Last flying Avro Vulcan enters her final season
vulcantothesky.org
vulcantothesky.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Skyshield
I remember as a kid watching a Vulcan doing aerobatics above the small Scottish village I grew up in - the sight of a huge aircraft being thrown around was quite stunning but what I really remember was the noise - I don't think any other aircraft I have heard (including Concorde) made such an incredible noise.
Edit: It wasn't just the fact that it was loud, very loud, it was that Vulcans make a very spooky wail/howl when their engines are close to full power.
> Edit: It wasn't just the fact that it was loud, very loud, it was that Vulcans make a very spooky wail/howl when their engines are close to full power.
This reminds me. I live in an area that was once home to the F-22. Their engines made similar ghastly noises during maneuvring, which I suspect was due to the shape of the inlets. It'd scare the tar out of the household pets when they were flying night missions and usually get the neighborhood dogs worked up in a tizzy. I rather miss it!
Hilariously, residents complained to the USAF about the persistent sonic booms from the F-22 training missions, and were later relieved when they were recently replaced with a wing of F-16s. Now that training has resumed (along with the sonic booms), I can only imagine what those same people must be thinking. ;)
But... I've moved on. It's an amazing plane, but now I can't forget that it's a machine designed to kill millions of people, and it never had any other purpose.
I only saw a Vulcan flying once, when I was five years old at the Abbotsford BC air show. It made a massive impression on me that I still (obviously) hold to this day. YouTube videos of the "Vulcan Howl" are a poor substitute for that memory.
Setting aside politics and moral discussions about warfare and nuclear weapons, the Vulcan represents the pinnacle of British power and global authority. It is the culmination and distillation of the essence of "Rule Britannia". Yes, the Royal Navy Vanguard's have greater destructive power and (arguable) applicability in the modern era, but they lack the visual presence and and iconic stature.
Thankfully, the Vulcan To The Sky foundation will keep and preserve XH558 and continue their educational mission.
Back in the 90's I spent many hours playing Harpoon, a naval and air war simulator. It was easy in a game to send planes on a mission to the far limits of range and capability, bombers that flew past fighter cover with little or no radar coverage. That such a "crazy" mission was actually done is very impressive.
Sad to see the last one stop flying, wish I could travel to the UK to see and hear it in person.
The under-construction airport in St. Helena is probably a legacy of that conflict, since British planners need an airport closer to the Falklands than the one in Ascension (should the island fall again).
[0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_bomber
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Handley_Page_HP-80_Victor_...
It's hard to believe it's 50 years old when you see it maneuver like that. Then again it was surprising to me how powerful and agile an empty A380 or other passenger plane is (check out A380 or A400 Farnborough airshow videos)