The Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST) is delighted to announce that after months of searching, funding has been found that will allow completion of the restoration of Avro Vulcan XH558. This means that the striking delta-wing aircraft, the enduring icon of the Cold War that dominates the history of the late 20th century, may now be able to take its place at the centre of the commemoration ceremony that will mark the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict in June next year.
The news that the project can be completed will not only excite the many thousands of Britons who have fond memories of the Vulcan, but will come as a great relief to the team of 30 engineers who have worked tirelessly for the past eighteen months to get the Vulcan back on its own three feet, only to be told earlier in August that if £1.2 million was not raised by the end of the month the project would have to be scrapped. Celebrations of the successful capture of the necessary funds will take place tomorrow at Bruntingthorpe Airfield in Leicester, when the formal announcement of the funding will be made, and XH558 will leave its hangar for the first time since the project began. The Vulcan’s undercarriage was only refitted in the past week, and bringing the imposing aircraft back out into the daylight promises to be a momentous occasion, as Sir Michael Knight, Chairman of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, explains:
“The Vulcan to the Sky Trust would like to thank anyone who helped ensure that the Vulcan will fly again, with hundreds of thousands of pounds being donated or pledged That these pledges and donations are for the most part made up of thousands of individual amounts in the £10 to 100 range is testament to the strength of the public’s desire to see the Vulcan fly again. That said, I am absolutely delighted to announce today that the project has just received a truly magnanimous donation of £500,000 The team at Bruntingthorpe – and, indeed, the British aviation community – are greatly in his debt.
That splendid news will, I hope, be an encouragement to all who are enthused by this inspiring project – and, indeed, to all of us on the VTST team – to continue our fund-raising efforts for some time yet, if XH558 is to be capable of accepting a pressing invitation to lead the flypast over London to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the South Atlantic conflict in June next year.
Looking forward, today’s roll-out of Vulcan XH558 is cause for great celebration, especially for the small but dedicated team which has worked so hard to achieve it. It should also bring a deep sense of satisfaction to those thousands of loyal enthusiasts and friends who have supported this complex project over the years. I must say that to ensure continuing public appearances we will need to keep relying on the generosity of the public and commercial organisations, but we have passed a very significant milestone today. “
The Vulcan to the Sky campaign has also received the Royal approval, with the office of the Prince of Wales conveying Charles’ warmest good wishes on meeting this hugely significant point in the project:
“His Royal Highness has fond recollections of his flight in Vulcan XL392 at RAF Waddington, and was thrilled to hear that XH558 is to be rolled out of its hangar.”
The Vulcan to the Sky project has previously benefited from the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund, for whom Emma Sale, Regional Manager for the East Midlands, reacted:
“We’re delighted to hear this excellent news. The Vulcan Bomber is a truly unique example of our outstanding aviation heritage.
“The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded the Trust over £2.7million for their restoration work but we always require applicants to raise additional funding too. It’s great that all their hard work has now paid off and so many people will get to see this magnificent machine restored to its full glory.”
If the remaining funds are made available to the project, next season’s air displays around the country will greatly benefit, as the instantly recognisable sound of Spitfire and Hurricane and the impressive dignity of the Lancaster will be hugely complemented by the awesome sight of the Vulcan. XH558 will pay a moving tribute to the valour and foresight of planners, the talents of aircraft designers and engineers and the steadfast determination of a generation of airmen whose proud task it was to help prevent conflict and ensure that Europe remained at peace through the ultimately successful national and NATO strategy of deterrence.
By: wessex boy - 7th September 2006 at 10:05
A small thing, but I insisted that my kids bought their Duxford Airshow souvenirs from the VTTSC stall on Sunday, the whole family has Vulcan socks now, and my daughter loves her ‘Brunty Bear’, I found yet another Corgi Wessex….
As I said, small beer, but if everyone does it , it is money that you’d spend anyway, and my kids have become very enthusiastic about the whole thing
By: hawkdriver05 - 7th September 2006 at 01:43
I cant wait to see the air to air photos with the Red Arrows
By: roscoria - 5th September 2006 at 00:03
Roscoria – yes, I remember the Vulcan scrambles at Farnborough (also with Victors and Valiants) and it was very impressive to say the least.
Cypherus – Canberra was indeed done of the aircraft we successfully exported to the US, but it was not THAT rare an event:
Viscount
BAC111
Harrier
Hawk
Merlin
Dove
Islander…
Ok Steve thanks for that, there goes another interesting Event I have missed. I was born too late I guess. 🙂
___________________________
By: cypherus - 4th September 2006 at 21:58
Thanks for the post Denis, not noticed that on the primary sites yet though, might be a good idea if they both post same info large and loud soonest.
By: Flipflopman - 4th September 2006 at 21:36
iank,
The engines are, as Denis has stated, vastly different. The major differences are that the HP and LP compressors in the TM3B marine version, are made of steel, as opposed to a light alloy in the aero version. Steel is obviously far stronger, and less susceptible to FOD damage, but obviously pays an enormous weight penalty. The fuel systems are also hugely different, and bear no comparison to one another.
I believe the TM3B uses a ‘free turbine’ set up, with effectively another turbine stage aft of the LP and HP turbines, designed to extract every remaining drop of energy from the gas flow, to power an external gearbox. The engine is non-modular, and therefore hugely expensive and time consuming to strip and rebuild, so you can perhaps understand RR’s reticence to offer a full support facility.
Hope this is of some help.
Flipflopman
By: iank - 4th September 2006 at 20:59
Great idea but, the vast majority of the 16000 friends & 2500 club members fall into what I call a “Senior” catagory and most are on state pensions, so £50.00 per year would to say the least stretch already over-stretched resources (I know I have been speaking to them over last couple of weeks and heard some heart rending stories but still they donated ) and non-tax payers to boot.
Dennis – I don’t disbelieve you – I was just trying to show the “you’ll never be afford to fly it from year to year brigade” that the sums involved whilst daunting on paper are achievable without the the panacea of ‘sponsorship’ – the last 4 weeks have proven that.
Thanks for the answer about the marine Olympus – was curious about a company with Rolls history with the jet and the Ansty, Baginton, Bitteswell connections not wanting to help out – that was all!
Keep up the good work – nice to see someone from Bruntingthorpe fighting the projects ‘corner’!!
By: Denis Parker - 4th September 2006 at 20:09
, a fair guess can be made of costs per hour
We all except that flying 558 will be expensive, never been any question about that, there is a ready and wiling workforce available that could construct a workable publicity team that would be tasked with the sole job of raising funding, starting with the collection of the pledges ASAP lest the initial impact be lost, .
£1.2m per year…… but thats our problem…. at least the aircraft will be safe from the scrapman.
Pledges…..Thank you for raising this question.. can I ask all of you out there who pledged…to please now honour your pledges.. …
cheques to be made out to VTST…and send them to
VTSC,
PO BOX 7893,
Market Harborough,
Leicestershire,
LE16 7FZ..
with a covering letter stateing this is an honoured pledge and if you are a UK taxpayer, ask for your pledge to attract Gift Aid and sign it, plus name and address…..please
many thanks
Denis
By: Denis Parker - 4th September 2006 at 19:49
Consider also 20000 Friends of the Project – if they can be persuaded to continue to donate £50 per year then thats £1.1m without trying too hard.
Then there’s the Gift Aid for UK taxpayers – should add 28p in the pound for around 20-25% of those Friends (worst case). The only problem is ensuring a steady cash flow over the course of the year but then merchandising, ad hoc donations (the blue bins!), sponsorship and appearance fees could help even that out.
Great idea but, the vast majority of the 16000 friends & 2500 club members fall into what I call a “Senior” catagory and most are on state pensions, so £50.00 per year would to say the least stretch already over-stretched resources (I know I have been speaking to them over last couple of weeks and heard some heart rending stories but still they donated ) and non-tax payers to boot.
Denis
.
By: cypherus - 4th September 2006 at 19:45
Seems the pressure might be bleeding off on the Xh558 debate, posts are getting thinner and the content a little thready, and before anyone starts this is not another knocking session, Question I am asking myself is what happens now, the group has obtained it’s funding that will allow it to go forwards to begin flight testing and possibly beyond, the flypast up the Mall is certainly on unless serviceability problems call a stand down on that one, but what of the future financing of 558, a fair guess can be made of costs per hour so were will this money come from a question that should be on everyone’s mind right now or do we wait until we have yet another final few days letter issued, hope not, would be a real insult to those who have worked so hard both inside and out to get the word around. We all except that flying 558 will be expensive, never been any question about that, and that sponsors are little thin on the ground but unless as a group we are prepared to make 558 headline news on a daily basis this project will find itself in dire straights again and again, we have seen from this and other forums that there is a ready and wiling workforce available that could construct a workable publicity team that would be tasked with the sole job of raising funding, starting with the collection of the pledges ASAP lest the initial impact be lost, history of such pledge scheme indicates that the longer you wait the less you bring in, possibly a daily blog on progress could be arranged, inclusive of pictures and small AVI clips, someone should progress that idea, make 558 and the people involved as popular as Eastenders and you will have no problems raising cash, lots of good ideas have been pushed into the forum lets see if we can mould a few into a workable process to keep the money coming in..
By: Denis Parker - 4th September 2006 at 19:40
Pardon me for displaying my ignorance so brazenly but are there substantive differences between the Olympus 201 and the Marine Olympus found in Type 22 Frigates?
I would have thought the majority of the engine is similar except for some sort of reduction or transfer drive on the Marine unit – so doing blade test/inspection, fuel metering checks and casing/ancillary component testing would require similar test benches for either type? Plus, I would have thought the chaps at Ansty would be happy to help if they could?
Sorry iank… we went down this road many years ago and unfortunatly the marine Olympus is almost as far removed from the 202 as is the Concorde 59series.
If you like I will put you in touch with our ex-Bristol/RR engine supremo if you really want the nuts and bolts differences.
🙂
By: iank - 4th September 2006 at 19:16
If the VTTS setup a direct debit scheme, allowing people to donate £25 a quarter like they do with SallyB, albeit only £100 a year, if 500 people done it, thats a steady £500,000 a year to keep her ticking over and it could be more if people were allowed to donate more a quarter say if they done it in stages and gave you the choice of £25, £50 or £100.
Consider also 20000 Friends of the Project – if they can be persuaded to continue to donate £50 per year then thats £1.1m without trying too hard.
Then there’s the Gift Aid for UK taxpayers – should add 28p in the pound for around 20-25% of those Friends (worst case). The only problem is ensuring a steady cash flow over the course of the year but then merchandising, ad hoc donations (the blue bins!), sponsorship and appearance fees could help even that out.
By: iank - 4th September 2006 at 19:10
As Rolls Royce are unable to offer any further support regarding deep strip and recertification of the Olympus, once these are consumed, the Vulcan is effectively grounded. This is where the 10 – 15 years of flying figure is drawn from.
Pardon me for displaying my ignorance so brazenly but are there substantive differences between the Olympus 201 and the Marine Olympus found in Type 22 Frigates?
I would have thought the majority of the engine is similar except for some sort of reduction or transfer drive on the Marine unit – so doing blade test/inspection, fuel metering checks and casing/ancillary component testing would require similar test benches for either type? Plus, I would have thought the chaps at Ansty would be happy to help if they could?
By: David Burke - 4th September 2006 at 17:39
IWM operate Duxford – HLF don’t operate aircraft – did the HLF decide she was going to Duxford or IWM? How will subsequent changes in management at IWM change this ?
By: XL391 - 4th September 2006 at 17:27
I couldn’t care what colour she is, if it annoys people what colour she is just so long as she flies!! (And the fact that she will fly seems to have annoyed the usual suspects on here….) I don’t care where she goes upon retirement either, so long as she stays in one piece and still draws breath…
By: Denis Parker - 4th September 2006 at 16:57
Was it the IWM seeing as they effectively own the place??
?????????? .:confused: :confused: …….HLF own the aircraft post flight
. :confused:
By: David Burke - 4th September 2006 at 16:51
Was it the IWM seeing as they effectively own the place??
By: Denis Parker - 4th September 2006 at 16:48
and yet another slinging match starts…”duck here come the teddies”
I can asure you I have not even got a teddy, let alone slinging one around… 😮 😮
By: Denis Parker - 4th September 2006 at 16:31
Denis – Absolutely amazed yet again ! Never heard before that the responsibilty of placing her on retirement is with HLF !
Hi David
Can I ask.. who did you think decided on Duxford, effectively they own the aircraft when we finish flying!!
Denis
By: David Burke - 4th September 2006 at 16:09
Denis – Absolutely amazed yet again ! Never heard before that the responsibilty of placing her on retirement is with HLF !
By: dees01 - 4th September 2006 at 16:07
Operating costs…
I have a question or two, which may have already been answered, I can’t tell due to the huge amount of wood surrounding the trees here, but :-
1) Does the money donated so far represent funding to get the aircraft to an airtest, through a full airtest programme, to the first display or what?
2) Assuming the aircraft is not sponsored for displays, what is the target market for the jet? £7000-£10000 for a display? That’s way too much money for 99% of the airshows in this country… So who’s going to pay for it to appear?
Sign In
August 31, 2006 at 3:12 am