Vulcan Queries………

In response to the query at post 1 regarding Vulcan XJ781, I can add that whilst at RAF Akrotiri in the mid 1970’s I saw a report (with photos) of said aircraft at Shiraz in Iran after her landing accident. I’m fairly certain that the report stated that the Iranians were content for the ‘written off’ aircraft to remain in situ in their country on the condition that it be demilitarized first. They were of course a friendly nation in those days’.

Consequently, a team was despatched (from Akrotiri I assume) with orders to cut off the last six feet of each wing. Again, I feel fairly sure that the photos I saw showed the aircraft after this rather drastic action. I’m afraid I cannot remember whether specific equipment items were also retrieved during this operation.

Sorry I cannot be more precise and apologies for not responding sooner. Regards…..Paul

Indeed there was a plan to fly XM 575 out of East Midlands to Bruntingthorpe.

The aircraft was owned by Neville Martin, and had been on display at the Lougborogh and Leicestershire Air Museum which was based on the airport. Anyway the chap that had started the collection had a falling out session with the airport authoritys and decided to move the collection to Brunty.

At the time the collection had a very nice F 100D which had been restored by Alidair (remember them?), Mystere, Hunter and a few other bits and peices.

The project had the semi officail backing of BAE at the time and they supplied a lot of kit to get the Vulcan airworthy. Harry Holmes the BAE test pilot agreed to fly the aircraft out. He made several visits to the site, running the engines on a couple of occasions.

I forget now why it never made it, I guess it was the CAA. It was a shame really because a lot of effort went into getting it airworthy again. Anyway the Vulcan languished on its own pan which was getting smaller as the airport developed. A few months later BAE came down and repossessed all of its kit and spare parts it had fitted to the aircraft (I seem to remeber bits were chopped off rather than being removed correctly).

The future looked very bleak for the Vulcan as parking charges were mounting, I seem to remember Leicestershire didnt want a ‘nuclear bomber’ parked up in the County because they were a nuclear free zone (whatever happened to them?).

Ultimately a deal was done and the Vulcan became part of the fledgling Aeropark.

One small aneqdote, a very young Joe was working at the airport at the time with an ex Vulcan crew chief. Apparently a Vulcan crew chief always looked after the same aircraft. We were both outside working on something or other when word got round that a Vulcan was due to land. So we hung around to watch it.

Imagine the suprise on the face of our ex-chiefy when his old aircraft XM 575 taxied past! 😮

Thanks for your replies……. Sorry to be a pain…… I am aware that it may not have happened… I am just intrigued as to how a number of sources seem to state the same thing………

What about the other two Vulcans? Anyone know anything about those???

Paul.

Paul – Look in the March 1984 issue of FlyPast for the brief article on getting her flying to ‘hop’ from East Midlands to Bruntingthorpe. It never happened however.