The Vulcan

[Amanda]

Take off at Leuchars:





Amanda

[suboA21]

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

How about these to add to the flypast?

DH Mosquito my all time Fave(but don't know if there is one airworthy anywhere anymore),English Electric Lightning (OR FRIGHTENING AS SOME PILOTS CALLED IT)my 2nd fave, DH 110 Sea Vixen, Blackburn Buccaneer, Hawker Hunter with that famous 'Blue Note', Folland Gnat (The Red arrows original mount)

I have been living literally alongside RAF Manstons' runway (sorry Kent International Airport) for the last year,and see a huge variety of aircraft, especially when an airshow is in the location (Southend, Eastbourne, Margate/Folkestone etc) and at one time held a PPL (aircraft my other passion after the Shads since childhood). But to get back to the thread, my most memorable sight was the Vulcan at Manston in 1995 on I believe one of it's final displays.

To our transatlantic cousins - sorry guys but nothing you have produced beats the sight and sound of this huge prehistoric looking monster. And it flies like a fighter too!!!!!

Steve

[Paul Creasey]

TOTALLY agree, Steve!
With just one small exception - The Vulcan's last (pre-restoration) Display was at Cranfield in September 1992, so I think that you're a bit "out" with regard to the dispaly you saw at Manston. They DID have some (B1A XH483, 1967-77; B2 XL386, 1982-93 & B2 XM658 , 1982-90) on the fire dump there, though!
Someone once said to me "You love that bl**dy Vulcan more than your Wife!" to which i replied (truthfully) "Well - I've known that bl**dy Vulcan for LONGER than my Wife - and I've known her (the Wife) for 50 years!"
Once a 'plane spotter (or Shads Fan) - ALWAYS a 'plane spotter, eh?
Regards
Paul

[siesta beach]

There are two things you need to know about the Vulcan Bomber - it was called a Vulcan and it dropped Bombs on people

[Paul Creasey]

Hi Lance,
I think we're going to disagree on this, so in the interests of forum harmony won't attempt a fuller response, except:

1. "It was called a Vulcan" - correct.
2. "It dropped Bombs on people" - (fortunately) incorrect. It dropped bombs on Bombing Ranges, and an airfield runway in the Falklands.

Regards
Paul

[Paul Creasey]

Vulcan XH558 needs YOUR HELP NOW! http://www.vulcantothesky.org

[Bill Bowley]

I am on 'standby' waiting for the thread to move up to full operational status again!

Over to you, Red Leader.........

[Paul Creasey]

Hello Bill,
It looks like we're in the middle of what appears to be the annual "Winter Blues" so far as '558 is concerned. Major main spar mods have had to be brought forward from winter 2010/2011 to THIS winter, so that means that major expenditure has had to be brought forward too!

At a personal level, I'm feeling pretty negative about it all, I'm afraid. Still no major sponsor, and it's all very well TVOC harping-on about the three million people that have seen '558 during the recent airshow season, but the reality is that almost NONE of 'em have contributed anything to the cause!
I do wonder if the whole project is actually "do-able" any more.............perhaps my (albeit small) personal donations would be better spent on '426 and '655. OK, so they'll never fly, but they ARE maintained in taxiable condition by enthusiastic teams who just seem to have got their acts together in a way that '558 hasn't!

Perhaps it's '558 that needs a PROPER "Red Leader" - someone who can actually see that keeping her flying is MUCH more than just an engineering challenge!
Regards
Paul

[petercreasey]

Hello Bill,
It looks like we're in the middle of what appears to be the annual "Winter Blues" so far as '558 is concerned. Major main spar mods have had to be brought forward from winter 2010/2011 to THIS winter, so that means that major expenditure has had to be brought forward too!

At a personal level, I'm feeling pretty negative about it all, I'm afraid. Still no major sponsor, and it's all very well TVOC harping-on about the three million people that have seen '558 during the recent airshow season, but the reality is that almost NONE of 'em have contributed anything to the cause!
I do wonder if the whole project is actually "do-able" any more.............perhaps my (albeit small) personal donations would be better spent on '426 and '655. OK, so they'll never fly, but they ARE maintained in taxiable condition by enthusiastic teams who just seem to have got their acts together in a way that '558 hasn't!

Perhaps it's '558 that needs a PROPER "Red Leader" - someone who can actually see that keeping her flying is MUCH more than just an engineering challenge!
Regards
Paul

Where's that Branson Bloke when you need him???

[Paul Creasey]

Hi Loof (Pete),
Unusual to see YOU on here!
Branson...................PHOOEY!
Too bl**dy busy playing with his Brawn (or is it Mercedes now?) Formula One team!!
He was "in the frame" a while ago so-far as '558 is concerned, but the best he could do was suggest that it be funded from the public purse.
Never DID have time for blatant self-publicists like Branson! Anything with "Virgin" written on it (EXCEPT that young blonde who takes her dog for a walk in Suddy mosts days) now goes straight into "File 13".
(I MUST remember to revert to non-Meldrew mode as soon as I've signed this off!)
Regards
(Paul) Loaf.
P.S. The "Loof" and "Loaf" thingies are just our Band nicknames - we don't ONLY have the best-looking Bass and Keyboards players in this "Shadowmusic" malarkey tha' nooors!