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Vulcan
rusty nuts - 4/10/15 at 05:34 PM

Saw the Vulcan flying over our house earlier this afternoon , in formation with another plane, not sure what . They had a small aircraft fly across their flight path which I would have thought would be classed as a near air miss, would have been a tragic end to its flying career if I hey had collided . Almost certainly the last time I will see it flying . Thought at first it was appearing at Duxford as its only a couple of miles away .

CosKev3 - 4/10/15 at 05:38 PM

It went over oulton park a couple of weeks whilst I was watching the caterham race series,awesome sight

maccmike - 4/10/15 at 05:55 PM

My name is etched on the bomb door

arrow-engineering - 4/10/15 at 07:13 PM

tell us more

AndyW - 4/10/15 at 07:18 PM

I stood on my garage roof and watched as it did several flyby's over shuttleworth. Then it flew overhead. Awesome sound and sight. Shame she's gone from the skies for good.

maccmike - 4/10/15 at 07:58 PM

It was a birthday present, they say its etched in..., got a certificate and gift pack.

JoelP - 4/10/15 at 08:11 PM

I would've loved to see it today. I'm very lucky I ever saw it to be honest - I was out riding my bike once and it flew over quite by chance. Ah well, all good things...

peter030371 - 5/10/15 at 07:47 AM

This coming weekend is very possibly your last chance to ever see a Vulcan fly, have a look at this site http://www.vulcantothesky.org/ and signup for the newsletter to get up-to-date information on the flights planned.

I have followed and supported XH558 since the 90's. I visited her several times during her time at Bruntingthorpe, both for fast taxi runs and later during her restoration to flight. I have donated more money than makes sense (!) but have then gone out of my way to see her fly on numerous occasions and its been worth every penny

She is a true marvel of British engineering and I have been under her on several occasions it still amazes me what they built in the 50's

Like thousands of others my name is also in the bomb-bay, not etched just on a stick on banner, but the kids were really impressed when they found it last year during an under-wing tour at the Farnborough airshow

It really is sad that she is to be grounded for good now. The OEM's have given a huge amount of support but the skills now needed, never mind the spare engines, are just not available anymore 558 has flown on longer than any other Vulcan in history, she out-lived every other aircraft from the V-Force, and its time she stayed on the ground for good rather than risk an accident.

So if you want to see her then click on the link above and follow the news.....my plans for next weekend are entirely based around when/where I can see her for just that one last time in the sky!!

Irony - 5/10/15 at 12:34 PM

I've seen it flying a few times now. I think three times in the last week. Over Lincolnshire near my house it belched out a big cloud of smoke. I thought it was going down. But no, it carried on as if nothing happened. I think its a awesome plane. However I doubt its any good for the environment. It seems to leave quite a trail of black smoke in its wake. I suppose it's engines probably don't like flying so slow.

peter030371 - 5/10/15 at 01:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Irony
I've seen it flying a few times now. I think three times in the last week. Over Lincolnshire near my house it belched out a big cloud of smoke. I thought it was going down. But no, it carried on as if nothing happened. I think its a awesome plane. However I doubt its any good for the environment. It seems to leave quite a trail of black smoke in its wake. I suppose it's engines probably don't like flying so slow.


One plane is not going to make a massive difference to the environment Vulcans have always been a little smokey, its just a powerful engine that burns a lot of fuel and compared to more modern jets its not very efficient She is 55 years old though so not bad.

One of the four engines currently in XH558 is a little worse than the other 3 but they are all in 100% A1 condition or Rolls Royce wouldn't let it off the ground

I never got to see one of these, this is from the last 'show' scramble in the very early 80's

02GF74 - 6/10/15 at 02:06 AM

Thx for heads up, signed up. Route details out today..... well got no planz for the w/e so itll be rude not too....

DIY Si - 7/10/15 at 09:30 PM

Since the page is missing from the website, does anyone have maps etc of the proposed flight paths for this weekend? I'm seriously considering not doing a half marathon to see the Vulcan one last time......

adithorp - 7/10/15 at 09:47 PM

Northern route...
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zJoGZd3-Qg5U.k9_QAWQWnmes

Southern route...
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zJoGZd3-Qg5U.k3u8IUZTll6M

No timings until tomorrow.

jeffw - 8/10/15 at 09:20 AM

Lets get a Concorde back in the air to replace her

40inches - 8/10/15 at 11:43 AM

quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
Northern route...
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zJoGZd3-Qg5U.k9_QAWQWnmes

Southern route...
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zJoGZd3-Qg5U.k3u8IUZTll6M

No timings until tomorrow.


Looks like it is going to fly past my lounge window

40inches - 8/10/15 at 11:55 AM

Just downloaded the tracking app

peter030371 - 8/10/15 at 02:44 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jeffw
Lets get a Concorde back in the air to replace her


lol, are you going to make the first donation then Jeff

steve m - 8/10/15 at 02:52 PM

They seem to have left out "The Falklands" off the final tour

sdh2903 - 8/10/15 at 03:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by peter030371
quote:
Originally posted by jeffw
Lets get a Concorde back in the air to replace her


lol, are you going to make the first donation then Jeff


There's already a huge fund in place apparently to get a concord flying. They are trying to convince the french owners of the one that's in the best nick to sell it to them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34301689

[Edited on 8/10/15 by sdh2903]

peter030371 - 8/10/15 at 03:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
quote:
Originally posted by peter030371
quote:
Originally posted by jeffw
Lets get a Concorde back in the air to replace her


lol, are you going to make the first donation then Jeff


There's already a huge fund in place apparently to get a concord flying. They are trying to convince the french owners of the one that's in the best nick to sell it to them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34301689

[Edited on 8/10/15 by sdh2903]


I would so love to see (let alone hear and feel!) a concord fly again but I believe this article more than the rose-tinted spectacle guys that think a big enough check book would get her airborne again http://www.imeche.org/news/engineering/concor de-will-never-fly-again-says-vulcan-restoration-expert

02GF74 - 10/10/15 at 09:08 AM

Help - can some smart person tell me expected time over North Weald.

I can see time from take off (? I think) but since I don't know take off time, that ain't no use.

adithorp - 10/10/15 at 09:24 AM

No take off time announced yet. Twitter feed says crew soon to have briefing and decide take off time.

Irony - 10/10/15 at 09:27 AM

The comments on the concord post are interesting. One guy says a well informed person told him that one of the reasons concord was retired is that American jets just can't keep up with concord for long enough. After 9/11 it was seen as a serious threat. Never heard that before.

gremlin1234 - 10/10/15 at 09:38 AM

quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
No take off time announced yet. Twitter feed says crew soon to have briefing and decide take off time.
Flights are expected to start after lunch but times are to be confirmed on Friday -

adithorp - 10/10/15 at 09:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
No take off time announced yet. Twitter feed says crew soon to have briefing and decide take off time.
Flights are expected to start after lunch but times are to be confirmed on Friday -


Times from take off were confirmed yesterday (Friday). Take off time for today or tomorrows flights haven't been announced yet.

gremlin1234 - 10/10/15 at 10:15 AM

https://twitter.com/xh558
INITIAL PLANNED DEPARTURE SET AT 1300 (1pm local). Await updates on leg times over each location.

JoelP - 10/10/15 at 12:27 PM

Is it doing the northern leg today? Could someone update when it takes off please?!

JoelP - 10/10/15 at 12:29 PM

Bugger, missed it alread!

AntonUK - 10/10/15 at 03:52 PM

I popped over to Cosford and got around 3 second sight as is blasted past at low alt. Awesome sound...

Toys2 - 10/10/15 at 04:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by AntonUK
I popped over to Cosford and got around 3 second sight as is blasted past at low alt. Awesome sound...


Similar for me though at Carlisle airport, 20 minute drive, 20 minute wait, 5 seconds fly by - well worth it

If anyone is ever visiting the Lake District, you may want to know that there is a static Vulcan at the small museum at Carlisle Airport
It has donated parts to XH558, which is why it tends to get a good share of fly bys

We've been up inside the cockpit....great fun
The air museum has quite a few "greats" ....Vampire, Lightening, Phantom, Hunter, Canberra, it's pretty amazing for such a small set up
http://www.solway-aviation-museum.co.uk/?page_id=105

[Edited on 10/10/15 by Toys2]

Toys2 - 10/10/15 at 04:26 PM

Not my video but it captures it well



[Edited on 10/10/15 by Toys2]

JoelP - 10/10/15 at 05:48 PM

Managed to get to Barnoldswick to see it. Amazing. Cheers to the guys who posted the twitter feed and the Google map.

Is it doing the southern loop tomorrow or is that it now, all over?

slingshot2000 - 10/10/15 at 07:48 PM

I saw it over Windermere this afternoon, AWSOME.
And yes, tomorrow it is doing the southern loop.

gregs - 11/10/15 at 06:50 AM

quote:
Originally posted by slingshot2000
I saw it over Windermere this afternoon, AWSOME.
And yes, tomorrow it is doing the southern loop.


Southern loop tomorrow and more promised before the end of the month....

40inches - 11/10/15 at 10:33 AM

Bit of a damp squid yesterday From what I can gather, East Midland Airport stopped it flying over Derby because a Cesna was in the way. So when it should have been over Derby it had landed at Doncaster. A lot of (100+) people waiting at the turn point at Mosborough.
There is a change to today's flight path, but we will still miss it https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zJoGZd3-Qg5U.kNNj_CTKeaA0

907 - 11/10/15 at 04:28 PM

Went down to North Weald. Stunning, absolutely stunning.

Nigh on flew over the crowd.



Full marks to the staff at North Weald also, who directed hundreds of cars in to park along the runway…

AND DIDN'T CHARGE A PENNY.

gremlin1234 - 11/10/15 at 05:53 PM

from their twitter feed
If you wish to receive Vulcan XH558's newsletter, then sign up here: http://www.vulcantothesky.org/newsletter-sign-up.html …

also
they hope to be 'out' a couple more times in October ;-)

[Edited on 11/10/15 by gremlin1234]

Lander - 12/10/15 at 05:05 PM

I was one of the lucky ones, was tinkering in the garage when I heard it so stepped outside as it flew over the house in Cheltenham. Awesome sight on a Sunday afternoon.

morcus - 12/10/15 at 08:24 PM

I just missed it, but I certainly heard it over Filton.

peter030371 - 13/10/15 at 07:14 AM

I went for lunch at the cafe at Hawkhurst Fishfarm around about the time she would be in the area......10 minutes later she came right overhead

gremlin1234 - 28/10/15 at 07:39 PM

so they said it wouldn't be its last flight,

sadly they kept the last flight secret...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-34661731

quote:

The XH588 bomber's flight over its base at Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport was kept secret to avoid thousands of spectators turning up.

David Jenkins - 28/10/15 at 08:11 PM

The problem was that the thousands of spectators would have disrupted the normal operations of the airport, and the airport owners would have passed the costs on to the Vulcan project. Sounds harsh, but the airport has to make money to exist, and probably couldn't afford to have its normal business affected.

jeffw - 28/10/15 at 08:46 PM

Just one thing.....it's Concorde not Concord. The French won the spelling argument back in the 1960s.

minibull - 29/10/15 at 03:40 AM

I made parts for the Vulcan,Victor, Canberra (conversion to radar plane) and Jaguar (whilst it was still known as the Tactical Strike Aircraft project) during my apprenticeship as an airframe fitter in the early 70's. I've never seen a complete example of any of them in the flesh ! Still they are basically just bent alloy and I've seen more of that than most people

Lander - 29/10/15 at 08:25 AM

If anyone is near Cheltenham or passes by I would recommend taking a visit to the Jet Age Museum at Staverton Airport. It is mostly a celebration of Gloster Aircraft but (the best bit for me) they have the cockpit of a Vulcan that you can go into and have a 10min talk on the operation of the aircraft. There is no charge to go as it is manned by volunteers but they do ask for donations and rightly so.

It isn't big by any means but worth popping in if you are passing particularly with younglings.

Ian

peter030371 - 29/10/15 at 09:12 AM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
The problem was that the thousands of spectators would have disrupted the normal operations of the airport, and the airport owners would have passed the costs on to the Vulcan project. Sounds harsh, but the airport has to make money to exist, and probably couldn't afford to have its normal business affected.


Very sad day yesterday but it had to happen before the end of the month, parts are know longer airworthy and some only had about 15 minutes of allowed flying life left in them so they used ever last bit up in the quick 'jolly' yesterday. Great to hear Martin Withers took her up for the last flight, the first man to fly a Vulcan in combat and now the last man to ever fly one

Lots of people throwing their rattles out of the pram on the interweb/forums which just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth on what was a great achievement. All along the lines of 'you didn't fly over my house' and 'I gave money so I part own her and have a right' etc. If all these armchair warriors are so passionate then they could have volunteered to work for the Trust many years ago and would have been at the final flight yesterday....everyone has a choice. The Trust had strict rules they HAD to work too and its amazing how many people have already forgotten about Shoreham

Whilst I fully understand the choice to keep the flight day/time 'secret' until the last minute (well last 30 minutes) I am completely baffled as to why they think Robin Hood Airport is the best place for her final home!!! Bruntingthorpe is her home and I am gutted she is never to return to the Cold War Jets collection I do not see the new education center at Robin Hood Lasting half as long as XH558 and then what? She will be 'in-the-way' in a few years and left to decay with limited access by any future volunteers due the airports 'live' nature.

sdh2903 - 29/10/15 at 11:10 AM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
The problem was that the thousands of spectators would have disrupted the normal operations of the airport, and the airport owners would have passed the costs on to the Vulcan project. Sounds harsh, but the airport has to make money to exist, and probably couldn't afford to have its normal business affected.


Have you seen the operations at DSA? It's like a ghost town for 75% of the time. They probably missed an opportunity to raise the profile of the airport in the process.

As an apprentice at Woodford had the pleasure of working on vulcan XM603 along with the old boy volunteers who came in to tinker for an odd day a week. Was a privelege and learnt a lot during that great time. Being a part of engine running the old girl is one of the highlights of my career in aviation.

Mr Whippy - 29/10/15 at 12:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Irony
The comments on the concord post are interesting. One guy says a well informed person told him that one of the reasons concord was retired is that American jets just can't keep up with concord for long enough. After 9/11 it was seen as a serious threat. Never heard that before.


which is totally ridiculous if you anything about what is involved in getting concord to go supersonic, it's a very complex aircraft to manage. Besides I'd like to see concord out run a missile!