The Vulcan

[Amanda]

Funnily enough Barry I was only saying to Mom the other day,
A nice flypast for the olympic games would be:

Spitfire - Hurricane - Lancaster - Vulcan - Concorde - Red Arrows.

Doubtful though because of all the "Political Correctness"

Anyone else have any other suggestions (as long as they include the Vulcan of course!)

Amanda

[tonykiek]

An interesting article Amanda, thanks for the link. I just love the Vulcan too, but my #1 vote goes to the F111, possibly because I saw one in full flight very close up (which resulted in a near miss incident report) while training cadet pilots at the RAAF base at Edinburgh (South Australia) a few years ago.



(Double click the thumbnail for full sized pic.)

[des mcneill]

Great picture Amanda,thanks for sharing it.
Des.

[Paul Creasey]

Well.............I'm BACK from sunny Spain, and glad to see that you "Vulcanatics" have transferred the thread over to the new site.

I WAS hoping to see '558 at Finningley (OK........Robin Hood Doncaster-Sheffield Airport to you soul-less, modern, purists ) when we landed this afternoon, as there had been talk of her being based there over winter -but no such luck. It seems that her display season has been extended to include appearances at Southport and Manchester Airport this coming Sunday (27th) - I'm rather hoping that my other, non-Shadows but VERY Vulcan, son - Andy - will be offering me a trip over to those parts to see her do what is likely to be her last displays in 2009.
There still seems to be a lot of conjecture about where '558 will undergo her winter service - she's currently at RAF Lyneham of all places.

It was nice of my VERY Shadows AND very Vulcan son - Dave - to indicate earlier in this thread that I'm the fount of all knowledge Vulcan-wise. I most certainly AIN'T, but DO have an extensive Vulcan archive that provides answers to most Vulcan issues.

Can't quite agree with you, Tony (Keik), when it comes to favourite aircraft - BUT - I DO recall some years ago that Aussie F111's came over to the UK and absolutely WOWED the airshow circuit with their party trick of flaming fuel out of the dump-pipes. I'll bet that the 'elf 'n safety brigade wouldn't allow THAT to happen these days!!
Glad to be back, and also glad to see that Shadowmusic's new home seems to be every bit as good as it's former one.
Regards
Paul

[Amanda]

Hi,

Not a model Vulcan but impressive:




Tony F111's are american I was thinking of british aircraft for the flypast!

Amanda

[Amanda]

Also impressive:



The only U.k. Landing other than Heathrow!

I drove past the airport on the day and wondered why there plane spotters everywhere!

I saw the huge tail fin as I passed and thought it looked bigger than the usual A330 that is
the norm for the service!

Amanda

[Paul Creasey]

Latest from the "Rumour Factory" is that '558 will be at RAF Lyneham for the winter.
Our usual "reliable source" says that he's been painting the office, and getting the Hangar ready to have it approved by the CAA for use by '558's engineers.
Pity it's not nearer to it's "ancestral home" (Lincolnshire), but I doubt that Lyneham can be permanent - as part of the original Lottery Grant conditions stipulated that there should be "Public Access".
There also seems to be a suggestion that Duxford has "fallen-out" with '558! Now this is a REAL surprise, as it was originally intended that she reside there after her flying days are over.
As with all things regarding '558 - I guess we'll just have to "wait and see". Although communications HAVE improved this year, I feel that there's STILL some way to go - but no doubt we'll be the FIRST to know when there's a financial crisis again!!!
Regards
Paul
(Note to self: Really must work harder at posting a Shadows-related message on this new site!)

[Paul Creasey]

Fine display by '558 at RAF Coningsby this (Sunday) afternoon!
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were having some sort of "do", so they were out in force - 2 Hurricanes, 3 Spitfires, Lancaster and Dakota - in fact I reckon it's the largest BBMF formation fly-past I've EVER seen. Pretty impressive stuff! - that-is until '558 appeared over the south-western horizon and did three low fly-by's and power climbs - NICE!!
I even got a fly-past by The Red Arrows on the way home on my trusty Kawasaki!
It might be flat - and "boring" to some - but there are times I just LOVE living in "Bomber County"!!!
Regards
Paul

[barryg]

Paul,

Quite an afternoon for you with all that aerial activity.

Amanda,

That's an amazing model and display of the Locheed SR71, thanks for showing us that.

It reminded me of the first time I saw a real SR71. I was on excercise Giant Voice which was a bombing competition between US bomber groups and the RAF was invited. It was held at McCoy Air Force base (now Orlando international Airport) in Florida in 1971. We took 4 Vulcans and spent over a month there and I think we came third in the navigating section overall.

At the end of the competition there was an air display and on static display in a hangar with armed guards was this awesome looking SR71 with boards around it telling what speed and performance it had. Like the power of ? locomotive trains (cant remember how many) could fly from New York to LA in 1 hour, etc. It was an amazing site to see it for the first time. It remained in the hangar for the whole time until it took off the next day and did a fly past before leaving. The Americans were very security minded at that base that had B52's KC135 tankers and a U2 that was also kept in the hangar until it took off and then it was back in again after the flight.

For the air show a Vulcan did a display with the scramble multi engine start and a take off with a wing over that I (and others) thought was going to scrape the ground as it was so low. That really impressed the Americans as they had never seen an aircraft as big as that perform such a stunning manouvre and display.

Happy days!

Barry

[Amanda]

Hi,

I bet the sight of Martin Withers flying a Vulcan inside the Grand Canyon shook them up as well!

I heard another story of a Vulcan lining up on a US carrier and lowering undercarriage as if it was
going to land on the carrier, if it's true I bet the deck guys had brown trousers afterwards.

Regarding XH558 going on display at Duxford when it finishes flying, I reckon it ought to
return to Bruntingthorpe!

Amanda