Heads up: Channel 4 7.30 Guy Martin: Last Flight of the Vulcan Bomber

This is out on DVD now, with a few little bits of extras- the North and South tour, a display, and the trailer.

Guy Martin – Last Flight of the Vulcan Bomber

Guy’s planned TV efforts for 2016 have already been announced but I wonder if there’ll be any future aviation based programmes?

Having just got round to seeing it with a Chinese and a bottle of plonk, I thought it made good viewing for the general public.

Those of us in the know (my brother was a crew chief on the ‘hole in the wall gang’ 617) we can pick it to bits. It came as a surprise to find that Guy had spent 4 months with the team. This is no ‘I’m a presenter’ type docu. The jacks were lowered inch by inch with the locking ring just above that measurement. Yes if you get it totally wrong then that’s a jack up through the structure. Deep pockets are required to repair. If Mike Pollitt was being honest then Guy did a fair job of operating the aircraft. Taff doesn’t take any prisoners and appeared to welcome Guy into the family even letting him marshal at one point. Have you tried to do that? Straight out of training, marshalled Varsity’s chiefy points to you, Vulcan inbound, slot one; go! Brown adrenalin comes into play.

Yes I agree more time could have been spent on the reasoning behind the grounding. Joe public still don’t understand. My management (been round military aircraft all her life) even said why doesn’t the government or someone fund its continuation. It is not until you explain about time expired components, engines, structure, design authority requirements, insurance, etc., then the light bulb comes on. As I think (correct me if I’m wrong) Bill Perrins said after the nose leg incident in Scotland, the time has come to put the old girl to bed.

Guy really enjoyed his Blades trip including the aero’s. Kudos to the VTTS trust and Guy for being so enthusiastic. You have made millions of people extremely happy. Thank you.

Yes BeeJay, I too was rather surprised about the size of targets to be struck with a NUCLEAR BOMB. Maybe the Americans had first dibs.

Hi
I enjoyed this programme too. I particuarly enjoyed the old film of the white Vulcans with the pilots explaining that the targets were railway junctions etc!

Excellent, I’ll be able to see it then! Thanks, curlyboy.

The programme is getting a DVD/Blu Ray release on the 11th of January next year (shame might have made a good stocking filler for some).

Curlyboy

Vulcan roll https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPuTgcrA2Zs

Good old Roly Falk – and all in a well cut dark suit and tie!!!!

Yup…and looped.

Well XM558 didn’t, but there was footage of a test pilot rolling and looping an early prototype

Still…

Did it roll?
Did it roll?
Did it roll?
Did it roll?
Did it roll?

[QUOTE=Blue_2;2277640The ‘final flight’ for the TV programme was the farewell tour;.[/QUOTE]

Ah, that’s what I thought…..thanks.

I think he was there for both. The ‘final flight’ for the TV programme was the farewell tour; the actual final flight came a couple of weeks later and I believe he was on site for that too.

No – he taxied in 655 only, in the programme.

He attended one of the last flights but did not participate. It was unclear if he was there for the final tour weekend or the final flight.

Wasnt it the final flight where he was filmed talking to the young ladies through the fence ?

I do rather like Guy Martin, he strikes me as a fun and enthusiastic bloke, so I really hope we get to see this at some point on New Zealand television.

As an aside, my parents were involved in a tram restoration/operation project and had Guy and his father visit last year. Apparently they were great to chat to and – again – very enthusiastic.

No – he taxied in 655 only, in the programme.

He attended one of the last flights but did not participate. It was unclear if he was there for the final tour weekend or the final flight.

Did they use 603 as well? The shots of him in the taxi run and with Mike Pollitt in the cockpit were at Wellesbourne in 655 filmed in September.

Actually that’s the part I enjoyed most!
He was, wasn’t he….or had I nipped out…?;)

As the programme was trailed, it was made to look like he rode in the co-pilots seat on the Last Flight of XH558.

In fact the shots of him in the RH seat were of XM603 doing a ground run at Woodford – which was interesting of itself.

But the commentator mentioned that XH558 was ‘not allowed to take passengers’ – so he couldn’t have been on the last (or any) flight.

Ken

Not quite that bad TA, but look forward to your two penn’orth when you’ve seen it….:)

Can’t believe he was allowed to crawl into the intakes with his bloody work boots on!

Having watched a 1958 film on servicing a Vulcan B1 (XA899) one reel covered checking the compressor blades and internal surfaces of the intakes and great emphasis was put on the changing of work footwear to “rigging shoes” (and emptying pockets) yet he’s in there with his steel toe capped safety boot!!!

Well if he spilt anything they could always shovel some chicken sh*t down there, or failing that Silica Gel absorbs water.. :stupid:
In the service we wore safety boots when doing inspections including down the intakes, and proper tight, little and long intakes, not that great chasm he was in.

What I don’t like is this modern trend for breathless commentary, where everything is going to end in disaster if Guy gets it wrong……
Ken

I am with you, it could of been one of those::::
If he does not put enough fuel in he may crash…
If the pilot is taken ill at the controls it may crash….
If the Elsan lid is not closed properly after someone had a dump it could come open in a high bank to the left, cover the pilot in PooP and it may crash.

Not seen it, recorded so may get a look in later.