ChoxI can see the advantages for you! But it would be nice to have the Victor under cover. Maybe a hanger will be built one day?
The jury is out on Finningley. At present the airport people seem very enthusiastic but I suppose time will tell whether the Vulcan’s stay is long-term. Of course much depends on whether she keeps flying after this year. The way things are, I think it will be a big surprise if it survives into 2012 but if so, then surely that will be the last year. I just can’t see the money being there any longer, indeed it’s a miracle that she’s flying this year.
Scampton is an enigma. The Reds will be off to Waddington soon, and the future looks bleak. Great shame that things didn’t turn-out differently and then XH558 could have resided there, in another former home.
I think it really is a case of making the most of XH558 while we can, as it’s clearly not going to be a long-term air show star. Those who think WWII aircraft are more worthy or more interesting, are obviously entitled to their views. Personally, I think all preserved military aircraft are a delight to behold, but the Vulcan is in a class of its own!
ChoxNow that’s a proper Nimrod!:p
ChoxIf there’s any prospect of running the aircraft, then I agree that Bruntingthorpe would probably be the best bet. Not so sure about Elvington as the long-term future of the runway is presumably questionable at best? But if there’s no appetite (or money) to run the aircraft, I think Finningley (her old home) is a great choice. Time will tell no doubt, and I suppose a great deal depends on how well the relationship with the airport works out. At least the aircraft is back up in the north now where she was built and operated which is nice.
It’s a great shame that aircraft like this can’t be placed under cover more easily. Wouldn’t it be brilliant if someone with very deep pockets bought some place like Scampton. Heaven-knows how you’d get the Victor down from Elvington though!
ChoxDavid, I think you’re being a tad dismissive. To equate the Vulcan with WWII aircraft is nonsensical. RAF Bomber/Fighter Command might well have saved the UK from Nazi rule – or at least enabled the US to achieve that aim with our help – but the V-Force deterred the Soviet Union from launching a nuclear strike against the West. We know this because a number of former Soviet military men have said so. The might of SAC is a separate issue. It was accepted that if a retaliatory strike was launched, the V-Force would probably have been the first to strike back at the Soviets, before SAC’s bombers. So its significance was out of all proportion to its size. Clearly, it makes no sense to equate the achievements of WWII with the prospect of nuclear obliteration. There is no comparison. We might well have all been melted into oblivion decades ago had it not been for Aldermaston’s bombs and the Vulcan. I suppose it depends what your definition of “significant” is. I think by any standards, preventing our complete destruction is about as significant as one can get.
VX927 – I don’t think the situation is that bad as the Vulcan seems to be separate from the airport. It is spending its time bwteen the old Dominie pan and the hangar, a respectful distance from the airport terminal. I don’t know where they propose to set-up their “Heritage Centre” but I assume that it will be in the hangar, if the Vulcan is to be the key exhibit. Anyway, as far as I know, the plan is to let the aircraft stay at Finningley if possible.
If it went to Bruntingthorpe it would be doomed to sit outside to slowly deteriorate. Same at Elvington. At Finningley there’s a chance of remaining under cover (it would seem) and it is the Vulcan’s old home from the days of the OCU. Can’t imagine a more appropriate place.
Don’t know whether today’s display was sedate or not, but the take-off at Finningley was a delight, and obviously a popular one – that was an incredible amount of traffic and people. The return and landing was just magnificent – a quiet, sunny evening, only three other people in sight, and the mighty Vulcan completing a commendably tight turn onto very short finals, touching down back on her old “home turf” – I was greatly impressed!
ChoxIt’s pointless to suggest that instead of supporting the Vulcan, one should support a “squadron of warbirds” (I assume that refers to WWII types). Obviously, if anyone wanted to support any other aircraft then they can. Likewise, it may well be that one is more interested in an iconic post-war aircraft than the many and varied WWII types which have enjoyed care and attention for so long.
It’s far to easy to dismiss the Vulcan as being somehow less significant than WWII (or WWI) aircraft whereas it could be argued that it is more significant than the whole lot. It maintained our IND for many years and saved us from obliteration. That’s not even an issue to argue – even the Soviets said that the V-Force did deter them from seriously considering a first strike. So the Vulcan is hardly a toy, and it ought to be treated with respect.
It’s also slightly specious to assume that if the money wasn’t spent on the Vulcan, it would be spent on some other aircraft. Obviously it would not.
As has been said, you contribute to the project or you don’t. There’s no point in carping about the project in principle. You either want to see XH558 flying or you don’t. But to those who do not, I would ask that you stop to consider that there are just as many people who are dis-interested in WWI and WWII aircraft. Everyone has different interests and as we all grow older, it’s natural that “Cold War” aircraft will interest people who grew-up with them. It would be foolish to assume that aircraft preservation should be all about two world wars. The Cold war was no less significant.
Okay, everyone thinks TVOC have handled the project very badly at times and they continue to do so. But they did get the Vulcan into the air and I guess the only way to keep it flying is to continue supporting them, warts n’ all.
As for the display itself, most agree that it is tame, but surely it’s better to have a sedate display than no display at all? Besides, one can hardly call the take-off tame?!
And as for Bruntingthorpe, I don’t think there’s any plan to retire the aircraft there. As far as anyone can determine, it is far more likely to remain at Finningley which would be, by any standards, a very appropriate resting place for XH558.
ChoxI have seen the picture many times and I agree that it is probably a triumph of photo manipulation. Great aeroplane though. I recall many many years ago that I caught sight of something lumbering into St.Mawgan and I’m sure it was a Sahara, but I never got a chance to check. Wish I’d got a closer look, it’s a magnificent brute.
ChoxC’est un Breguet Sahara n’est-ce pas?
Okay, a Deux Ponts if you want to go all civil on me… :p
ChoxI hope so – I was planning to pop up to Finningley to wave her off!
Ahh, it’ll be like the good ol’ days!:p
Choxcomment’s might well blossom :p
ChoxNothing to add to my previous comments regarding the Sea Prince colours, although I have now got to the bottom of the “Cherry Red ” saga as mentioned earlier in the thread. See the separate thread on this little matter if it really does interest anybody! :p
ChoxIt’s certainly true that many enthusiasts always associate Nimrod with Kinloss when it was of course introduced into the RAF at good ol’ St.Mawgan. There used to be plenty of photographs around of the press day. The Nimrods were up on the V-Bomber ORP, complete with the black noses which they had for a while. Ahh, bless…
ChoxI was intrigued to see that the BBMF took a rather odd route out of London, almost doubling-back (even the folks on the balcony saw them come back). I can’t imagine why they did that and I’m surprised that they did it, with the safety considerations of the Spit and Hurricane in mind. Usually, the aim is to get both aircraft across central London as swiftly as possible, the only escape route being the Thames. As far as I can recall, the only previous occasion when the Spit/Hurricane doubled back was the BofB50 flypast when Bill Wratten and his wingman had to go around to re-appear at the end of the flypast.
Choxsimilar story is being told on the catering forums
That’s why I’m on an aviation forum
ChoxI’m always disappointed by television coverage of the flypasts over London. The telly folks are often afforded great filming opportunities and they almost always waste them. It’s particularly sad when I know from first-hand experience just how complicated and difficult the flypasts are to perform. Looks easy to get a gaggle of aircraft in perfect formation over the palace at precisely the right time, but of course it’s not easy at all – they just make it look simple.
I would imagine that most viewers would have a lot more respect and admiration for such feats if they were given a better idea of the effort and skill involved. As it is, they see a formation go by and think “ooh that’s very nice” and move on! Guess that’s typical of TV these days. If there was an opportunity to vote an aircraft out by telephone, it would probably get much more coverage… :p
ChoxIndeed, hemp was supposedly chosen because it was the most suitable camouflage colour, bearing in mind that the aircraft spent the majority of its time on a similarly-coloured concrete pan. So I suppose it made sense even if it looked ghastly!
I recall having a paint spec. drawing (which I’ve long since lost) for the RAE Nimrod which was to have been painted in full “raspberry ripple” colours (similar to the Comet) but sadly it was withdrawn from use before it could be applied. Great shame – how dazzling would a Nimrod have looked in that paint scheme?!
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