Your Vulcan memories

Re: stevechap’s above post 50

Being stationed at Akrotiri for 9 months in 1975, I seem to remember a Vulcan permanently sat out-of-action on one of the airfield pans, probably a left-over from the squadron that departed the Island a couple of years earlier. I’m pretty sure I used to cycle past it on my way to the beach and would assume that there must be some photos of it somewhere on the base.

Whilst at Akrotiri I also recall reading a report of another one of the resident Vulcan’s that had crashed at Shiraz in Iran (Persia) in the Spring of 1973. From memory it had a defective undercarriage which collapsed on landing causing the aircraft to veer off the runway and sustain serious collision damage. Fortunately I don’t think there were any injuries to the crew or airfield personnel but the report concluded that after assessment by RAF engineers the aircraft was declared a complete write-off. The Iranians (Persians) were content to allow the Vulcan to remain at Shiraz as long as it was disabled and could no longer be classed as a warplane. A team from Akrotiri was duly flown out to Shiraz where they cut off the last 6 foot of each wing which seemed to do the trick. I don’t know how long the aircraft stayed there but it may still be there today under the sand!

I’m fairly sure that there was a series of photos attached to the above mentioned report but where they would be now over 40 years later is anybody’s guess.

From memory again, I think Shiraz was near a bombing range which the old Shah had given permission for the RAF to use – but I may be wrong, it was such a long time ago!

Anyway, best of luck in your quest for historical records. Regards….Paul

Hi everyone, great photos. I’m currently based at RAF Akrotiri and undertaking a project to examine the history of the Station. I would therefore love to see any photographs please from anyone who served on the Vulcan bomber force during their time in cyprus [late 60s-early 70s]. All photos, comments and stories relating to your time here gratefully accepted. They will all go towards increasing and improving the memorabilia in the Station museum. many thanks in advance. best wishes
steve chappell
contact on [email]stevechap50@hotmail.com[/email] if easier

Greenham Common 1979 when I travelled to the show with my dad as sixteen year old.

It was a long day for my dad who was most definitely not an aircraft buff but was under instructions to accompany me all the way from Newcastle which meant leaving at 6 a.m.

Long day had caught up on dad who managed to sleep through much of the flying until the Vulcan taxied out for take off. To this day he still says it is undoubtedly the loudest aircraft he has ever heard.

At Woodford once a long long time ago.
A touch and go over the end of the runway/crowd. grass charring, internals vibrating

Having a day’s spotting the day before an Abingdon BoB show in the 80s; ferocious crosswind forcing the Vulcan to crab-in to the approach. Kicked the rudder over just before touch-down for a brilliant landing: until someone streamed the brake-chute!

I will never forget the screech of tortured rubber as the Vulcan weather-cocked round. Someone in the cockpit was very quick and the brake chute was jettisoned sharpish, otherwise something very nasty could have happened. Blocked the runway for hours, whilst lots of people looked at the u/c in a very concerned manner.

I remember sheltering under them at Biggin Hill, whilst the Red Arrows appeared out of the murk with their lights twinkling in the rain. The most impressive display was at Booker (Wycombe Air Park), around 1970 where the pilot kept the display, almost within the airfield perimiter!
In 1973, I was watching the hunters and gnats do their thing at RAF Valley, when one of these did a touch and go, again very impressive.

that B&W, is just stunning. truly a beautiful aircraft

looks like waddo?

Vulcan memories:

The 4-ship scramble at Finningley in 1981 – only thing to come near was a 5-ship scramble of B-17s at Duxford when making Memphis Belle, but they lacked the “earthquake” effect.

A spiral climb-out at (I’m pretty sure) Cosford by either XH558 or XL426, what a (wonderful) racket, car alarms and babies screaming out together and the ground shaking beneath us – beautiful.

One thing I missed at Duxford the other week was the sound and shake of the Vulcan, not a single car alarm was heard :confused:

Just a little black and very white photo from 1962 for you all ! Keith.

This was fun:

exmpa 😉

Scramble

My memories of the Vulcan are of working on the Line Squadron in the late sixties. And being part of the starter crew for a 4 aircraft scramble start from the dispersal point just off the end of the runway.
Rather than starting one engine, then another, all four engines fired at the same time and the Vulcan was virtually jumping the chocks to get away.
I’ll never forget the noise or the sight of four Vulcans charging down the runway and into the air. At one point I think there were on the runway at the same time.

Smelly, Noisy things……

Smelly and noisy ??? isnt that what its all about?

My memories of them in service were horrible, smelly, noisey things good riddance to them.

I posted this on another thread but after reading this thread i guess it belongs here.

I have one vivid memory of seeing the Vulcan,
My wife and i took our six-month old daughter [she’s noe 18!] with us to an airshow, i think it was at North weald one of the fighter meets.As she lay asleep in her buggy the vulcan carried out it’s display seemingly right over our heads. At one point it appeared to hang in front of us pointing to the sky engines howling and that big delta wing blocking out the sky, awesome!!.
Did my daughter wake or cry out no, but you try to get her to go to sleep in her cot at home and any creak of a floorboard and bang shes awake, Happy Days.

My first ever airshow, Bassingbourn September 1958.

A Vulcan, white in those days obviously, parked next to a Lincoln.

I can’t remember now whether it flew or not but I fell in love with the tin triangle that day.

1955 Farnborough (?) rolling the Vulcan. Too young for a sensible camera, but sifting through some rolls of negative I found in the loft last week, they had not seen the light of day for at least 25 years, I found these two. They have responded well to PSP and would be Biggin Hill Battle of Britain display, September 1961.

Mark

Living between woodford and manchester airport has its advantages, Loads of planes, but especially vulcans.

My first sighting of the delta winged beast was at the airport when 2 came in and parked near domestic pier. It was about 1975-76 as the tridents still had the composite bea-ba scheme on them.

Then most airshows i went to from 1977 when I first saw the famous touch and vertical GO! the noise was amazing and so was the rain as was usual at woodford.

Best airshow was finningley in 1981 with the scramble, within 90 seconds 4 vulcans had took to the sky. nothing short of amazing! Worst day was when i last saw her flying at finningley in 1992 an the words farewell on the bomb doors brought a tear to my eye and yes I cried, and I am not ashamed to say that!

Then came 1982 and watched XM603 so a little flypast and landed never to fly again, A few weeks later I saw 6? land to be converted into k2 tankers ( my school window over looked the woodford flightline), about 4 weeks or so later they started to be flight tested , and my education went for a burton!.

April 1984 when 50 sqn dispanded and they did a 4 ship flypast and display. I sat and watched that as i left the shcool to go home.

I used to go to the Airshow meets at North Weald during the eighties.

XH558 used to grace the skies, a bit loud but she was nice to see in the air.
While on the ground you could not imagine how this lady got into the skies. When the enignes fired up for take off, you certainly new then:eek:

One year the farmer who was so p***ed off with the noise he took out a noise abatement court order banning the aircraft from flying at North Weald.
The noise caused havoc to his livestock!!

The engine noise, the earth shuddering vibrations at take off will always be remembered by me:D

Can’t wait.

Brian.

Didn’t know they had one at Barksdale AFB, LA. Have a cousin stationed there, He’s a Nav trainer for the BUFF crews over there. They won’t be flying it I reckon unless it’s during a hurricane!

Some(egads-quite some) years ago, cannot come up with what year, while heading into the huge airshow at MacDill, Tampa Florida. As I was crossing the acres of parking to get to the flight line, this giant, camoflaged delta shaped monster loomed up over the hangars in a steep bank belching fire and smoke.:eek: I don’t think I have ever seen anything that big turn that sharp, that low! And the sound. WOW! She landed by the time I got to the flightline and they kept her well back from the throng. My first and last to see her, unless I should get over the pond at some point. Don’t figure she will be visiting here again:(

Who knows? It probably depends on who pays the bills! Being US allies during the cold war, there maybe a good case to be made for a visit and short tour one year.

Only during our off-season months though! We, the public, would never put up with missing an opportunity to see her when the weather’s suitable here!