XH558 Through the Years

There was a rather nice pic of ‘558 in an all white anti flash scheme on eBay a couple of days ago (no I wasn’t the seller).

Rob

Any pictures of ‘558 on the dump at Marham before her first “Resurrection”?

OH! It seems that it did!!

I have a couple of photos that might of interest, from the last time I said goodbye, but can someone explain how I post them please?? The attach throught he browse thinggummy doesn’t seem to work…..

Came across this picture in K2 configuration on the internet, with apologies if permission is needed.

http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/tankers/558_tornado.jpg

And this video from Woodford in 1991

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIJOE_DC-n8

This is my earliest one from a wet Woodford (again) this has been seen on here before, but what the heck 🙂

And what a picture….as a recent convert to the tin triangle fan club, that is superb!

Couple more from me to keep the photo theme going, both from Mildenhall 1989 ,,,,,,,,,,,,

Vulcan XH558 by Mark Handley, on Flickr

Vulcan static by Mark Handley, on Flickr

.

And it’s a good read! And that’s quite unsolicited!!:eagerness:

I think I did four in all but I would recommend Key Publishing’s Aeroplane Icons special on the Vulcan, written by myself, which is just as good as any book – but cheaper 🙂

Think the Key Publishing shop is out of stock at present, but you can download it from Pocketmags :-

http://www.pocketmags.com.au/viewmagazine.aspx?catid=1030&category=Aviation+%26+Transport&subcatid=188&subcategory=Aviation&title=Aeroplane+Icons&titleid=1681&issueid=81459

. . . . The 607 book is indeed a nice read. I would have enjoyed it more if the author had perhaps acknowledged where some of his information came from (like from some of my Vulcan books), but still a nice read 😉

Thank you WH904, for the info. 😎

But, I have to ask – from pure and utter ignorance, sorry 🙁 – for your Vulcan book titles?

Now I’m ‘at it’ I’d like to read more about the Vulcan.

Indeed so. Following in the footsteps of a few performers I can think of…….:)

Whilst retracing XH558’s history above, it prompts me to note how amusing it is that XH558’s forthcoming final flight will in fact be its third final flight! 🙂

People shouldn’t use others work without at least acknowledging it.There was a documentary about the Falklands operation on the TV a few years ago and it showed how it really shouldn’t have worked but somehow it did LOL.
That last photo from Oakington makes me realise now with really not alot left of Oakington how much we have lost over time.

The 607 book is indeed a nice read. I would have enjoyed it more if the author had perhaps acknowledged where some of his information came from (like from some of my Vulcan books), but still a nice read 😉

Tim, how could you??!!:rolleyes:……but a fair point, indeed!

XH558 wasn’t involved in the Falklands conflict, but it was one of the aircraft converted to tanker configuration during 1982. Prior to that, XH558 had been a B.Mk.2(MRR) since the 1970s, equipped for maritime radar reconnaissance with 27 Squadron. As part of that unit’s responsibilities, it was modified to carry air sampling pods and XH558 was still fitted with these when it was converted to tanker configuration at Woodford. It continued to fly with the tanker modification and sampling pods into 1983 before the pods were removed. It was withdrawn in 1984 along with all the other tankers, and it was flown to Marham for use as a fire/rescue trainer. The RAF kept XL426 for display flying and retained XH560 as a reserve but when plans were made to use XH560 as the primary air display aircraft (when XL426 was retired), the books showed that XH560 had few hours left, but documentation showed that XH558 had many more hours available. So XH560 was flown to Marham and withdrawn, while XH558 was flown out again for use as a display machine. The rest, as they say, is history 🙂

The 607 book is indeed a nice read. I would have enjoyed it more if the author had perhaps acknowledged where some of his information came from (like from some of my Vulcan books), but still a nice read 😉

I think it had been converted to a K2 Tanker by then.

That’s an excellent read – lots of great detail. Yes, I agree.

Was XH558 used in the Falklands War?

I’m’ currently reading ‘Vulcan 607’ by Rowland White. A very, very good read. Like fiction, but it isn’t

And am – again – impressed by how resourceful and ingenious the British servicemen and women were. The whole thing of planning and executing the Falklands operation with the assets and time frame available remains impressive.

Take care

J

Er yes!Taken with a 135mm telephoto on my Braun Paxette super 2bl!There what a memory!I must have been a good two hundred yards from the runway.I have other photos from the same day but the negs are missing somewhere in my familys houses!!

Nice to see these older shots. Great photos 🙂

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Here is 558 doing a roller at RAF Oakington C1965