LY744 From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 5536 posts, RR: 13 Reply 1, posted (10 years 5 months 1 week 3 days ago) and read 1375 times:
The Avro Vulcan:
A medium range, high-speed, high-altitude bomber, designed by Avro to suit the British gov's demands (B 35/46, Jan 9th, 1947) for a strategic bomber capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The first flight of the experimental variant was in Sep. 1949. Entered service in 1956. Left service in Dec. 1982. In the final stages of its career, the Vulcan was used as a tanker by the RAF.
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12359 posts, RR: 83 Reply 2, posted (10 years 5 months 1 week 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1350 times:
In the early 60's, the Vulcans, (and Victors), were equipped with the Blue Steel rocket-propelled stand-off bomb.
This was replaced when the Polaris sub-launched missiles took over the deterrent role in 1969.
The Victors were converted to tankers, but most of the Vulcans remained in service for the theatre nuclear strike role, with a secondary conventional role, (up 21 1,000lb bombs).
Two squardrons were based in Cyprus from 1969-74.
The original B1 version was replaced by the B2 in the early 60's, the B2 had more powerful engines, modified wings and a comprehensive ECM fit, including rear-looking radar, radar jamming equipment and chaff dispensers.
From the mid 60's, the Vulcans were camoflaged and adopted low-level mission profiles, to increase the chances of survival against improved Soviet air defences.
Later, a terrain-avoidance radar was fitted, plus radar warning equipment.
However, a really comprehensive update was never done as it was thought the Vulcan would be replaced by the mid 70's, the replacement aircraft being the Tornado. It didn't quite work out like that.
One squadron (no.27), operated Vulcans in the Maritime Radar Recon mission from 1974-81. They also carried electronic recce pods on wing pylons originally intended for the US Skybolt air-launched missile, a nuclear weapon intended to equip USAF B-52H's and RAF Vulcan B2's. This weapon was cancelled in 1962.
By 1982, Vulcan retirement was in full swing, then the Falklands War happened.
As the only RAF combat aircraft capable of reaching the Falklands from Acension Island, some Vulcans had their refuelling probes, removed a decade before, reinstalled. Plus improved nav. equipment and on those wing pylons, US suppiled Shrike anti-radar missiles. (Odd that, as the Franco/British Martel missile had been intended for this role years earlier).
After several refuellings from Victor tankers, an RAF Vulcan dropped a stick of 21 1,000lb bombs on the runway at Port Stanely in the Falklands. One hit dead centre, but the real effect was pyscological.
The Argentines were forced to keep most of their dedicated Mirage interceptors back in case their home bases were attacked.
This took some pressure off the heavily outnumbered Royal Navy Sea Harriers, who had outclassed the Mirages in initial combats, but could have been overcome by sheer attrition.
The raid, plus a couple of follow-ups, must have badly frayed the nerves of Argentine troops too.
Later, some anti-radar sorties were flown with the Shrikes against the radar systems for the gun and missile defences on the islands, with limited success. But they made the radar operators nervous! At least one AA gun director radar was damaged.
On one mission, the Vulcan's refuelling probe was broken on the way back, forcing a landing in Brazil.
After the war, the bomber Vulcans were retired, 6 were converted to tankers as supporting the Acension-Falklands supply flights had placed huge demands on the Victors.
A single drouge was installed under the tailcone. Once the converted VC-10's entered service in early 1984, these tankers were retired.
The Vulcan was a much loved aircraft, a fantastic perfomer at airshows where it showed off it's almost fighter-like agility.
In the realistic 'Red Flag' exercises held in Arizona, RAF Vulcans performed well against simulated Soviet defences thoughout the 1970's.
A single Vulcan was kept for the airshow circuit, but the RAF withdrew funding in 1993.
Various enthusiasts are attempting to make the aircraft flyable again.
Put 'Vulcan Bomber' in your search engine and you should find their sites.
Konstantinos From Greece, joined Jun 2001, 387 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (10 years 5 months 1 week 6 hours ago) and read 1308 times:
Thanks all for the info.
Yes this was before 1965 (1959).
I think of the Vulcan by just looking at it as an aircraft from the future. For me, it's an aircraft that would have been built in the 90's.
I ask my self, could the Concorde have come from this ?
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12359 posts, RR: 83 Reply 5, posted (10 years 5 months 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 1313 times:
The engines fitted to Concorde are very advanced versions of the ones fitted to the Vulcan, but with a intake system for supersonic flight, a reheat and Nozzle system by Snecma, electronic engine controls and a host of other improvements.
Prototypes of the Concorde engine were tested in an underbelly fairing on a Vulcan.
Some of the first Concorde test pilots did some flying on Vulcans to delta-wing experience.
TomH From United States of America, joined May 1999, 960 posts, RR: 3 Reply 6, posted (10 years 5 months 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 1289 times:
Very informative answers. The Vulcan was one of a triad of "V-Bombers" built for the RAF. They were all successful aircraft. Not mentioned was the more conventional appearing Vickers Valiant. It was a four-engine (RR Avons) aircraft that was fielded in several different versions of the Mk 1 model including strategic recon and tanker. In service from 1955 to 1964, the Valiant was the first RAF aircraft to drop a live nuclear weapon in tests. It entered service in time to see action during the 1956 Suez Campaign. I recall around 1960 when Valiants, reportedly coated with an anti-radar finish, were reportedly overflying the northeast USA undetected by Air Defense Command. I believe if this happened at all, it was part of a test involving USAF and RAF.
The Vulcan B.1 photo above is a wonderful vintage photo, and it shows the B.1 version in its standard anti-nuclear flash white c/s. The prototypes for all 3 V-bombers were quite different from the production versions in their finish. I think the first Valiants appeared in gloss black prior to service introduction.
L-188 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 28959 posts, RR: 66 Reply 7, posted (10 years 5 months 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 1287 times:
It is kind of interesting that the most conventional design of the three V bombers, Vailiant, Vulcan, and Vistor. Was the type of aircraf that lasted the shortest time in British service.
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GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12359 posts, RR: 83 Reply 8, posted (10 years 5 months 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 1291 times:
The Valiant was phased out in 1965 after cracks were found in the wing spars, one aircraft had an in-flight failure of the spar and only just made it back, this lead to the fleet wide inspections.
A couple of years earlier, the B2 Vulcan and Victor variants took over the long-range strike role, the Valiants, with their less advanced avionics and ECM, were allocated to the theatre strike role, replacing Canberras. This involved low-level weapons delivery. The low-level flying causing the spar failure.
The Victor could have gone the same way, but the Wittering Strike Wing squadrons only spent a short time at low-level operations before being converted to tankers.
The mighty Vulcan took over 15 years of low level ops in it's stride!
The Victor was probably the most advanced of the V Bombers, which had all been designed for high-level bombing.
Three different designs, one good (Valiant), one very good, (Victor) and a superb classic in the Vulcan.
Only one Valiant survived the blowtorch, it's the aircraft which dropped the first UK H-bomb, and is on display in the RAF museum in Hendon, North London.
Ganymed From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (10 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 1266 times:
I read somewhere that during the Falkland war,one or 2 RAF Vulcan Bombers also realized what was to be the longest bombing mission (in miles flown) ever achieved by manned bombers in a conflict.I have no idea though about the distance and the flight time in numbers.
L-188 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 28959 posts, RR: 66 Reply 10, posted (10 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 1265 times:
I had read that too but doubt that is true anymore. The US is hitting Afganistan with non-stop trips from Missouri right now.
OBAMA-WORST PRESIDENT EVER....Even SKOORB would be better.
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12359 posts, RR: 83 Reply 11, posted (10 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1266 times:
The Vulcans held the record until B-52 strikes from the US in the Gulf War, if not the Gulf War, then certainly the B-2 strikes during the Kosovo action in 1999. (The B-52's used in Kosovo were based in the UK at RAF Fairford).
Of course in 1982, Vulcans did not have cruise missiles, so they overflew the target area to release the stick on 21 1,000lb bombs.
A 'toss-bombing' mode was used, nearing the target the Vulcan would pull-up, activating it's ECM gear, they had flown very low on the final run-in to avoid radar. As the Vulcan pulled up the bombs were released, they then flew some distance before diving down to impact. While this was happening, the Vulcan turned hard away from the target area.
The raids were codenamed operation 'Black Buck'.
Also, the Acension to Falklands run, and back, was entirely overwater.
A whole string of Victors supported the raids, some refuelling other Victors to enable them to reach out as far as possible.
I think the total refuellings on a Black Buck raid for Vulcans and Victors totalled 13!
Apart from the effect on morale on shivering Argentine conscripts of hearing a loud roar in the middle of the night, followed by 21 loud blasts, the Black Buck raids sent a message to that tinpot facist regime in power at the time, that Britain was deadly serious.
On one of the later missions that had to divert to Brazil when a refuelling probe failed, the aircraft had not tripped the air defences around Port Stanley, so the Shrike missiles were not used. The crew jettisoned them when diverting to Brazil, but one stayed put.
It was removed after landing, the Brazilians impounded it. I wonder if they still have this single AGM-45 in their inventory?!
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