Falklands’ war restored Vulcan bomber will take final flight next year
Britain's only flying Cold War Vulcan bomber and which participated in Operation Black Buck bombing Stanley airport during the Falkland Islands conflict of 1982, will take its final flight next year before being grounded because of soaring restoration costs, according to reports in the UK media.
After a multimillion-pound fundraising scheme, Avro Vulcan XH558 was restored in 2007 and given a certificate of airworthiness before appearing at more than 60 air shows. But The Vulcan to the Sky Trust has announced that 2013 will be the final flying season for the aircraft based at Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport.
At the height of the Cold War, Vulcan bombers carrying nuclear missiles were a key part of Britain's deterrent.
The only action that XH558 saw was in the Falklands War in 1982 when it flew 8.000 miles to bomb the runway at Port Stanley and planes on the ground during the Argentine invasion of the Falklands.
Since the restoration the charity estimates that more than ten million people have seen the aircraft, including three million when it flew as part of the Queen's 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations. But the charity has admitted that it would be too expensive to continue flying the Vulcan beyond next year.
Trust chief executive Dr Robert Pleming said: “All Vulcans have a finite safe flying life and XH558 is already significantly beyond the hours flown by any other aircraft of her type. At the end of next year, she will need a £200,000 modification to her wings to increase her flying life”.
As well as complex and expensive wing modifications there is also concern about the Vulcan's jet engines.
Andrew Edmondson, engineering director for XH558 said: “From the start of the 2014 season, it is unlikely that we could accommodate any engine failures and that even without any technical problems, soon our set of engines would be out of life.
“There are no more airworthy engines available, and refurbishment would be so difficult and costly that there is no possibility that it will happen”.
Also because of the closure of aviation suppliers since the aircraft's maiden flight in August 1952 the cost of re-manufacturing or refurbish parts would be too high.
Mr Edmonson added: “We know, for example, that the set-up costs to remanufacture a main wheel are more than £70,000. If the approved engineering drawings are no longer available, it can be practically impossible given any amount of money”.
In a letter to the Trust supporters, Dr. Pleming said: “Next year will be the last opportunity anyone will have, anywhere in the world, to see a Vulcan in the air.
“The Vulcan to the Sky Trust's aspiration is that when XH558's flying life is over, she will become the centre-piece of a new project that will inspire and train new generations of youngsters to become engineers and technicians, helping to solve the UK's significant shortfall in the number of talented young people entering technical careers”.'
Michael Trotter, the Trust's director, said: “XH558 will be maintained in excellent running order and will continue to delight her supporters with fast taxi runs while developing further her role in education as the centre-piece of an exciting new type of inspirational engineering education centre”.
The Vulcan strategic bomber was used by the RAF between 1956 and 1984, and formed the backbone of Britain's airborne nuclear deterrent during the Cold War. Manufacturers A V Roe & Co (Avro) named the aircraft 'Vulcan' after the Roman god of fire.
The plane initially carried the UK's first nuclear weapon, the Blue Danube gravity bomb, and was equipped to carry it to Russia, an exercise in deterrence.
It was also capable of conventional bombing missions, and played a vital role in Operation Black Buck during the Falklands War in 1982. The Black Buck combat missions saw the planes fly 3,889 miles from Ascension Island to Stanley on the Falkland Islands.
On May 1st 1982, a single Vulcan flew over Port Stanley and bombed the airfield there, achieving a direct hit which rendered it unusable by fighter aircraft. The plane was retired by the RAF in 1984.
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Usless bloody UK, they bomb their own air field = true wimps.
You never have the balls to bomb my Rio Gallegos air field.
Keep your falklands.
Oh and yes we will keep the Falklands thanks.
“You never have the balls to bomb my Rio Gallegos air field.”
If you attack the Falklands using aircraft from Rio G, these days the UK won't need Vulcans to melt the tarmac there, even our' outdated' GR4s will P1ss all over it.
But Argentina already fears the real threat to them: the new Type 45 Navy ships, the unseen submarines on patrol in international waters, the FOUR Typhoons on the Falklands and of course the military based there as well. All necessary because the argies invaded in 1982.
More than a match for the cowardly argie ***military*** led by a bunch of never-seen-a-battle numb-nuts.
Given the recent incoherent hysterical rants from BA it seems they are more likely to consider the flight an intolerable provocation.
It'd be funny if Ghana breaks it up and sells it for scrap.
@1 You really don't know your history do you? You pathetic Argie fool. Have you ever heard of the illegal Argentine occupation of the airfield and island during that period?
He is the best!....
Clown.................. LOL
Certainly an impostor.
As a fan of militaria and conservation my suggestion is.... don't forget to paint the tail fin
www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-jolly-roger-image17453727
However, we've got a Vulcan on show in Happy Valley, Newfoundland - the Labrador Military Museum at CFB Goose Bay in Labrador - the Royal Canadian Air Force base and site of NATO tactical flight training in Canada.
1 ProRG-American will be happy to know that our Happy Valley Vulcan and its crew came to Canada to train for bombing Buenos Aires - and probably Rio Gallegos - in the event that the fascist Argentine Military Junta didn't surrender as quick as they did.
Those Argies probably never knew how many Argentine lives were spared by their defeat.
Hey Kanook. You are wrong. This raid plan took place long after the war ended.
It simply an planned act of aggression. Likely stopped by my own Government so as not to loose all of SouthA merica.
Now the war is long over and there could be a lot of lives spared in the future on both sides if we simply abide by international law and UN resolutions.
Is this a threat? Are you saying that because the FI don't want to be part of Argentinian sovereignty, Argentina will attempt another invasion?
Your claims do not override the islanders right to self determination, and the UK will defend any aggressive attempt robustly. As it stands Argentina don't have the strategic advantage and therefore many of these lives lost will be young Argentinians yes?
As for international law and UN resolutions, best to go with FIG Roger Edwards point of view on that: Falkland Islands: 'A peoples’ right of self-determination is a fundamental modern democratic right':
ukun.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?id=775826682&view=PressS
As for our Happy Valley Vulcan, just checked the Mercopress story from last March and seems that Argies surrendered BUT Britain still concerned about fascist Argentine Military Junta remaining in power so prepped the Vulcans to bomb in case warranted.
Best outcome possible: Argentine lives spared and we got our Happy Valley Vulcan. However, as the story unfolds, our Happy Valley Vulcan XL361 wasn't part of the Buenos Aires bombers anyway because it set down permanently in Happy Valley in December, 1981.
“RAF Vulcan bombers trained to bomb mainland Argentina during Falklands war”:
en.mercopress.com/2012/03/27/raf-vulcan-bombers-trained-to-bomb-mainland-argentina-during-falklands-war
“Avro Vulcan Cold War Archive - Goose Bay”:
studysupport.info/vulcanbomber/goose_bay.htm
The islanders do not have a right to self-determination as you claim. The whole world knows that. They are a transplanted community, on a land occupied by force which was never recognized by the occupied power, which has a legal claim. Everyone knows that their “referendum” to be held next year is a farce, just a propaganda ploy, a smoke screen to deceive world opinion. It will not change international law or the UN charter. So stop believing in fairy tales. The UK can go on and threat that it will defend any attempt “robustly”, whatever, but with any attempt to extract oil and resources, will just show the world the UK's true face, a thief avoiding to follow the international norms. The Argentines will encircle Britain in South Atlantic over time. They do have one thing on their side, and that is time and support from their neighbors and most of the world. They have successfully kept UK war ships from entering South American harbors. They will find ways to make business operations more expensive as Britain’s instance not to talk persists. The Brazilians are
You can arm yourselves up to the hilt with nukes but that won't make the UK give in to your threats or bogus claims for the islands. Remember if you strike we will strike back but bigger and badder. We had to deal with this stalemate with the USSR remember?
The European Argentines are a planted population in Argentina, therefore you have as much right to reside in Argentina as the FI's have to remain in the Falklands.
Sorry but your quest for the Falklands have no weight.
Enjoy yourselves “encircling” the FI's.
Just because a plethora of Latin American countries and left-wing regimes in general may believe that Argentina should be allowed to invade or colonize the Falkland Islands community against the wishes of that community, doesn't make it right.
Thus, while many countries may claim that the Falkland Islands people do not have a right to self-determination, several countries including Canada have gone on record supporting the Falkland Islands community's right to self-determination.
Canada has most recently supported Falkland Islands rights at the OAS Summit and General Assembly meetings, and more recently, in statements countering Canadian mining company interests in Argentina (ref below).
“Canada confirms Falklands self determination despite lobbying from companies operating in Argentina”:
en.mercopress.com/2012/08/30/canada-confirms-falklands-self-determination-despite-lobbying-from-companies-operating-in-argentina
When did Britain threaten Argentina with nuclear weapons?
Which part of the UN Charter?
a great plane,
and once again the envy shows from the downharted argies.
still.
you can always buy from airfix industries..
Oh please don't start the old “The whole world knows that” nonsense.
There are no UN resolutions or international laws which demand the islands be handed over to Argentina.
A peaceful solution to the dispute will be reached when Argentina drops its ludicrous claims and leaves the islanders to live in peace.
Apart from that I really have no idea what you think there is to talk about.
However, there is one specific claim you make that might be amusing to play with...
“They have successfully kept UK war ships from entering South American harbors.”
en.mercopress.com/2012/10/02/hms-dauntless-called-in-colombia-and-joined-major-unitas-naval-exercise
oops. Yeah, south america and the whole world is uniting against the evil british, south america is totally united in blocking any british military activity in south america innit.
Argtards, lol.
“Now the war is long over and there could be a lot of lives spared in the future on both sides if we simply abide by international law and UN resolutions.”
Like the bit in the resolutions that states INDEPENDENCE is the desired outcome and the INTERESTS of the population( that are being followed by the UK and IGNORED by Argentina-therefore Argentina is BREAKING the resolution which for the 1000th time is NON BINDING, wherereas Argentina ignored Resolution 502 which WAS binding.
Also Argentina continues to ignore UN resolutions over its treatment of the indigenous people it is kicking off their land/ the River Plate dispute with Uruaguay so don't lecture the UK on resolutions when you don't obey them yourselves.
@20
“Not settling this conflict as demanded by the international community will likely lead to a confrontation.”
And if there is a confrontation who are your bets on?
Rustbox navy devoid of spare parts and clapped out MEKOs vs T45s and Astute class submarines?
Super Etendards, rehashed 50s Skyhawks and Israeli (note you are taking sides with Iran) Mirage rehashes('Finger'-lol) vs Typhoons, Viper and Rapier missiles?
And have you researched the capabilities of the forthcoming Meteor air to air missile?
That's the DEFENSIVE kit, not mentioning the OFFENSIVE kit the UK can get down to the South Atlantic within 48 hours if you think you are hard enough to take a pop.
Don't forget, Argentina wets itself and heads for the bomb shelters when a prince flies an unarmed, yellow search and rescue helicopter.
And to try and stay on post it's a pity that the said Vulcan has not got the airframe hours (and 301 engines) to do a farewell tour of South America including a commemorative landing in Brazil and overflying Argentina before doing a flypast over Stanley and landing at MPA. It would make a great gate guardian for Stanley airport though an unarmed defunct show piece would be further militarising the South Atlantic-lol.
CFK cant even deal with GHANA for christs sake.
what chance would she have against iceland.
let alone the UK .
please argies turn off the xboxes [where is he by the way]
and upgrade to a modern society called democracy.
Everything that you've just regurgitated is complete Argentine rubbish.
You DO NOT own these lslands, NEVER did & NEVER will.
You are an implanted population in Argentina, your ancestors murdered the lndians, then STOLE their land.
l don't think that you have time on your side.
Sooner or later, Argentina will implode & break up into smaller countries.
That will be a day that we will celebrate!
@17 Operation Black Buck took place between 30 April and 12 June 1982. Argies SURRENDERED on 14 June. How was the war over? As for abiding by international law and UN resolutions, you should try it some time.
@20 Questions for you to answer: (1) Is the right to self-determination of all peoples contained in the UN Charter? (2) Is it possible for a UN General Assembly resolution to override the Charter? (3) Has argieland signed and ratified the UN Charter? (4) Name a UN Security Council resolution that argieland ignored. (5) Please provide a link showing an official British threat to use nuclear weapons on argieland. (6) Please name the UN-approved Administering Authority for the Falkland Islands. (7) Please describe the history of the Falkland Islands between 1690 and 1834. (8) At what point in time does argieland plan to invade and occupy south-west Africa? If you don't answer, intelligently, it will simply confirm that you have a big mouth and no balls!
Best a lot were our pilots “touching” each and every one of the pirate ships attacked super mobile, super defended and infinitely smaller.
Very true and the Argentine Hercules pilots were very good at getting into Stanley-granted.
However there is a huge difference between flying an 8000 mile round trip with essentially clapped out aircraft and flying 500-600 mile supply missions.
Also if the Argentines were so good how is it they didn't manage to shoot a single Vulcan down?
Don't forget that your airforce were so scared of a Vulcan strike on Buenos Aires, your best Mirage fighters were diverted North, tying up many of your fighters .
No wonder Argentina tried to buy Vulcans before the Falkland s War, but luckily did not want to buy harriers, (La Muerte Nigra).
The damage was minimal BUT the message to the Argentine government was a shock to their system. It meant that the Argentine mainland was a possible target so defenses were kept to guard against this threat. What they thought impossible was now a distinct possibility.
As a moral boost to the Islanders it was a tonic to see the strutting macho Argentinian forces in a panic !
Well, there's a pink elephant in the Casa Rosada.
Come on, I am the real one ....
I spy
You nothing!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=40knj0qg_Us
Details of the several Black Buck sorties :
studysupport.info/vulcanbomber/blackbuck.htm
Watched an RG movie last night.. a 'comedy' and quite funny really.... 'Chinese Takeaway' about a cow dropping out of the sky in china and ongoing events in BA...... even that had to have its 'Mxxxxxxxs' moment..... sheeese(sp)
I do note that the LAN inflight mag now shows that they fly to MPA... they weren't doing that 4 months ago...
“Great full-length youtube video, “XM607 - Falklands' Most Daring Raid”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=40knj0qg_Us
Details of the several Black Buck sorties :
studysupport.info/vulcanbomber/blackbuck.htm”
XM 607 awesome plane that Vulcan.
Saw one at an air show in Canada 20 or 30 years ago.
Hello sister,
They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery.
l have know a few lsoldes in my time. l know that my name is not unique.
l must be irritating the Argentine secret service for them to use my name.........
Good, they need irritating.♥
“THE MAVINAS ARE GAUCHAS”
Really?
Their descendents on the Falkland Islands don't seem to think so, otherwise they would vote to be Argentinian.
Keep your peronist Hitler- derived fascism where in belonngs, in BA!
Interesting - especially the comments. Can you direct us to any videos of the Sea Harriers knocking the crap out of the Argentinian Air arms ? Or the Belgrano sinking while its escorts ran away, or your carrier and its escorts about turning and beating a retreat or your army running back to Stanley to surrender ?
I am not denegrating the courage of your airmen, but if the Fleet Air Arm had a carrier with Buccaneers, Phantoms and Gannet AEW, as they used to have,then your entire navy would have been reduced to scrap
The Buccaneers would have been visiting some airfields near you.
It seems that Castilian (beautiful language of Cervantes) is a bad word and forbidden on this site ... and so we're in South America.
What I wrote was:
“Let's see how that bitch exploded!”
The Malvinas are gauchas.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYOW1a8Dzkk&feature=related
“The Malvinas are gauchas.”
Why do their descendants vote to be British?
Nah..........They're British. Rule Britannia.
¿Que?
Eh!
1) Where is Argenitnas?
2) Where are the malvinas?
3) Where are you?
Mythical places?
He is obviously a highly trained operative of La Camping-It-Up who has mixed his crib sheets up and is using their super-secret code book instead!
Isolde: you ARE cruel, asking him all those questions at once!
“Consult the map”
I did, the late 1800s Argentinian map that shows the Falkland Islands in he same shade of colour as Chile and other foreign (to Argentina) countries.
I've also consulted a map of South America from the early 1800s that shows the government of Buenos Aires territory being over 1000 miles away from the Falkland Islands.
I've also consulted official documents from the Falkland Islands and seen a massive sign by a jetty in Stanley that spells Falkland Islands in big letters.
No sign of the word Malvinas anywhere except on these posts.
Piece of moron:
Emancipation Argentina began in 1810 and declared independence in 1816.
If you want to repeat for the umpteenth time the true story of the Malvinas Argentinas although I do not think a moron like you can understand.
If the Malvinas Argentinas had always been “British” (or “English” should say) would never have known as the names “Malvinas”. It turns out, were SPANISH (MALVINAS) then inherited by Argentina (MALVINAS ARGENTINAS).
The other ugly name “F. ....... D” does not exist.
Temper temper! Calm down now...
Stop getting excited, play nicely and use your words. Good lad.
Pete is completely correct and you JM live in a special world all of your own. Britain formally claimed the islands in 1765, fully 55 years before the concept of Argentina. Spain did not know where the islands were located and it was the french that told them their location. Spain removed the french and paid them for their assets. From 1850-1941 the falklands got no mention in the presidential message to congress as the whole matter was sewn up. This documentary evidence is within the argentine archives and you ignore this. This is because your government and successive governments have brainwashed you and distract you from the real story... their poor governoring of your country. Britain is legally and historically associated with the islands and it is the islanders that wish to keep it that way. It will never be argentine until the islanders make it so. Considering how shitily your government and president behave, I think there is more chance of me being the re-incarnation of Elvis...'Thank you very much'
The islands were sighted by Amerigo Vespuccio, the service of Spain in 1501-1502, and discovered the April 7, 1502. Were sighted by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520, Portuguese but the service of Spain. In 1536 Francisco de Camargo sighted the islands and called them “the Ducks” maps published in Spain in 1522, 1529, 1536 and 1541.
In 1600, on January 24, the Dutchman Sebald de Werth, the sights and called Sebaldes or Sebald.
And the English?. They talk about John Davis that “discovered” in 1592, but neither the British themselves recognize it by describing the huge inaccuracies and because very honest, just published it in 1622!!
The French did not sell the settlement, but the Spanish Crown Bouganville compensated for their expenses in Puerto Soledad after France recognized Spanish sovereignty. Besides buying and if there had been-is a way to obtain lawful sovereignty. Remember Alaska.
Isla Trinidad is the only place in the islands where they had (the thieves), illegally settled.
And last but not least, in the unlikely event that England would have had a right to the islands, prescription irretrievably lost to retire in 1774.”
All wrong,
Not yours,
Ours,
Goodbye.
“England would have had a right to the islands,”
Since when have only England claimed the Islands?
Ever heard of the term Great Britain?
“Spanish Crown”
Who continued their claim to the Falkland Islands throughout the first half of the 1800s and dropped it in a visit to the Falkland Islands when the Spanish saluted the Union Jack.
The Spanish did not grant the Buenos Aires Government/The United Provinces of the River Plate or Argentina their claim on the Falkland Islands, so the claim to the succession of the Spanish claim is a load of tosh.
Argentina were not in the Falklnad Islands before Great Britain because they weren't formed until 1853.
If the British claim is null and void because they were not present on the Falkland Islands from 1774-1833, then the Argentine claim is null and void as they were not on the Islands from 1863-1982. Work out the difference in years to find your answer.
“Were not in the Argentina Falklnad Islands Great Britain before Because They were not Formed Until 1853.”
This man reckon refers to the year of the proclamation of the Constitution of Argentina of 1853 and therefore as the year of the “birth” of Argentina, as if the Constitution was the essence of a nation.
Did you know that the UK has no constitution!? So with that reasoning the UK does not yet exist.
The Juris Pssidetis Uti start having effect from the start of the Emancipation.
If Argentina “born”! in 1853, who devils have been one Jose de San Martin, one Juan Manuel de Rosas, etc. etc. In the name of who the hell David Jewet be taken possession of the Falkland Islands in 1820? What did the Declaration of Independence Argentina on July 9, 1816? In the name of who have been Argentina's claims against the usurpers from the same 1833? Of Who does England who recognized independence in 1823 and signed a treaty of “Friendship” and Trade “in 1825? If Argentina does not exist How could Gobierno Buenos Aires grant the concession of Soledad island to Vernet in 1823? How could the Chancellor of the Republic of Bolivia (first country along with other ”tiny” as Brazil to recognize the abuse) state: “the occupation of Soledad island, without complaint, without any title claim and no other support abuse arrogance ... as manifested in violation of international law must be considered not only an affront to Argentina Repúblic but all the American Republics. ”
(The Argentina's constitution of 1826 called “Argentina Republic” to our country.)
I couldn't care less whether Argentina was formed in 1810, 1710, 1610 or even 1510.
You do not own the Falklands & never will.
We do!
Just go away.
Erratum: where it says “Falkland Islands”, read Malvinas Islands. Got Game of Google Translate.
No way Jose ! You can call it whatever you want - it makes no difference.
The inhabitants, who LIVE and OWN the Islands call them the Falklands - end of story.
We should call Argentina “usurped Spanish colony”
Or “murdered Amerindian land”
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