Vulcan vs snow

[Chipper]

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=96975

Best pics are prob on pp 1,6,7.

What an awesome plane. Seeing them take off is unforgettable.

 

[Porschemaniac]

Big Deltas provide a huge surface area for snow to accumulate on. For a static aircraft, such as this, with empty tanks getting tipped up like this is a very real possibility. I understand that it has even been known to happen to serviceable aircraft.

I am a member of the engineering team, looking after XL426 at Southend airport and, during the recent snow, we had a team on standby to go and sweep it off.

Fortunately, it looks like the damage to XL319 is repairable.

And yes; I make you right - these are awesome aircraft. The sound as the engines transition from idle to full power is almost haunting.

It's a real shame that we, as a country, don't seem to be fiercely proud of our previous engineering excellence, which the Avro Vulcan is a shining example of. Instead, the care of these fine machines (and many others) gets entrusted to volunteer organisations, such as ours. To think that we only have one flying example left (XH558) and that these guys fight a constant battle for resource to keep her in the air is a real shame.

Cheers,

Ian.

 

[runnach]

There is a Vulcan on show at East Fotune, old WW1 & 2 areodrome, it is here you can visit Concorde. I went for a visit I think Sept-ish, open day for one and all, interesting place, with interesting kit here and there for doing fab/weld repairs.

If i had time, this is the kind of place I would like to volunteer my time and efforts, maybe when I hang up my full time bucket?

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

XH558 needs another 500K to get anywhere near a 'flying licence' I believe.

Regards
Peter

 

[Chipper]

Sounds a nice thing to be part of Porschemaniac. I'd like to chip in at Duxford someday if they'd have me. Seeing Vulcans go as a kid, made a hell of an impression... earth and lungs shaking etc.. Similarly, Lightnings doing short take-off, blasting up steeply and cracking a sonic boom on the way. Used to get to clamber in and around them and others, my old man was in the RAF. Another fabulous British plane.

 

[Porschemaniac]

Sounds a nice thing to be part of Porschemaniac. I'd like to chip in at Duxford someday if they'd have me. Seeing Vulcans go as a kid, made a hell of an impression... earth and lungs shaking etc.. Similarly, Lightnings doing short take-off, blasting up steeply and cracking a sonic boom on the way. Used to get to clamber in and around them and others, my old man was in the RAF. Another fabulous British plane.

Absolutely, Chipper. Unfortunatley, work and life mean that I don't spend as many Saturdays in the workshop as I used to (or would like to). But working on this fine old bird is a real honour.

Do give Duxford a go - it's a great place. A couple of years ago, I did a National Aviation Heritage Skills Initiative course, which invloved several Saturdays spent at Duxford. The practical sections of the course were delivered in the Restoration Hangar - which is a fascinating place. Oddly, one of the things that I like most about the Restoration Hanagar is the smell - somewhere between old aircraft and paint stripper.

The Lightning is another example of a British aircraft that was well ahead of it's time. I beleive that I'm right in saying that, even at the end of it's servicve, a Lightning out-climbed a brand new F15. And now, the CAA won't certify any of them to fly. I remeber my dad taking me to airshows as a kid and the Lightnings were always the stars of the show - watching the pilot stand it on it's tail at the end of the runway and gun it - almost vertically - is something you never forget.

Cheers,

Ian.

 

[Chipper]

Same things have stopped me asking, kids + too many projects hoovering up time+cash. I love it there, I'm a "Friend" and go regularly. Yes, love the resto hangar, that smell... the tools... they were hammerforming a nosecone over a buck last visit.

That course sounds good, seen it mentioned in the Duxford friend's mag I think.

By coincidence my boy's Grandad sent him "Aeroplane" mag as usual this morning, opened it up to a pic of a Lightning with the burners on... fabulous.

cheers
Bill

 

[Porschemaniac]

My dad worked on Lightnings (among other things) and I have to say that, despite my obvious Vulcan leanings, they are possibly my all-time favourite aircraft - possibly one of my all time favourite machines (although, it would be a really tough choice if you threw the Spitfire into the mix!)

That design; with the engines stacked shotgun style and those stubby raked wings that give them their missile-like appearance - absolutely fantastic.

From what I understand, they took a bit of mastering, also. A pilot once told my dad that you never really landed one - it was always more of a controlled crash!

If memory serves, they have one at Duxford, don't they? Must get back there in the summer - they've preserved some fantastic planes and they do some great work in the resto hangar. The first time I went there for my course, they were working on a TSR2 - and I spent practically my whole lunch break just checking it out. Why on Earth we didn't put that into production, instead of agreeing to buy the white-elephant that we acquired in it's place, I don't know.

Anyway, I'll stop now - I'm beginning to sound like a plane-spotter

Cheers,

Ian.

 

[runnach]

Heres a link to unofficial website for Museum Of Flight East Fortune , some nice pics for the anoraks

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/mus/uk/eastfortune/eastfortune.htm

 

[Chickenjohn]

Yes, it's great to see those old planes being restored and preserved. I have an interest as my dad was a technician in the RAF in the 1950's/60's and they had Canberras and later V-bombers in his squadron that he worked on. It is a shame that money is not put aside to their preservation, instead local and national Government like to waste it on rubbish like the Turner centre in Margate. Far better to spend it on these fantastic aircraft.

By the way, the Lightning, it was basically a missile with a man in it, short wings, huge engines, mach 2 interceptor. Much like the US Starfighter. But why was the Starfighter known as the widowmaker, with some airforces losing 50% of their aircraft to accidents , yet the Lightning seems to have had a much better safety record and is remembered with affection?? Just a better plane?? Better pilot training???

 

[Chipper]

Same here Ian, Lightning for jet era and the Spit for props. Different shapes, both fantastic. No doubt coloured by kiddie experiences being on the base a lot. Often watched them from the tower (my Dad was an ATC).

Duxford has a Lightning, and Hendon also (used to live nr there and visit regularly with m'boy also). TSR2 - apparently killed when we got a huge IMF loan with help US in the 60s, stopping the TSR2 was a 'quiet' part of the deal. So us and others would buy from the US instead of TSR2s presumably.

Plane spotting s'all good. We're lucky here to often see things heading to or from Duxford, BBMF low overhead etc etc ...

Found a museum quite near us that I didn't know was there, thanks to runnach's link, nice one

cheers
Bill