I thought she was in the USA ! I would also be interested to know. I use to see it often at Farnborough. Naff all these days!

Lets make some noise

I might have a AAPP for Solway so will make contact. I also have a AAPP manual somewhere which I can photocopy for them.

Can some post a pole, cos I can’t!

I have spoken to the Sea Vixen Booking chap today, and passed on all the good wishes for a succesful airshow season and the kind comments from this thread.
Having Red Bull this year allows the Sea Vixen to be seen as the stripped bare price for the Vix to fly is usually £5K + fuel.
Next year you might not see her so much, so make the most of her while they have the sponsorship to get her out and about.

Pole: Do you like the colour scheme?

Leading up to disbandment march 1984 – 50 Sqdn – Waddington
6x K. MK2s (tankers)
In selling/scrapping order:

XM598 to Cosford Jan 1983 – repaint in progress

XH560 reserve VDF (1984) scrapped 1990, nose to N Towler (stored no public access).

XH561 – first tanker conversion. To Catterick scrapped by 1987.

XM571 to Gib scrapped 1990. Bomb aimers blister exists in Somerset.

XL426 VDF 1985 – 1986 (55 Sdqn), to Southend 1986, fully serviciable.

XH558 returned to B mk2 VDF (55 Sdqn) 1987 – 1992 to Bruntingthorpe 1993, next flight Q4 2004???

As you can see only 598 went to a museum. How they were divied up I am unsure, a mix between 44, 101 and 50 Sqdn. 27 sqdn birds such as 558 and 560 went to 50 sqdn, 560 being a spares queen for 558. Others (537, 653 et al) were finally scrapped, maybe something to do with the fact that 27 sqdn birds were sniffers and flew over atomic tests.

Let me try and get us all back on the runway here…

Speak to any museum about ‘parts’ be it external or internal and the first thing they will say is that the Musuem and Galleries Commission dish out grants on the basis of the aircraft applying for the grant is complete., gaping holes in power bay, Dopler missing, even engines missing would mean possible no grant.
Musuems generally struggle for cash and you would think that they would – for example sell the 4 engines in a Vulc worth about £1K each. £4k can easily repaint a Vulcan, and pay for concrete to go in the tyres, making the general appearence better, but they do not because it makes the aircraft incomplete.
BUT I am not saying that museums are ‘on the rob’. I am saying that leave a Vulcan accessable and items will go walkies, leave a Canberra on a dump and items will go walkies, leave a Lightning next to a dual carriageway and items will go walkies. Leave a Ford Cortina on the A12 and items will go walkies. I tell it as I see it.

I do not have a crim record, just 3 points for going fast on the M25.
Due to the Dowty data plates being nicked on XM655, they have installed CCTV and PIR lightning around the aircraft. Of which I made a direct contribution for the items needed to improve security.

XL391 – my last communication with Brian Bateson, its owner was in March, regarding the possible sale of a Nav Panel. I offered fabulous sums of money for it and he has declined. Shame because his scrapping bill will be very high, as the market has dropped out of scrap metals.

Taxying Vulcans – all help each other out with what they have left in the way of spares.
The last big spares gain for Vulcans, was from my very own XH537 when she was scrapped at Abingdon and XM569 at Cardiff. On both occassions the groups were invited to carry out a spares recovery mission. So between all the taxying Vulcans, ther e is enough ‘black boxes’ hopefully to keep them running for few more years yet. However all groups could do with a new batch of tyres, as the rubber compound is starting to age. If 558 flies then Dunlops will produce a batch no doubt.

Steve – that an’t me in Flypast 94! That is its previous owner Colin Mears.

Should be a good day, the Sea Vixen is due in for a flypast as well as the Red Arrows. All proceeds go towards the up keep of 655. Only £3 to get in.
Since the photo was taken, the probe is back on and the top side fully re painted.

Photo by Damien Burke