a shame to see this aircraft stuck outside (as it is with all the ones I see stuck outside when I visit air museums). Unless they have the constant attention of an army of volunteers then I suppose there’s nothing else but to watch them being damaged by the good old British weather and gently rot away to join their long lost companions in the metal recycler (and if I could volunteer to help I would, believe me). Large aircraft like this are, I believe, a huge undertaking for museums unless they are hangared or, like the examples still outside at Newark, regularly maintained. Even then, the only long term answer is to get them under cover – not quite so difficult with small airframes but Vulcans? Begs the question I suppose that such airframes are long-term “albatrosses” and should not have been taken on by museums that could not preserve them under secure, covered accommodation but of course, if people had not fought hard to save such artifacts then we would not have had a choice of whether to look after them at all. I guess the choice is ours and it takes dedication and lots of money. I can’t see Govt grants putting this poor old Vulcan in a warm safe hangar any time soon.

The local paper was there at the same time as me this morning. He can be seen in some of the pics along with one of the staff. I also emailed some pics to the local TV News desks.

Somebody should phone the local TV news channel! They would probably send a camera-crew…

…you can’t buy publicity like that! 😀

I think they were phoning around members while I was there. I was on the way to the supermarket with family in tow, but left my number to call if they needed another pair of hands.

Have NEAM got enough people available to do what needs to be done to make the airframe safe?

Too far a journey for me but if they need help are there any other forumites within travelling distance that might be able to assist?

Go hire a bouncy castle blow it up then clear the snow!!

Sounds stupid but our American cousins did this i remember reading but not with a vulcan though?

The snow is bad though with more forecast.

Little warning for any one going to Duxford as only the airspace hangar is open and the rest of the site is barricaded off due to ‘health & safety’ concerns.

curlyboy

I wonder if that was prompted by the photos I emailed them?