V Force vid.

[FOMz]

Well worth a look.

 

[Scaley brat]

Satellite saturday night

Satellite saturday night

Watched a programme called Vulcans, Victors and Cuba. There was some fantastic footage of both old girls, including interviews with aircrew of the day. The most touching part for me was a Vulcan pilot talking about a scramble take off, to go in and bomb the Soviet union, in detail. right up to the point where they would drop the bomb and close their curtains to avoid being blinded by the flash. Then more about their fears of returning to what would probably be a nuclear wasteland, dead families and probably no-where to land. He said that even if they could land it would only be to take on fuel and weapons for a second sortie...... IF they got back at all. A most emotional interview.
As A child of a Raf snec who worked on Vulcans I have probably spent a few hours in the cockpits looking around them (I wandered around the bomb bay's a couple of times too I guess that's why I glow in the dark DT_Xtremez_15: ) I remember asking my Dad what the curtains were for. I think he said they were to practice nightflying during the day or something. A perfectly plausible lie to a gullible 7 year old. It probably helped me sleep better not knowing the truth.
Keep you eyes peeled. Sky repeat everything to death it will be on again soon.

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

I watched it over a year ago on discovery wings! Great film.

My Dad worked vulcans before I was born and he showed me around the vulcan at Newark Air Museum as a lad. Fortunately the cold war was all but over and my dad explained to me about the Nuclear role and what nuclear war meant. That was a lot for a young lad.

 

[grumpyoldb]

Top vid. Thanks for showing.
I never got to work on the V's, but I saw plenty of Vulcans and Victors flying around. Unfortunately, I never got to see the Valiant fly.

 

[Captain Slog]

Watched a programme called Vulcans, Victors and Cuba. There was some fantastic footage of both old girls, including interviews with aircrew of the day. The most touching part for me was a Vulcan pilot talking about a scramble take off, to go in and bomb the Soviet union, in detail. right up to the point where they would drop the bomb and close their curtains to avoid being blinded by the flash. Then more about their fears of returning to what would probably be a nuclear wasteland, dead families and probably no-where to land. He said that even if they could land it would only be to take on fuel and weapons for a second sortie...... IF they got back at all. A most emotional interview.

I have seen the programme several times and it does make compelling viewing as you say SB. My first posting in the late 60’s was to Waddington where I joined the V-Force for the first of my 3 tours on them. At the time there was still people there who were at Waddo when the Cuba crisis started in Oct 1962. As it says in the programme, the Groundcrew were sleeping and living in the line huts and the Aircrews were spending a period of time being strapped in the aircraft before being replaced by another crew. Each aircraft was prepped ready to go with a bucket of sunshine in the bomb bay ready to spoil the Ruskies day.

The people involved all said that the real scary thing was, they knew if the scramble hooter went off, and the aircraft were launched, they had had about 2-3 minutes to live before the Russian missiles hit the UK and as Waddo was a V-Bomber nuclear base they knew they would be one of the first targets.

Fortunately, as we know that never happened but in my 12 years on the V-Force there were other times that I was involved in a crisis that did not make the press but that’s a story for another post.

 

[stacker1195]

Its scary that my Dad was growing up just a couple of miles up the road from Scampton during the missile crisis,I was born and raised there as well.

BTW did you recognise which film the music was from - very apt.

 

[Chuffybum]

I have seen the programme several times and it does make compelling viewing as you say SB. My first posting in the late 60’s was to Waddington where I joined the V-Force for the first of my 3 tours on them. At the time there was still people there who were at Waddo when the Cuba crisis started in Oct 1962. As it says in the programme, the Groundcrew were sleeping and living in the line huts and the Aircrews were spending a period of time being strapped in the aircraft before being replaced by another crew. Each aircraft was prepped ready to go with a bucket of sunshine in the bomb bay ready to spoil the Ruskies day.

The people involved all said that the real scary thing was, they knew if the scramble hooter went off, and the aircraft were launched, they had had about 2-3 minutes to live before the Russian missiles hit the UK and as Waddo was a V-Bomber nuclear base they knew they would be one of the first targets.

Fortunately, as we know that never happened but in my 12 years on the V-Force there were other times that I was involved in a crisis that did not make the press but that’s a story for another post.

Now CS I think that would be an interesting thread. Want to share it with the rest of us?

 

[Rich_P]

The people involved all said that the real scary thing was, they knew if the scramble hooter went off, and the aircraft were launched, they had had about 2-3 minutes to live before the Russian missiles hit the UK and as Waddo was a V-Bomber nuclear base they knew they would be one of the first targets.

So it was a case of 'Take the other bugger down with you!'?

 

[Captain Slog]

Now CS I think that would be an interesting thread. Want to share it with the rest of us?

Ok but I will have to check with the ultimate Vulcan hierarchy (Hu Jardon) to make sure that I'm not breaking any secrecy laws, keep watching the Warfare History posts.

 

[Northern Monkey]

What a fcuking cracking aircraft! Would loved to have worked on it but I'm too young I'm afraid! Remember seeing one at Finningley as a young 'un. Awesome.
Does anyone know when the restored Vulcan is going to be up again? Is it still at Bruntingthorpe?

 

[Captain Slog]

So it was a case of 'Take the other bugger down with you!'?

You've got it, that's what the Cold War and Nuclear deterrent was all about.

The way Vladimir Putin and the Ruskies are building up again, I fear we could be heading that way again; unfortunately Tony B-liar and his corrupt cronies are so blind and incompetent they can’t see it coming.

 

[Rich_P]

You've got it, that's what the Cold War and Nuclear deterrent was all about.

The way Vladimir Putin and the Ruskies are building up again, I fear we could be heading that way again; unfortunately Tony B-liar and his corrupt cronies are so blind and incompetent they can’t see it coming.

Hmm, that's somewhat worrying. Well, all I can do at the moment is hope that a government that gets in power will allow enough funding to permit the AF to prepare properly for a conflict.

What a fcuking cracking aircraft! Would loved to have worked on it but I'm too young I'm afraid! Remember seeing one at Finningley as a young 'un. Awesome.
Does anyone know when the restored Vulcan is going to be up again? Is it still at Bruntingthorpe?

XH558 is due to make its first test flight later this month since the restoration and refurbishment began.

 

[stacker1195]

Not sure whether it'll make the flypast down the mall (on my birthday BTW) but if it does make it to Waddo then I have it on good authority that part of the display will be a low level bombing run with help of pyrotechnics.

 

[SORRY CJ]

Hey there Captain.

As you is the all knowing oracle type chappie with all things a la delta, I was wondering if you could or in fact if anyone can answer this please?

On looking at the shots on the big V bomber and taking note of the counter, I noticed that there was a gap between the engines on one mainplane but not on the other.

7:42 right gap (looking as you are sitting in the AC)
7:28 left gap
4:44 left gap
2:39 left gap
1:42 left gap
0:50 right gap

Was this due to Electronic Counter Measures being fitted? If so why swap side (poss diff mk of jet)?

Cheers

SCJ

 

[airframe doctor]

They aint that stupid..........are they????

They aint that stupid..........are they????

You've got it, that's what the Cold War and Nuclear deterrent was all about.

The way Vladimir Putin and the Ruskies are building up again, I fear we could be heading that way again; unfortunately Tony B-liar and his corrupt cronies are so blind and incompetent they can’t see it coming.

Off Topic Oh they probably can, just waiting or hoping for Uncle George to step in and make things right again with minimum cost but maximum output from ourselves.............yet again!!!Off Topic

 

[Captain Slog]

Hey there Captain.
As you is the all knowing oracle type chappie with all things a la delta, I was wondering if you could or in fact if anyone can answer this please?
On looking at the shots on the big V bomber and taking note of the counter, I noticed that there was a gap between the engines on one mainplane but not on the other.
Was this due to Electronic Counter Measures being fitted? If so why swap side (poss diff mk of jet)?SCJ

Hi CJ,

How’s life at the “Sharp End”.

The gaps between No1 & No 2 jet pipes and No3 & No 4 jet pipes (counting form port to starboard or left to right in new money) sometimes had fairing panels attached to them. This allowed the Fairy’s to stick aerials and other Avionic wizardry bits to them. Depending on the Mod state of the aircraft, some aircraft had only one panel fitted some had two. I have no doubt Hue Jardon could give you more info on them.

The Electronic Counter measures were in the form of cans the size of slim dustbins which fitted into the bulge at the rear of the fuselage, just behind and below the rudder. It was a Riggers job to fit and remove them because the Fairy’s were too weak to do it!

Just as a point of interest, the brake parachute which was about 60-70 feet across (no doubt some squipper will put me right on that one) was fitted into a bay at the top of the bulge and directly behind the rudder. It weighed about 300lbs and it took two hefty Riggers to fit it. It was fitted to the aircraft via a shear bolt and it was designed so that, if the aircraft went into a spin, the pilot as a last resort to stop the spin, could “stream” the chute which would deploy and right the aircraft before the shear bolt snapped to allow the chute to fall away. I did hear of one incident where it actually happened but I have never been able to find the evidence to prove it. Maybes the oracle MAINJAFAD might know.

Hope that helps, sorry I could not be more exact.

Qua’pla!

CS

 

[MAINJAFAD]

Hey there Captain.

As you is the all knowing oracle type chappie with all things a la delta, I was wondering if you could or in fact if anyone can answer this please?

On looking at the shots on the big V bomber and taking note of the counter, I noticed that there was a gap between the engines on one mainplane but not on the other.

7:42 right gap (looking as you are sitting in the AC)
7:28 left gap
4:44 left gap
2:39 left gap
1:42 left gap
0:50 right gap

Was this due to Electronic Counter Measures being fitted? If so why swap side (poss diff mk of jet)?

Cheers

SCJ

There is a mix of marks of both Victor and Vulcan in that footage, Guy walking to the jet in a suit is most likely Roly Falk, the Avro Test Pilot who was the first guy to fly the Vulcan and never flew the aircraft in anything other than a normal suit. Aircraft is most likely the first prototype (the smaller aircraft in the shot is an Avro 707, a small scale flying test bed to test the Vulcan's design). The straight winged with a pointed tail cone Vulcan’s are prototypes or B Mk1s. A bulged tail cone with ECM and a tail warning radar was later fitted to the B Mk1, making it the B Mk 1A, while the Vulcans with the kinked wing are the B Mk 2. Silver Victor is the prototype, White and Cammo ones without the carrot fairings on the trailing edge of the wings are B Mk 1 / B Mk 1A's, I think there is some B Mk 2 footage in there 'Carrots fairings on the wings’. While the Victors with the fuel tanks and pods on the wings are K Mk 2's. The fairings between the engines of the Vulcan were for ECM kit and I do believe they could be fitted on both sets of engines (there are two set in the airfix model of the aircraft if memory serves, its 20 years since I built the model, so I may be wrong).

 

[Captain Slog]

Guy walking to the jet in a suit is most likely Roly Falk, the Avro Test Pilot who was the first guy to fly the Vulcan and never flew the aircraft in anything other than a normal suit.

It is indeed Roly Falk the Superintendent of Test Flights at A V Roe at the time. It never ceases to amaze me every time I see that footage to see him stroll out to the aircraft in his sport’s jacket (with the little hankie in the top pocket), collar and tie as if he was about to go on a spin in his Austin car.

He carried out the first test flight on his own (normally there was a crew of 5) and when he returned after 2 ½ hours, as he flew over the airfield he rolled the aircraft through 360 degrees and blew out all the windows in the roof of the workshops below!

 

[SORRY CJ]

Cheers for the info guys.

To coin a saying from a gentelman of great stature....pie eater

KAPLUNK

 

[Realist78]

It would have been interesting to see the Avro Atlantic get past the drawing board stage. A Vulcan airliner (longer and with greater wingspan but a Vulcan nevertheless).:raf:As an aside, the counterpoise panels(housing the aerials etc) were more often fitted between the starboard engines as I remember.