I’ll see you all there, hopefully!!
I knew it would be something absolutely ridiculous like that. 😡 😡 😡 How disappointing is that??
I went, with the missus and the boy in tow, his first taste of a Vulcan!! Well worth the trip from Liverpool!! Fantastic show, once again, and she really does look as good as she does in the excellent pictures shown above. Did they eventually let anyone underneath her? I disappeared around 4pm to the other side to visit XA903, which, rumour has it, maybe disappearing to New Zealand!!
To give you an idea of the fuel consumption…
When the Lightnings go into full power each aircraft will be burning 500 litres of Shell fuel per minute “that’s the equivalent of 34 car tanks of petrol per minute
😮 😮 😮 What an absolutely legendary aircraft!!! :diablo: :diablo: :diablo:
Two of them are there:
WL747 MR 2/AEW.2 First flown 5.2.53 and A/Cn 27.2.53. To 23MU 11.3.53 and prepared for issue to 269 Sqn 3.4.53. Uncoded. To 204 Sqn 11.8.54 and reportedly ended T-W. To 42 Sqn 11.6.58 and coded B. To Avro for Phase I modification 18.9.58. Completed 30.9.59 and issued to 210 Sqn, coded V. To Avro Langar 18.4.61 for Phase II update, completed 22.10.61. To 37 Sqn 4.11.61 and coded C. Allocated to HSA 29.10.61 for Phase III conversion, arriving Langar 8.5.64. On completion despatched to 210 Sqn 12.9.66 and coded X. To Ballykelly Wing 2.67 still as X. Cat.3 damage sustained 30.1.69, repaired by HSA CWP 6.2.69-30.3.69. Transferred to 204 Sqn 10.70, retaining X code. To 5MU 17.12.70 for major overhaul prior to ferry to HSA Bitteswell 2.2.71 for AEW.2 conversion. First flown as such 11.1.72 (first production conversion). Returned to 5MU 8.2.72 for repainting and delivered to Lossiemouth 16.3.72 for radar installation. Ferried to Kinloss 11.4.72 for 8 Sqn, receiving the name ‘Florence’. Transferred to Lossiemouth 16.8.73 with unit. To HSA Bitteswell 20.9.78 for major refurbishing, returning to 8 Sqn 9.11.79. Current Paphos Airport, Cyprus.
WL757 MR 2/AEW.2
First flown 10.4.53 and A/Cn 30.4.53. To Hawarden 7.5.53, continuing to 23MU Aldergrove the next day. Allocated to MEAF 28.7.53 and delivered by the Overseas Ferry Unit, Benson. To 37 Sqn 5.8.53 and coded D. To CAPMF St Mawgan 19.2.53 for mods, returning to Luqa 3.3.53. To 137MU Safi 20.5.54 for Cat.3 repair, completed 3.6.54, and to Avro Langar 18.9.54 – 6.11.54 for a major servicing. A ‘special fitment’ installed 22.6.55 – 11.7.55 followed by further mods at Safi 9.1.56 23.2.56, the aircraft returning to 37 Sqn three days later still as D. On 8.7.57 WL757 went into temporary storage with 137MU until issued to 38 Sqn and probably coded U. To Avro 29.9.58 for Phase I modifications, completed 29.10.59. To 210 Sqn the following day and coded W. To DH Chester (Hawarden) 27.3.61 for Phase II update, completed 5.12.61. Issued to Z24 Sqn 15.12.61 and coded C, remaining until allocated to HSA Langar 30.3.66 for Phase III modifications. On completion allotted to FEAF and delivered to 205 Sqn 25.5.67. Coded K on arrival. Ferried back to the UK, arriving St Mawgan 12.12.70 for customs clearance before delivery to 5MU Kemble two days later. To HSA Bitteswell 26.8.71 for AEW.2 conversion, first flying in the revised configuration 6.72. To 5MU for repainting 3.7.72 and delivered to Lossiemouth 25.8.72 for radar installation. ToC 8 Sqn 29.8.72 and named ‘Brian’, moving over to Kinloss 6.9.72. To 60MU 2.5.73 for mods, returning to 8 Sqn and moved to Lossiemouth with the unit 17.8.73. Loaned to MoD (PE) 7.12.73 for service trials and CA clearance of SRIM 3825 (AMTI facility for AN/APS 20F radar) by ‘B’ Squadron, A&AEE Boscombe Down. Part of trial conducted at Lossiemouth 18 – 20.12.73 and aircraft returned to 8 Sqn I .3.74. To HSA Bitteswell 25.10.79 for re-sparring and major servicing, returning to 8 Sqn 1981. Current (13,932 hrs at 9.3.89) at Paphos Airport, Cyprus.
Just got it myself on Thursday. It is superb!! I can’t put it down!!! 😀
Bloody hell, 319 is lookingshabby isn’t she
The point is that to make a difference, you need to work out what is most important to you. Is it your day job, doing whatever it is you do, or is it something that you have a real passion for?
Bruce, I would absolutely love to do something like that full time, especially with the boring desk job I do at the moment. I’m quite handy as well. I can do any spannerwork and I can gas and mig weld (though I haven’t done so for a year or so…) I’ve got a 65 Sunbeam Tiger there that is at the start of a very long restoration process, lack of space stopping that at the moment. The only problem is that with a new house, one little toddler already and possibly another on the way, my main priority is obviously security for the family. I can’t take a risk like that at the moment. When the house is paid, the kids have upped sticks etc etc, then it becomes viable.
Bruce,
I understand totally what you are saying, but I can’t stand the negativity towards outdoor aircraft and how pointless it is preserving them. I know that in the end, the be all and end all is that if they aren’t undercover, they will become dangerously unsafe and vanish forever. However, they CAN survive outside but obviously with far more work and expenditure.
My favourite aircraft is the Vulcan and it would be a priviledge to help with the preservation of one. After ‘391 was destroyed at Blackpool, I made a point of trying to help out with preserving one. To that end, I approached The Solway Aviation Museum (XJ823) and RAF Waddington (XM607) with regards to giving a helping hand two days a month. I get one day off a week, this being a weekday, and was willing to give two out of four. Unfortunately, Solway’s volunteers only work weekends and because of our old friend H&S, I couldn’t work there on my own during the week. As for Waddington, well, the Station Commander hasn’t come back to me just yet. It’s only been 4 months… :rolleyes:
There seemed little point in having two Vulcan threads running simultaneously.
Why?? :confused: Because of this Denis’s appeal for help has been buried, not that you’ll be bothered anyway Moggy…
David
FYI…I did start a new string but, Moggy merged it with an existing one..thereby loosing it’s impact….. I would have thought that moderators should be impartial?
..
On Here??? Not a chance Denis!!
and we all know Moggy’s view on our project…
..
Only too well….
I do not expect special treatment, I am no more special than you…
No, you’re even less special because you are all for this project and, being connected to it, you are the lowest of the low in most people’s opinion on here. The Yorkshire Ripper would win a popularity contest before anyone from VttS on here… :diablo:
….and that is probably my last word on this forum…..
Den, I don’t blame you. There are brick walls that are easier to get through to than some on here…. :rolleyes:
Try here instead Denis, people who are interested actually listen and people who aren’t don’t slag off anyone who is interested in it. An absolute breath of fresh air after here… :diablo:
So, back to the old argument, lets smash every aircraft up that is outside, because they are a waste of time, money, resources…..
Mr Burke, are you REALLY into preserving aircraft?? Most of the posts of yours I see on here, an aircraft has a few spots of corrosion and you are baying for the scrapmen to come forth with their JCB’s to rip apart the corroded hulk because it’s not worth it. I say, spend on Cosford’s Britannia. I say spend on every single historic airframe in the UK. Not bulldoze them all so there are just the few… 😡
Yeah, it’s in ‘Last of the Lightnings’ and i’m sure he was in an F6… Absolutely wonderful book that, the photos are superb. 😉
I’ll definately be there… 😉