Vulcan Flies Again! 10/18/07

Yesterday in the UK, a retired RAF Avro Vulcan bomber took to the skies for the first time in 14 years. The iconic Vulcan was Britain's major nuclear bomber in the '50s and '60s and later served in conventional roles, including in the Falklands War of 1982. She was also instrumental in the development of the Olympus engines that later powered Concorde, and was a co-star of the 1965 James Bond movie "Thunderball." The restoration of XH558 was funded by 6 million pounds (around $12m) in contributions to a charitable trust, including a grant from a Lottery-based fund for British heritage and donations from enthusiasts. It is hoped this aircraft will be certified to join the airshow circuit in 2008 and be able to perform for another 15 years before being re-retired for good.

Read about it here, with pics:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... ge_id=1770

Takeoff video (first time this has happened since 1993) here:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VECwLl06ik0

Enjoy and congrats to the aviation buffs in the UK that made this happen!

WOW, thanks for posting that.

We've been waiting for it to happen forever, she is the closest thing to Concorde you'll see flying.

And having seen her at Hendon, that plane is HUGE. I sat in her cargo bay doors and its just a colossal aircraft!

Give me a Vulcan any day over a B-52.

I used to watch them flying at airshows when I was a child, they were awesome!

wow, I just watched it again. What an amazing piece of work. And such a short takeoff roll.


I remember at Hendon, they showed video of a fleet of Vulcans taking off in quick succession, in the event of those 'war horns' heard.

Great to see it up in the air.

What a great sight to see one of these in the air again! I used to see them many years ago when I lived in the UK - would love to go back and see this one flying....

Live long and prosper.

Funny you should say that.


As I watched the video and listened to the sounds, that Vulcan sure sounds like a Klingon bird of Prey. :D

Good to see some enthusiasm for this here. Like many Americans, I first saw Vulcan in "Thunderball" and when I finally got to see one in person at the excellent RAF Hendon musuem decades later I was just amazed by the elegance and simplicity of the design, certainly one of the most sleek and beautiful aircraft ever in my opinion.

Here's the official site of the trust that got Vulcan back in the air, "respect!" (or more likely, "respek!") as their countryman Ali G might say:

http://www.tvoc.co.uk/

Apparently the UK's green types are already voicing opposition. I would hope people would be more proud of this in as much as the UK aviation industry is now largely a 'component supplier' to multinational projects and is unlikely to produce such a homegrown aircraft ever again. Such is globalization...

Just fantastic the Vulcan is back in the air again.

What a shame no one in the UK could get (Comet) Canopus operational again for the Airshow circuit.

Tom

Wow. I've never seen the Vulcan like that. The SOUND is just amazing, and even with the short takeoff roll, the plane practically leaps into the air. Very unique aircraft.

I'll have to go through my slides, but I think there was one at the McGuire AFB Open House back in the early '80s. Impressive looking airplane to see in flight. Saw a few over in England when I was there flying KC's. Glad to see they finally got this one flying again.

That sound is incredible and this plane is so much more beautiful in the air than on the ground!! Might be worth getting in on the UK airshow circuit next summer for this one. Congrats to the Vulcan team for getting this beast into the air again! :D

Greets,
-Omar S.