Aircraft

[Gravdigr]

Loving the Vulcan, btw. It shares one spectacular facet with the SR-71...They both look absolutely sinister.

[xoxoxoBruce]

That's FREEDOM you're seeing.
Funny how freedom looks sinister so often, to so many.

[Carruthers]

Just to tie up a couple of loose ends re the Vulcan.

During the Falklands War, a Vulcan was used in a raids against Argentinian positions on the islands, the first being on the airfield at Port Stanley.

Operation Black Buck had seven planned raids, of which five were completed.

At 6,800 nautical miles (round trip) they were, at the time, the longest range bombing operations in history.

The Vulcan was a medium range aircraft, being designed for attacks on the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries, consequently an in flight refuelling plan had to be devised.

The raids were carried out from Ascension Island and the attack aircraft was supported by eleven tankers.

Some of the tanker aircraft were used to refuel other tankers so they could transfer fuel to the Vulcan at extended range.

On the first raid, the Vulcan was refuelled seven times on the outward journey and once on the return leg.

There's a graphic showing the refuelling plan here:

Wikipedia - Operation Black Buck.

An animation of the refuelling scheme is featured in this video:



This Ch 4 programme was shown in 2012 on the thirtieth anniversary of the Falklands War.

If you have a reasonably fast connection it's worth downloading.

[xoxoxoBruce]

On the first raid, the Vulcan was refuelled seven times on the outward journey and once on the return leg.

Say what? OK, heavy bomb load, head winds, stopped for lunch, but 7 to 1?
Oh, I know one way was Imperial gallons and the other way was metric gallons.

[xoxoxoBruce]

The story of the two pilots who managed to get their P-40s off the ground at Pearl Harbor.

[sexobon]

They forgot to throw out the anchor on the other side too.

[Gravdigr]

Idk what happened there...Comments were all over the place. He did it on purpose, he didn't do it on purpose. He hit something in the water, he was trying not to hit something in the water.

I checked (a little, very little) and, World Stunt Landing appears to not be a thing.

[xoxoxoBruce]

The early aircraft fired the imagination of millions, and instantly became the best pantie remover since alcohol. So naturally they became a subject of songs, as moon, June, spoon, was getting old. They hoped aircraft songs would spark some adrenaline and spending. Not that everyone in the music business is a crass money grubber, only the ones who control the business half.

[Carruthers]

Icelandair Boeing 757 in Aurora Borealis livery.

[glatt]

I have very fond memories of Icelandair. I don't remember much about the airline or flight, but their deal where you can stop over in Iceland for a day to and/or from Europe is a really cool deal. A day to explore another country for no addition cost, especially when the country is as geologically interesting as Iceland is, is a sweet opportunity.

[Gravdigr]

[glatt]

I have one of those patches in a box somewhere

[xoxoxoBruce]

A real man would staple... no, wait... nail it to his chest.











Just writing that made me cringe.

[Carruthers]

The world's last airworthy Vulcan bomber has completed its final flight, which had to be kept secret until the last minute for fear huge crowds would attend.



Vulcan XH558, a restored nuclear bomber, takes-off for its final flight at Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport


The only remaining flying Vulcan bomber has landed for the last time.

The distinctive delta-winged Cold War aircraft, which once carried Britain's nuclear deterrent, took off from Doncaster Robin Hood Airport for a short final trip on Wednesday afternoon.

Organisers had kept details of the final flight secret until the last minute over fears that dangerously large crowds would throng the airport for one last chance to see the aircraft.

A final nationwide tour held earlier this month was nearly cancelled after police concerns they would be unable to handle an influx of thousands of enthusiasts turning up at once.

Hundreds of thousands are believed to have glimpsed Vulcan XH558 as it spent two days doing flypasts around the country a fortnight ago.

Martin Withers, who led the 1982 Vulcan raids on the Falklands, was the pilot for the final flight.

As he prepared, he said: "Everyone asks me what is so special about this aircraft and why people love it. Really the people who fly it are the wrong people to ask. It's such a combination of grace and beauty of just seeing this thing fly.

"Just to see it fly along, it's so graceful. And then that combines with the sense of power and manoeuvrability you've got with this aircraft and the vibrations it makes. It just seems to turn people on emotionally, they really love it."




Former pilot Angus Laird added: "I think it's very, very sad but we all come to a time when we stop flying. She's an old lady now and she's stopped at the height of her popularity, which I think is brilliant."

XH558, which first came into RAF service in 1960, has been kept in the air by a volunteer trust since 2007.

This summer, millions of people have watched it as it has made a farewell tour of the UK before its permit-to-fly expires at the end of October.

The Vulcan To The Sky Trust, which brought the 55-year-old aircraft back to flight eight years ago, has accepted advice from supporting companies that they no longer have the expertise to keep it airworthy as engineers retire from the industry.



Vulcan XH558 at Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport

XH558 will stay in its Cold War hangar at Robin Hood Airport - once RAF Finningley - where the trust is planning a visitor centre and also to continue "fast taxiing" the massive bomber around the runways.

The trust had to keep details of Wednesday's final flight under wraps until the last minute as the aircraft has become such a popular attraction.

Airport officials feared news of the event could attract thousands of spectators, endangering its normal operations.

John Sharman, chairman of the trust, said: "It's a sad day but its also a day of optimism in many ways.

"Today marks the end of the beginning of this life of Vulcans because we have huge plans for the future.

"We will preserve this aeroplane for the nation in working order, if not in flying order, for the future as the centrepiece of a heritage centre."

Mr Sharman said: "She is very beautiful, she is very powerful, she is is totally unique, totally distinct. And that delta shape seems to inspire both young and old."



Daily Telegraph

I last saw XH558 a few years ago when it flew a display routine at a small local air show.
Even at some distance, when the aircraft was flying under full power, you could 'feel' the noise as well as hear it.
It actually made the chest cavity vibrate. It was a remarkable aircraft, and even those who knew little about aircraft, and probably cared less, would watch.
Mercifully it was never called upon to lob a nuke at Ivan.

[Gravdigr]

So long Vulcan, we hardly knew ye.