We’re not blessed with a “good number” of “Tin Triangles” at all. The number continues to dwindle and the worry is that the occasional and seemingly insignificant loss of one Vulcan has a nasty habit of being followed by another…

Okay, 603 is doubtless way past being saved but the crime here is that BAE wilfully allowed the aircraft to get into this state. The folks at Woodford should be ashamed of themselves. Clearly, they have no interest in maintaining what is the ultimate example of their technological and engineering expertise. You’d think they’d be proud of it but it seems not. But then the people at Woodford are mostly not the people who assembled the magnificent Vulcan. They’re from a different generation. Worse still, a lot of them are Hatfield people who patently have no interest in military machinery at all.

But you would think that any company with even the slightest grasp of history and pride in its achievements, would be delighted to have an example of one of their brilliant creations to proudly show to admirers. But no, they don’t give a toss and they even prevented the people who worked so hard to restore the aircraft from gaining access to it – what a disgrace! Health and Safety indeed, what a joke. They use this term as if it’s a commandment from God. BAE could do what they damned-well like with it – they know it and we know it – but they merely used H&S as a cheap excuse to wash their hands of it.

Oh well, poor old 603 will doubtless be history soon. In most respects Woodford is too, and I don’t think anyone will lament the departure of the folks who run the place these days, when the Avro sheds finally close down for good.

PS, I had to laugh at the adjacent photo of 603. Have they seriously placed a jack under the wing?! Surely they’re not suggesting that a Vulcan’s wing is ever likely to fall off, are they? Mr. Chadwick must be spinning in his grave.

Page – you’re quite right but sadly Ronnie’s work is destined for another project!

BSG – I agree that “what if” scenarios are fascinating, but I’m trying to leave those to others! Having been given the opportunity to write this book, I thought it might be appropriate to produce a simple account of the facts – as best I can at least!

I do find it very annoying. I went into Smiths yesterday and I did what I usually do – rip open the plastic and have a look what’s inside. I’ve no intention of ever buying a magazine unless I’ve seen what’s in it first – the whole notion is just ludicrous and I find it rather insulting that publishers would think anyone would be stupid enough to buy a magazine without even knowing what’s in it. Okay, the opened packet means the magazine will be returned and pulped but so what? Serves ’em right.

I mean come on, we’re not suggesting that anyone seriously thinks they’re getting extra value by having some supplement stuffed-in, do they? We all know we’re actually being ripped-off as the additional cover could have provided two more pages of material if they’d included the contents and pages in the actual magazine. And as for listing museums and air shows – wow that’s original! As if anyone needs a museums or shows guide when they can look on the internet any time for free.

If any of these magazines had any content of any value, they’d be gagging to show it to the world. Hiding inside a plastic cover with some unconvincing “free extra” tells you all you need to know really.

Maybe Duxford could stage an “alternative” Legends show for post-war aircraft? It would save the WWII purists from having to watch the occasional jet, and it would allow us postwar fans to enjoy a show without having to endure all the WWII stuff. Somehow though, I suspect it ain’t gonna happen!

jets are not high on the agenda for Legends, and its not what I go legends for, so save it for somewhere else

Fair enough, but where? It ain’t never gonna happen though, the nearest we get to it is Kemble. It’s pretty sad that while folks are still obsessing about WWII aircraft there’s generations of people who have grown-up through the Cold War era, and yet the notion seems to be that history ended in 1945. Madness!

Twin – yes indeed, it may well be that the various versions of the Hastings’ life at Newark which were told to me might not be strictly accurate! It is a shame though that the aircraft was allowed to deteriorate so much having arrived in perfect condition.

Dave – yes I mean the parachute door.

I agree it would be great to see the aircraft back in running condition but I guess it’ll never happen. I’d be content just to have the aircraft indoors and protected from the elements before she deteriorates any further. Mind you, that applies to the Canberra T19, Vulcan, Shackleton and Lightning too!:D

Think the obvious improvement would be to combine the runs with a flying display. I know it’s incredibly difficult and expensive but the simple fact of life is that a lot of people will not drive to an airfield, pay a fair amount of cash, and then just see a few aircraft taxy. I know we all support the CWJ people (of course!) but in broader terms, the only way that significant amounts of people can be drawn-in is to make the event more than just taxy runs. Even if it was just a small flying display it would be more of a crowd-puller.

Failing that, perhaps some other sort of event could be incorporated into the taxy runs such as an aero jumble, flying model aircraft, balloons, or whatever? Think the basic downside to the events is the amount of time where nothing is happening and you’re obliged to sit around looking at nothing, getting cold and/or wet. Although lots of us are willing to endure a less-than perfect arrangement in order to see the jets taxy, the wider public expects to be “entertained”.

I know there are no easy solutions but I think it’s a fact of life that in order to bring the crowds in, you’re obliged to put on a show!

Another alternative might be to provide more creative opportunities for photographers? How about completing the taxy runs and then line-up some of the aircraft along the runway – and then let photographers onto the runway threshold to photograph them? Make a great photo opportunity if the jets were parked facing along the runway in a big gaggle – what a picture!