P-3 has different engines, props and fuselage. And goes faster 410knots at sea level is when the overspeed horn goes off from memory and it will get there very easily.

It was certainly quick but it was it ever noisy, inside and out! The “mark on top” on the jez’ gram was unmistakeable (I could recognise it and I was a pilot!). I am not sure, but think it was even noisier that the Bear F and that’s saying something.

exmpa

There was a small hand axe in the winter pack.

Exmpa

Just to complicate matters, when we went to Goose Bay in winter the psp in the seat was changed on arrival to special winter land pack. The SS life raft came out and in its place went a combined quilted parka/sleeping bag. There were a few other “goodies” including a flint and steel and in the early 1970s a pair of collapsible snow shoes. I seem to recall that here was also a copy of the RCAF survival manual, a paperback, “Down But Not Out”. I think I still have a copy of that somewhere, but haven’t seen it for years.

The aircraft life raft was a MS5 that had a few bits an pieces including a couple of daynight flares unlike the SS life rafts in the psp that contained very little other than the bailer and maybe a sponge. The lifejacket held the SARBE plb, a heliograph a copy of the GroundAir Emergency Code and a pack of miniflares. In addition we all carried a small personal first aid kit. On top of that there was an aircraft first aid kit (behind the copilots seat?) and asbestos gloves and fire axe in the visual bomb aimers position.

When we went to Goose Bay in winter we spent the first day there doing winter survival training. I’ve got a couple of photos of our crew doing that.

I can’t recall whether or not aircraft transitting the Goose in winter en-route Offut to fly the SAC Oilburner routes had their seat packs replaced or not. I only did Offut in the summer.

exmpa

It would be nice if you could add some thoughts and details .If it was flown smoothly [is it possible in a V bomber?] ,i guess we have all seen Bob Hoover pour out tea whilst barrell rolling evenly.

It’s not about smoothness, it’s all about mechanics and physiology. Keeping +ve g applied throughout a Barrel Roll isn’t difficult, but applied g will always be >1g. Even if the rate of onset is low this will still be readily perceived by the time the maximum value is achieved. When you address the angular accelerations, keeping them below threshold level (1deg/sec²)on entry and exit would be near impossible. It’s the acceleration values that matter, not the final rate achieved. Add to this the fact the the rear crew are travelling backwards in a dimly lit cabin with no reliable visual reference and are then subjected to a manoeuvre that will induce a series of vestibular generated illusions. Do you really think that they won’t notice?

All of the above plus the H2S scanner toppling, radar picture lost, large variations in IAS, altitude and heading changes, change in noise level. I could go on, but you get the picture. This is real world, not the imagined one.

exmpa

Whilst I would agree, more than one service Vulcan pilot has hinted at rolls occasionally being carried out during RAF service

There’s only one problem with that. Down the back were 3 blokes who would be much less enthusiastic than the 2 up the front about investigating infrequently visited corners corners of the flight envelope. So if anyone even contemplated doing it they would have to sell it to SODCAT* first.

exmpa

*Society of Directional Consultants and Allied Trades

1. If the worse comes to the worse could XM655 be made airworthy for a brief delivery flight to Bruntingthorpe ? as I imagine this would be a preferred outcome and home if closure comes ?

It comes down to the section above highlighted in Red.

The answer to that is simple, given unlimited resource anything is possible. In practical terms, not a chance.

exmpa

I left the RAF in 1990 after 25 years and my logbooks came with me. I would say that was the case for everyone during that period and since.

exmpa
51 Sqn

Gp Capt “Harry” King, Station Commander at Gaydon until 1969 still wore his “O” brevet.