Well as far as I’m concearned watching the flight going in and out of Bagington is a buzz. It was only Saturday we were treated at MAM to the Canberra flying out and also the return of the Meteor not long after.

We love it and I hope they never leave Cov. Well done and keep it up boys. Lets hope you just keep adding to the collection as it’s pretty damn good at the minute…….. 😀

Our Sea Harrier, ZE694 at the MAM, was brought from RNAS Yeovilton for a certain sum of money, which I will not be saying the price so don’t ask, but I tell you now, we didn’t pay a lot and it is far better condition and has more parts than that one…………….in a whole, you’ve been ripped off mate 😀

Just thought this might give you some idea on how much I like this aircraft.

Background and Construction

The start of the journey towards the construction of the first Vulcan Bomber was actually during World War 2, in 1944. The air Ministry published a study called “Future Bomber Requirements”, which highlighted the need for a replacement for the RAF’s piston engine bombers such as the Lancaster. In 1947 British manufactures were setwith the task of designing a four engine bomber in the specification ‘B35/46’. The aircraft would need to be able to fly at over 50 thousand feet, and at 500 knots as well as having a range of 3 thousand miles, a massive change in comparison to the bombers of the day, the key to this change was the requirement to carry anuclear weapon.

This need for a nuclear bomber came as the world entered the cold war after the Second World War. The need for a long range nuclear bomber was paramount as there was not the technology at the time for a viable ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missile), and any payload would have to be delivered by air, as with the US attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which were both traditional bombing runs, something that would change as time went on.

The three manufactures to rise to the challenge were Avro with the 698 design (later to become the Vulcan), Handley Page with the HP.80 (later to become the Victor) and Vickers type 660 (to become the Valient). These three bomber would become known and the V bombers. Avro had already had massive success with the Lancaster Bomber, which has come to be one of the most enduring images of the RAF during the war, and their chief designer Roy Chadwick, who designed the Lancaster itself took to designing the first prototype, the 698. Avro were then awarded the contract for the specification with Handley Page being used as insurance with their HP.80.

The first stage in the design was the Avro 707 (right), known as the ‘mini-Vulcan’. this showed the first stage of the ‘delta wing’ design which was pioneered by Chadwick in his original plan for the Avro Type 698. These smaller models were used to get technical data on the viability of the radical new design, as well as a single, two seated trainer aircraft. Only five of these prototypes were created, between 1948 and 1951. Most such research was done in the UK but some was also carried out by the RAF in Australia. Sadly Chadwick had died on April 30th 1947 in a plane crash over the Lake District only a matter of months after his first sketch of the Vulcan. His assistant S.Davis who survived the crash then took up his work.

In the days prior to effective recording systems, cockpit instruments were filmed with cine cameras and the films were then read by a team of film readers and transcribed. These tables were then plotted and analyzed. In one particular example Paul Culerne, a company photographer, was strapped to the undercarriage and took photos of break-pad operation while the plane was actually landing. This highlights some very crucial differences between the way in which aircraft were developed in the days before powerful and compact computers, where today many hours are spent on software testing and simulation before production is even considered.

The first recognizable aircraft was the Type 698 (VX770-left), which has many of the characteristics of the final version. It was first flown by Wing Commander Roly Falk on 30 August 1952. During this flight there were two objects seen to fall off the plane, but turned out not to be critical. Not long after this the Type 698 was officially named the Vulcan by the air ministry. The second prototype Vulcan was tested on 3 September 1953, now with more powerful Olympus engines.

On 4 February 1955 the first production B.1 Vulcan had its maiden flight, and on the 20 July 1956 the first B.1 Vulcan was delivered to RAF Bomber Command. One year later, on the 11th of July 1957 the first delivery to an operational squadron (83 Sqn) was made, 10 years after the first specification was released.

As the B.1 Vulcan was being rolled out the B.2 was being designed, this second version of the Vulcan was to be fitted with modern ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) and some fitted to allow a new type of bomb to be delivered. The Blue Steel rocket was a rocket-powered supersonic cruise missile with a nuclear warhead, which could be launched 100 miles from the target, making the role of the Vulcan a safer one as there was no need to penetrate so deep into enemy territory. Vulcan’s equipped to carry it were designated B. Mk 2A.

There construction of the Vulcan gives some strong clues as to its chilling purpose. The small windows are designed to protect the crew from nuclear flash, and the all white colour scheme was intended to also protect from a nuclear flash, and the change to a more traditional camouflage came later when the role of the Vulcan changed. The most significant development seen in this aircraft is the move from heavily armored, slow aircraft that operated at relatively low altitude, such that can be intercepted by fighters. To a high speed, high altitude aircraft with low armor and no active defenses.

Specifications and Statistics

Below are the detailed specifications for the Vulcan Bomber:
Vulcan B.1 (Mk1)
Role: A long range medium strategic bomber.

Max Crew: 5

Dimensions: Length (29.59 m) – Height (7.95 m) – Wing Span (30.18 m)

Engines: Four Bristol Olympus 101 turbojets of 11,000 lb st or Olympus 102 of 12,000 lb st or Olympus 104 of 13,000 lb st.

Weights: Normal Take-off (empty): (160,000 lb) – Maximum Take-off (180,000 lb)

Speed: 625 m.p.h. at 40,000ft. (Mach 0.95)

Flight Ceiling: 50,000+ ft

Vulcan B.2 (Mk2)
Role: A long range medium strategic bomber.

Max Crew: 5

Dimensions: Length (29.59 m) – Height (8.28 m) – Wing Span (33.83 m)

Engines: Four Bristol Siddeley Olympus 201 turbojets each rated at 17,000 lb st or Olympus 301 turbojets each rated at 20,000 lb st.

Weights: Normal Take-off (empty): (180,000 lb) – Maximum Take-off (200,180 lb)

Speed: 620-635 m.p.h. at 40,000 ft. (Mach 0.94-0.96)

Flight Ceiling: 60,000+ ft

Below are varients Vulcan Bomber B.1 (Mk1) and B.2 (Mk2):
First Prototype – One aircraft with Avon engines. Later successively fitted with Sapphire, Olympus 102, Olympus 104 and Conway engines.

Second Prototype – One aircraft, much closer to production standard. Olympus 100 engines intially. Later flight tested Olympus 101/102/104 engines and new wing for B. Mk 2.

Vulcan B. Mk 1 – Initial production version. Olympus 101/102/104 engines.

Vulcan B. Mk 1A – Conversion of B. Mk 1 with ECM equipment in enlarged tailcone.

Vulcan B. Mk 2 – Improved production version with larger, thinner, wing and uprated Olympus 201 or 301 engines. Later fitted with Terrain Following Radar in nose pimple and ARI.18228 passive radar warning system on top of fin.

Vulcan B. Mk 2A – B. Mk 2 converted to carry Blue Steel missile. Olympus 301 engines. Reverted back to B. Mk 2 standard when Blue Steel withdrawn.

Vulcan B. Mk 2BS – Alternative designation for B. Mk 2A.

Vulcan B. Mk 2(MRR) – 9 conversions of B. Mk 2 for Maritime Radar Reconnaissance role.

Vulcan K. Mk 2 – 6 conversions of B. Mk 2 for air-refuelling tanker role, with single hose-drum unit under rear fuselage.

The following shows the production details for the Vulcan
Head of Design Team: Roy Chadwick (Stu Davies from August 1947)

Project Designer: J.G. Willis (later G.A. Whitehead)

Chief Aerodynamicist: Eric Priestly (later Roy Ewans)

There were 136 Vulcans of all varients produced during its lifetime and of those, 2 were prototypes, 45 were of the B.1 varient and 89 were of the B.2 varient, all of which were made by A.V. Roe & Co Ltd and from 1963 Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd, and assembled at Woodford Airfield in Manchester.

Combat

The primary combat role of the Vulcan bomber was a strategic nuclear bomber, but its role changed significantly during the sixties with the invent of the Polaris nuclear missile. This was a submarine launched nuclear warhead which meant that there was no need for nuclear bombers any longer. This meant that the Vulcan had to take up a more traditional bombing role, and this is when it saw its first and last combat.

it was at the very end of its service life in the 80’s that the Falklands war began, this is where the Vulcan carried out the ‘Black Buck’ missions. There were five in total, all of which required very long flights from an air base on Ascenscion Island, a small island on the coast of Africa. There were a total of 10 victor fe-fueling craft with them and there was little room for error. The bombing raids were as follows:

1. April 30 – 16 hour flight by XM607 serviced by Victor tankers (some Victors were required to refuel other Victors). More fuel was used than expected because the Vulcan had to fly lower than maximum i.e. at the height of the Victor tankers. The Vulcan only had enough fuel to get in and out in a straight line. It dropped 21 bombs at an angle to Port Stanley runway, one of which hit the target, as was the intention.

2. May 3 – XM607 again struck against Port Stanley runway, but this time missed.

3. May 29 – XM597 carried 2 Shrike anti-radar missiles but both missed their target.

4. June 1 – XM597 carried 4 Shrikes one of which disabled a radar station and killed three of its operating crew. On its return leg, its refueling probe broke and it was diverted to Rio de Janeiro (where it was interned for the rest of the war), although the crew were allowed to go free.

5. June 12 – General bombing raid by XM607 by which time British troops had landed.

For an aircraft that flew for so many years, the Vulcan carried out very few missions, although its probably a good job it wasn’t involved in combat during the cold war.

End Of An Era…

The last Vulcan was produced on 14 January 1965, and this was cosly followed by the decomissioning of the B.1 varient, although no plans were yet made to dicomission the B.2 Vulcan.

The decline of the began in the late 1960’s after the viability of a high altitude bomber as a risk-free solution was ptoved wrong in 1960 when Gary Powers was shot down in his U2 spyplane. This proved that height was becoming less of an advantage. This was while the V-bomber numbers also peaked in 1964 when there were 70 Vulcans, 50 Valiants and 39 Victors. But with the invent of the Polaris missile instead of the air launched skybolt, the primary role of the Vulcan, as a nuclear bomber, was put at risk and the Navy officially took the role of a nuclear deterant on 30th June 1969. This caused the bomber to take its more classic green and black camoflage style for its new low level conventional bombing role would require.

Between the end of the 1960’s and the 1980’s the Vulcan had seen to active combat in its new role, and on 9th June 1981, the phased decomissioning of the Vulcan was announced. This was of course premature as the Vulcan saw combat in the Faulklands war in 1982. On the 31st December 1982 the last B.2 squadren was disbanded and the only Vulcans in service were re-fueling conversions, which also got dispanded on 31st March 1984. This only left the display team. All remaining Vulcans were then either scrapped (below) or used as non-working models in museums.

XH558 stayed in display service until 23 March 1993, where RAF cost cutting forced it to be scraped, it was deliverd to bruntingtorp, where it is today as part of the ‘Vulcan to the sky’ project, hoping to fly it agian in 2006.

Present Day

Below are the only complete Vulcans left worldwide, all others are either destroyed or only parts survived, such as cockpits etc.
B.2
XH558 – Vulcan to the Sky , Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire

XL318 – Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, North London

XL319 – North East Aircraft Museum, Sunderland Airport

XL361 – RAF Support Unit, Goose Bay, Canada

XL391 – Christopher Ollerenshaw, Blackpool Airport, Lancashire (Now srapped)

XL426 – Vulcan Restoration Trust , Southend Airport, Essex

XM573 – Strategic Air Command Museum, Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

XM594 – Newark Air Museum , Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire

XM597 – National Museum of Flight, East Fortune Airfield, Lothian, Scotland

XM598 – RAF Museum Cosford, Shropshire

XM603 – Avro Heritage Society, BAe Woodford, Cheshire

XM605 – Castle Air Museum, Castle AFB, Atwater, California, USA

XM606 – Eighth Air Force Museum, Barksdale AFB, Bossier City, Louisiana, USA

XM607 – RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire

XM61 – City of Norwich Aviation Museum, Norwich Airport, Norfolk

XM65 – John Littler, Wellesbourne Mountford aerodrome, Warwickshire

B.2A
XJ824 – Imperial War Museum, Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire

XL360 – Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport, Warwickshire

XM575 – East Midlands Aeropark, East Midlands Airport, Leicestershire

B.2A(MRR)
XJ823 – Tom Stoddart, Solway Aviation Society, Carlisle Airport, Cumbria

Vulcan Production List

This lists all the Vulcans ever built and gives a brief description of their operational lives. Sadly most are no longer in one piece. However, I have noted complete air frames and cockpit sections which still survive.

Vulcan Prototypes

VX770
Delivered: August 1952
Notes: Suffered Mid-air explosion 20/9/58. Destroyed.

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VX777
Delivered: September 1953
Notes: trials aircraft. Used for both flying and runway testing.
Last flight 4/60. Broken up Farnborough 1963.

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Vulcan B1

XA889
Delivered: February 1955
Notes: Olympus 104 engines. Scrapped at Boscombe Down 1971.

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XA890
Delivered: 1955
Notes: Used for radio, radar and blind landing trials. Scrapped Bedford 1971

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XA891
Delivered: 1955
Notes: Used for manufactures trials.
Crashed during test flight near Hull in 1959. Electrical failure.

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XA892
Delivered: 1955
Notes: Used for manufactures trials.
Delivered to Halton for ground instruction. Scrapped 1972.

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XA893
Delivered: 1956
Notes: Electrical trials with Olympus 104 engines. Scrapped 1962.
Nose section taken to 71 Maintenance Unit, Bicester.

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XA894
Delivered: 1957
Notes: Used for engine development trials (TSR-2).
Destroyed by ground fire 1962.

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XA895
Delivered: 1956
Notes: Olympus 104 engines.
Used by Bomber Command development unit for ECM trials.
Scrapped 1968.

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XA896
Delivered: March 1957
Notes: Bristol Siddeley test bed for vectored-thrusted engines.
Scrapped 1966 at Patchway.

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XA897
Delivered: July 1956
Notes: Olympus 104 engines. Crashed at Heathrow October 1956.
Aircraft destroyed.

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XA898
Delivered: January 1957
Notes: Used as an instructional airframe. Scrapped 1971.

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XA899
Delivered: February 1957
Notes: Used for blind landing and auto pilot experiments.
Nose section remains at Cosford Museum.

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XA900
Delivered: March 1957
Notes: Sent to Cosford as instructional airframe. Later given to Cosford Museum. Last intact Vulcan B1. Scrapped 1986.

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XA901
Delivered: April 1957
Notes: Delivered to Cranwell as an instructional airframe. Scrapped 1972.

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XA902
Delivered: May 1957
Notes: Damaged during landing Feb 1958. Scrapped 1963.

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XA903
Delivered: May 1957
Notes: Olympus 101 engines. Used for Blue Steel trials. Also used by
Rolls Royce as test bed for Concorde and Tornado engines.
Also fitted with prototype 27mm cannon.
Last B1 to fly (Farnborough Feb 79). Scrapped 1980.

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XA904
Delivered: July 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard 1960.
Damaged during landing at Waddington 1961. Later scrapped.

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XA905
Delivered: July 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard 1960.
Taken to Newton as an instructional airframe. Scrapped 1974

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XA906
Delivered: August 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962.
Stored at St. Athan, later scrapped 1968.

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XA907
Delivered: August 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Withdrawn 1966. Scrapped 1968.

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XA908
Delivered: September 1957
Notes: Olympus 104 engines. Crashed at Michigan USA October 1958.

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XA909
Delivered: October 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962.
Engine explosion over Anglesey resulted in crash 1964. Aircraft destroyed.

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XA910
Delivered: October 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard 1962.
Became instructional airframe before being scrapped.

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XA911
Delivered: November 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962.
Delivered to St. Athan in 1967. Scrapped November 1968.

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XA912
Delivered: December 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Olympus 104 engines.
Used by 101 sqn.

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XA913
Delivered: December 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard 1961.
Stored at St. Athan before being scrapped in May 1968.

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XH475
Delivered: February 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Later used as instructional airframe before being scrapped in June 1969.

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XH476
Delivered: February 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Olympus 104 engines.
Sold as scrap 1969.

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XH477
Delivered: February 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Olympus 104 engines.
Crashed in Scotland June 1963.

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XH478
Delivered: March 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Used in mid-air refuelling experiments. Sent to Akrotiri as instructional airframe.
Scrapped March 1969.

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XH479
Delivered: March 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Olympus 104 engines.
Used as instructional airframe at Halton. Scrapped in 1973.

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XH480
Delivered: April 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962.
Sent to St Athan in 1966 before being scrapped in September 1968.

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XH481
Delivered: April 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Sent to Cottismore fire dump in January 1968. Scrapped nine years later.

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XH482
Delivered: May 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Delivered to St. Athan October 1966. Scrapped two years later.

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XH483
Delivered: May 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Sent to Manston fire dump before being scrapped in 1977.

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XH497
Delivered: May 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Olympus 104 engines. taken out of service 1966. Later scrapped 1969.

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XH498
Delivered: June 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962.
Became instructional airframe before being scrapped.

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XH499
Delivered: May 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Withdrawn from service in November 1965 before being scrapped at Bitteswell.

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XH500
Delivered: August 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1959. Used as instructional airframe before being scrapped at Waddington fire dump 1977.

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XH501
Delivered: September 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Olympus 104 engines.
Delivered to St. Athan in November 1966. Scrapped two years later.

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XH502
Delivered: November 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Sent to Waddington fire dump. Nose section salvaged for instructional uses.

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XH503
Delivered: December 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1963. Olympus 104 engines. Withdrawn and sent to St Athan December 1966. Scrapped 1968.

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XH504
Delivered: December 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Olympus 104 engines.
Scrapped at Cottismore fire dump 1968.

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XH505
Delivered: March 1959
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Delivered to Finningley fire dump January 1968, scrapped shortly afterwards.

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XH506
Delivered: April 1959
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Olympus 104 engines.
Sent to Waddington after being withdrawn in 1968.
Finally scrapped in November of that year.

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XH532
Delivered: March 1959
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Last production B1 Vulcan.
Sent to St. Athan 1966. Scrapped two & half years later.

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Vulcan B2

XH533
Delivered: August 1958
Notes: Olympus 200 engines. Sold as scrap to Bradbury & Co 1970.

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XH534
Delivered: July 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for manufacturers trials.
Converted for MRR. Scrapped February 1982.

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XH535
Delivered: May 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Crashed near Andover May 1964.

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XH536
Delivered: July 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for terrain following radar (TFR) trials. Crashed in Wales February 1966.

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XH537
Delivered: August 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for manufacturers trials before going to Abingdon in 1983 to be used as instructional airframe.

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XH538
Delivered: September 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for trials before going to Scampton, then onto Waddington. Finally sent to St. Athan and scrapped August 1981.

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XH539
Delivered: September 1959.
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for manufacturers trials. Later sent to Waddington fire dump before being scrapped in 1972.

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XH554
Delivered: October 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines.
Twenty two years after beginning service this aircraft was sent
to the fire fighting school at Catterick.

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XH555
Delivered: June 1961
Notes: Used by manufacturers for fatigue tests.
Sent to St. Athan for structural tests. Scrapped 1971.

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XH556
Delivered: September 1961
Notes: Withdrawn after undercarriage collapsed in April 1966.
Sent to Finningley fire dump.

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XH557
Delivered: May 1960
Notes: First Vulcan to be fitted with Olympus 301 engines. Although she was orignally delivered with the 201 units, and subsequently re-engined.
Also first to have enlarged air intakes. Scrapped December 1982.

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XH558
Delivered: June 1960
Notes: Last Vulcan in RAF service. Struck off charge in March 1993.
Aircraft now being restored at Bruntingthorpe.

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XH559
Delivered: July 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Sold as scrap early in 1982.

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XH560
Delivered: September 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Converted to MRR, then later to K2 tanker unit. Scrapped November 1984.

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XH561
Delivered: October 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines.
Sent to fire fighting school in Catterick in 1984.

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XH562
Delivered: November 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines.
Sent to fire fighting school in Catterick during August 1982.

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XH563
Delivered: December 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified to MRR.
Sent to Scampton for preservation in 1982. Later scrapped.

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XJ780
Delivered: January 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified to MRR in 1976.
Used for spares before being scrapped in 1982.

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XJ781
Delivered: February 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Damaged during landing in Iran.
Struck off charge 1973.

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XJ782
Delivered: February 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Sent to Finningley for preservation,
but later dumped in 1982.

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XJ783
Delivered: March 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for spares recovery until
sold as scrap in November 1982.

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XJ784
Delivered: March 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Later fitted with the more powerful 301 units.
Sold as scrap in 1982 after being used for spares recovery.

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XJ823
Delivered: April 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines.
Sold to Solway Aviation society in Carlisle January 1983.

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XJ824
Delivered: May 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Aircraft sent to Duxford in March 1982.

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XJ825
Delivered: July 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified to MRR in 1976. Used for battle damage repair duties before being scrapped in 1992.

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XL317
Delivered: July 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel missile.
Sent to Akrotiri before being scrapped.

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XL318
Delivered: August 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel. Used for last sortie by a Vulcan in 617 Sqn. Aircraft sent to RAF Hendon in 1982.

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XL319
Delivered: October 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel. Sold to North Eastern Aircraft Museum in 1983. Aircraft intact.

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XL320
Delivered: November 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel missile.
Sent to St. Athan before being scrapped in 1981.

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XL321
Delivered: January 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel missile. Highest number of operational flying hours for a Vulcan. Over 6,952 hrs.
Later scrapped.

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XL359
Delivered: January 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel. Allocated as gate guardian for Scampton before being scrapped in November 1982.

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XL360
Delivered: February 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Sold to Midland Air museum in 1983. Aircraft intact.

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XL361
Delivered: March 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Accident at Happy Valley, Canada. Aircraft placed on display at Goose Bay.

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XL384
Delivered: March 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. Damaged after heavy landing in 1971.
Used for crash rescue training. Struck off charge 1985.

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XL385
Delivered: April 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. Ground fire at Scampton April 1967.
Struck off charge the following day.

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XL386
Delivered: May 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Delivered to Central Training Establishment, Manston (Kent) August 1982. Later scrapped.

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XL387
Delivered: May 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Sent to St Athan for crash rescue training January 1982. Sold as scrap in June 1983.

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XL388
Delivered: June 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Sent to Honnington fire dump August 1982.

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XL389
Delivered: July 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. . Blue Steel modifications.
Delivered to St Athan April 1981. Scrapped August the same year.

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XL390
Delivered: July 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Crashed during air display, Glenview NAS USA August 1978.

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XL391
Delivered: May 1963
Notes: First Vulcan to have Olympus 301 engines fitted during the production phase. Blue Steel modifications.
Selected for Black Buck modifications but not used operationally.
Delivered to Blackpool February 1983.
Aircraft intact.

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XL392
Delivered: July 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Sent to Valley for crash rescue training March 1982, later scrapped.

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XL425
Delivered: August 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Grounded January 1982. Scrapped April the same year.

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XL426
Delivered: September 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Sold to Roy Jacobson and delivered to Southend Airport December 1986. Registered as G-Vjet in July 1987. Aircraft now maintained by Vulcan Restoration Trust. Performs fast taxi runs.

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XL427
Delivered: September 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Used for crash rescue training at Macrihanish from August 1982. Scrapped 1986.

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XL443
Delivered: October 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Allocated to RAF museum in 1982 before being sold to Bird Group as scrap in
April the same year.

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XL444
Delivered: October 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Grounded September 1982.

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XL445
Delivered: November 1962.
Notes: Olympus 201 engines.
Blue Steel modifications.
Last used for crash rescue training at Lyneham. Scrapped April 1984

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XL446
Delivered: November 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Grounded in March 1982. Sold to Bird group for scrap in the November of the same year.

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XM569
Delivered: January 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Sold to Wales Aircraft museum. Sent to Cardiff February 1983.

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XM570
Delivered: February 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Sold as scrap January 1982.

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XM571
Delivered: February 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Delivered to Gibraltar for preservation, later scrapped.

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XM572
Delivered: February 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Grounded September 1982. Scrapped two months later.

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XM573
Delivered: March 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Sent to Offutt AFB USA in 1982. Presented to USAF. Aircraft preserved at
SAC Museum, Ashland, Nebraska.

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XM574
Delivered: June 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. This Vulcan, plus all subsequent aircraft, were fitted with 301 engines.
Scrapped January 1982.

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XM575
Delivered: May 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Sold to Leicstershire Air Museum in January 1983, delivered to Bruntingthorpe.
Ferried to Castle Donnington, East Midlands Aeropark.
Aircraft preserved.

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XM576
Delivered: June 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Crash landed at Scampton May 1965. Struck off charge.

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XM594
Delivered: July 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Sold to Newark Air Museum January 1983. Sent to Winthrope a month later. Aircraft preserved.

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XM595
Delivered: August 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications.
Grounded March 1982. Scrapped November the same year.

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XM596
Delivered: Aircraft never completed
Notes: Based at Woodford and used for static fatigue testing.
Scrapped 1972.

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XM597
Delivered: August 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Modified for Black Buck Operations in July 1982. Sent to Royal Scottish Museum of Flight in East Fortune April 1984. Aircraft preserved.

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XM598
Delivered: August 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Modified for Black Buck Operations in July 1982. Delivered to Cosford Air Museum in January 1983. Aircraft preserved.

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XM599
Delivered: September 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Sold to H John & Co for scrap in January 1982.

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XM600
Delivered: September 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Engine Bay fire caused crash near Spilsby 17th January 1977.

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XM601
Delivered: October 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Destroyed in crash on approach to Coningsby October 1964.

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XM602
Delivered: November 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Delivered to St Athan Historic Aircraft Museum in January 1982.
Aircraft preserved.

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XM603
Delivered: November 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Sold to British Aerospace for preservation. Delivered to Woodford March 1982. Used as mock up for K2 tanker conversion. Aircraft preserved.

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XM604
Delivered: November 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
January 1968, Overshot runway at Cottesmore and crashed.

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XM605
Delivered: December 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Preserved at Castle AFB USA.
Presented to USAF September 1981. Aircraft preserved.

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XM606
Delivered: December 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Delivered to Barksdale USAF Base, USA
June 1982. Presented to USAF a year later. Aircraft preserved.

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XM607
Delivered: December 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Modified for Black Buck mission. Static display at Waddington from January 1983. Aircraft preserved.

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XM608
Delivered: January 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Scrapped by Bird Group in December 1982.

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XM609
Delivered: January 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Delivered to St Athan March 1981.
Scrapped five months later.

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XM610
Delivered: February 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Crashed near Wingate January 1971 following fire in an engine bay.

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XM611
Delivered: February 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Scrapped in June 1983.

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XM612
Delivered: February 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Modified for Black Buck operations. Sold to Norwich Aviation Museum in January 1983.
Aircraft can be viewed at Norwich Airport.

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XM645
Delivered: March 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Onboard explosion caused crash
in Zabbar, Malta, October 1975.

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XM646
Delivered: April 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Sold to T Bradbury as scrap June 1983.

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XM647
Delivered: April 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Used for ground instruction training at Laarbruch in September 1982. Scrapped March 1985.

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XM648
Delivered: May 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Grounded September 1982. Scrapped three months later.

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XM649
Delivered: May 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Sent to St. Athan before being scrapped in December 1982.

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XM650
Delivered: May 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Sent to St. Athan before being dismantled in 1984.

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XM651
Delivered: June 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Grounded September 1982 before being scrapped eight weeks later.

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XM652
Delivered: August 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Dismantled and sent to Sheffield.
Nose section intact.

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XM653
Delivered: August 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Moved to St. Athan before being scrapped in 1981.

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XM654
Delivered: October 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
Grounded October 1982, scrapped a month later.

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XM655
Delivered: November 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Sent to Mountford in Feb 1984. Registered G-VULC, later re-registered N655AV. Aircraft intact.

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XM656
Delivered: December 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Given to Cottesmore for display.
Sold as scrap 1983.

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XM657
Delivered: January 1965
Notes: Last production Vulcan. Delivered to Manston in January 1982.
Later scrapped.

Thats about all I can think of at the minute to tell you about the Vulcan. I wish their was one still flying :rolleyes:

Nice paint job by the way!