Has any body spoken to Elvington about the possibility of moving to Elvington if it has to leave Robin Hood 558 ?
Because the only concrete that is strong enough for her is the stretch from the Airfield where 231 is parked the Nimrod was parked on it until it was moved on to the dispersal adjacent to Lindy. The Hangar floor is not strong enough nor the area outside the Hangar. As to the airfield it is owned by private company and I don’t think that Lindy and others have been on the runway for a few years. So I don’t think that 558 will be able to go to Elvington as the lack of suitable Hangar and Parking. Pick up the phone and ask them but don’t forget the Mirage 4 aircraft is due one day By road I believe

As to the Haynes manual being used I doubt it as PA 474 like all the rest RAF past and present aircraft work to the MAJOR SERVICING Schedule Volume 6 in my day in the RAF and Not a book that looks like a car
maintenance Manual

Victor Tanker Crew Chief

Further details about this event from the NAM website:

“Reunion contacts already received for Valiant, Victors and Vulcans; and from the following Squadrons (multiple persons); IX(B); 10; 12; 27; 35; 38; 44; 50; 55; 57; 83; 90; 101; 148; 617; 208; 230 OCU; 232 OCU; MEAS; plus the Bomber Command Armament School).”

You are missing the following Squadrons 15, 214 and 208 was not a V Force Squadron and not forgetting the STCVSS

Trooping Flights by British united and Eagle Airways

Must say, you learn something new every day. I can’t find any reference to RAF Brits operating via London. In 1966 one would have thought it would have been Lyneham. ‘The Whispering Giant in Uniform’ makes no mention of Heathrow. Tentatively, and with due respect to the memory of someone who ‘was there’, I do still think British Eagle if the destination was London. Can anyone enlighten?

The RAF did not land at London Heathrow because they did not have a Handling agent to carry out all the services required to service and turn the aircraft round for a departure. If it was U/S then a team from Lyneham would have to and service it before it could depart.
I was posted to Australia and departed from Gatwick in a Britannia from British United with the seats facing rear as they did in RAF Transport Aircraft The journey to Singapore was quite an opener as apart from me an RAF J/T They were part of a replacement crew for one of the RN Ships at Singapore The flight time was 23hr 10 min On I went to Australia by Qantas Boeing 707 very nice.
My Return from Australia in 1965 was from Adelaide to Sydney by Viscount Sydney to Singapore Boeing 707 and by Britannia from British Eagle Bombay and Istanbul. arriving at Heathrow

1968 Saw me and my family of to Singapore by the VC10 of 10 Squadron XV103 rearward facing seats from RAF Brize Norton to RAF Muharraq then via RAF Gan then on to RAF Changi. Coming back via RAF Gan then RAF Akrotiri Landing at RAF Brize Norton.

The only time I can remember is when the Queen was going overseas by VC10 and I would have thought that a team was sent to carry all necessary servicing’s etc
Trenchard Brat

If you have the Handley Page Aircraft since 1907 the revised edition on page 107 has a few lines on this aircraft and its flight round UK

The first time I saw the Lancaster at Duxford was the June Air Day 1982 The runway was then 4500ft but I believe it has been extended to the west end. Incidentally In 1985 it was flown in by Sdn/Ldr Tony Banfield an ex Victor Tanker Captain from 214 Squadron who I had flown with in the seventies as his Crew Chief. I worked at all Duxford shows up to 1992 and the BBMF were at all the major shows up to 1992. For the later seventies to early 1980 Stansted was the base it flew from.

Did they have to jack them up to load blue steel?

To load a Blue Steel into a Victor B2 the Top fin was removed and the missile elevated by hand pumped hydraulics up to meet carrier beam in the bomb bay and connecting the missile took about 30mins for the loading team of 5. The top fin was then fitted to the missile. The bottom one was lowered once airborne when required.

Roger Brooks Ex Victor Tanker Crew Chief