Waddington Airshows circa 1976

Hopefully one will turn up of the lineup at Waddo

I doubt it Peter! As I said previously, I don’t think any 12-14 aircraft scramble took place at any air show and I can’t recall any evidence of a line-up on the ground at Waddington either. I think the Scampton event was the only time that a big collection of Vulcans was lined-up for the public (excluding the 1977 review at Finningley of course).

Most of the 1970’s Queens Birthday flypasts had at least 2 or 3 Vulcans. My old house was under the flightpath as they came over West London, and we usually got a solo Vulcan doing the practice run the week or so before.
Got a grainey photo somewhere in an old album, taken on my first camera (a 110 pocket job!) of either the ’78 or ’79 Trooping flypasts with I think had 3 x Vulcans and escorting assortment of fighters as they passed over my house in West London.

14 Vulcans did not get airborne at Waddo in 1976 – 4 did. Don’t forget the “scramble” and similar lists are produced by spotters who list every single airframe on the airfield at the time. The Vulcans listed were far side on the still current B, C, D and E disperals, in hangars and static. The 4 that took part in the scramble were – XL388, XM571, XM653 and XM611 of 101 Sqn that returned to perform the solo display. The event took place on Saturday 19 June and though in the long summer of 1976, the hot, sultry day ended in a tremendous down pour.
The most Vulcans I have seen active in one place was the aforementioned Finningley Jubilee review on 29-30 July 1977. 7 were static from the current front line units (OCUs were’nt included), 4 performed a scramble take off, 3 formed the centre of the combined “strike formation” along with a Harrier, Buccaneer, 3 Jaguars and 2 Canberras and finally a solo performer on the public day. What a show!!

Having re-read the thread there appears to be a bit of confusion re the Silver Jubilee. The awesome review took place as described above and is the subject of Air Scene’s wonderfully illustrated article. The Queen’s birthday flypast was a combined a Silver Jubillee special and featured Vulcan + 2 Buccaneer, Vulcan + 4 Jaguar, Victor + 2 Lightning, Victor + 4 Phantom and the Reds. Pic below is scanned from the RAF yearbook 1978 and was used as a BAe advert, taken by Arther Gibson from one of the Reds. presume copyright rests with A Gibson/Crown.

Also, here is the programme insert from the 1976 Waddo open day. – note 4 Vulcans! It folded out to a very nice poster of XM606 at low level…

I took these with 35 Sqn in Malta. 1968.

John

There might be some confusion here, a scramble usually consisted of four aircraft (not fourteen or sixteen), it is entirely possible that sixteen Vulcans did get airborne in four wvaves at the show to perform the flypast.

I recall the Queens Jubilee Flypast in 1977, I witnessed the practice over Chelmsford which involved 4 Vulcans with various escorts, though one was a spare and on the day 3 Vulcans took part, I’ll have to dig out my slides of the event as they passed right over my house, I presume that the escort was Buccs, Lightnings, Phantoms, Jags and the Reds flying Gnats.

Details of the Silver Jubilee flypast can be found here http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/oldstuff/2007/425finn77/fin77.htm

Plus details of one aircraft that was nearly lost during the preparations for the celebrations in South Yorkshire http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/oldstuff/2007/443shack/shack.htm

In 1968 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force almost the entire V Force was airbourne to carry out the flypast at RAF Abingdon.

That sounds incredible, surely some pictures or film must survive of this event somewhere, so where do we start looking.

I recall the Queens Jubilee Flypast in 1977, I witnessed the practice over Chelmsford which involved 4 Vulcans with various escorts, though one was a spare and on the day 3 Vulcans took part, I’ll have to dig out my slides of the event as they passed right over my house, I presume that the escort was Buccs, Lightnings, Phantoms, Jags and the Reds flying Gnats.

But thats nothing, all those Vulcs and Victors over Abingdon must have been an interesting formation, diamond nines?? what a sight.

Wow that brings back great memories of when my employer was a force to be reckoned with.

This is from Waddington in 1981:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK—Air/Avro-698-Vulcan/1019403/L/

In 1968 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force almost the entire V Force was airbourne to carry out the flypast at RAF Abingdon. The Cottesmore wing launched all apart from the QRA aircraft and a few U/S airframes, they were lined up on both taxiways and fed alteratively onto the runway I seem to remember 22 aircraft taking off one after another, now that was a sight and sound, and there were 3 rehearsal days! They formed up with aircraft from Finningley then down to Scampton and on to Waddington on the way the Victor force joined them and the entire formation then went to Abingdon, thats a lot of noise and a lot of effort.

Chox, yes that is the picture that I found again. Hopefully one will turn up of the lineup at Waddo.

Hope someone gets some concrete information on this – it sounds fascinating but I’ve certainly never heard anyone mention it before – sixteen Vulcans getting airborne at an air show? Doesn’t sound very plausible but I hope someone finds some evidence if it is true!

Peter – maybe you’re thinking of the anniversary display at Scampton? There was a long line-up of aircraft from each squadron at that event?

I am sure there is a pic somewhere of all the vulcans lined up on display at the Waddington airshow.

I do have photos but where who knows. They came back as 4 groups of 4 for a run in and break, very smokey engines i recall on the photos, if i find them ill post

Well that sounds amazing, it totals 16, did it really happen then and did they actually do a massed take off as well, someone else must have some pics and memories of such an awsome event.

I’ve never heard of any show demosntrations of scrambles which involved any more than four aircraft – besides, it would seem a bit pointless as the aim was to demonstrate to the public what a “standard” dispersed scramble looked like, and they were always two or four aircraft. Certianly, all the Finningley show scrambles were either two or four (some years they were Victors though). Maybe it’s a tale which has been confused with the later pre-disbandment events when some of the units did mass take-offs just before they disbanded? I seem to recall 44 Squadron launched 12 (or was it 14?) aircraft from Waddington when they ended their operations.

Vulcans

I do have photos but where who knows. They came back as 4 groups of 4 for a run in and break, very smokey engines i recall on the photos, if i find them ill post

Seeing that collection of 20 or so Vulcans together would have been something!! I don’t suppose anyone has photos in their collection?

I’d just like to thank you for your prompt and detailled replies chaps, it was very good of you to bother.
The greatest number of Vulcans I ever saw flying was during the practice for the Queens Jubilee Flypast in 1977. I was working in Chelmsford at the time and 4 came over, though the last one was flying as the reserve, it looked good though, surrounded by a mixture of Lightnings, Phantoms, Buccs, Jags et al, has anyone got pics of this or better still a vid, I’m assuming that the Reds were taking part and were flying Gnats that day, can anyone remember.

Waddo’s last BoB display was, IIRC early ’60s. The 1976 event as well as ’78, ’80 & ’81 all feautured 4 ship scrambles which was good enough! they were also standard open days, held in June

Sounds like a mis quote, a scramble usually involved four aircraft.