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Falklands' war restored icon Vulcan takes to the sky

Vulcan makes historic flight

A former Royal Air Force Vulcan bomber has made her first flight in 14 years after a restoration project said to be “probably one of the longest and costliest” in the history of British aviation.

The Cold War bomber left RAF service in 1984 but XH558 is now the only flying Vulcan in the world. Based at Bruntingthorpe Airfield near Leicester, this week she made a spectacular 40 minute flight before returning home with a textbook landing. The restoration by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VST) was completed in the 25th anniversary year of the Falklands Conflict. The only time they were used in a combat situation, Vulcans flew the longest bombing mission in history to put Port Stanley Airfield out of action in order to deny its use to Argentine invaders in 1982. The destruction of the airfield and supporting air defence assets around the Islands as a precursor to UK forces retaking the Islands prevented Argentine forces from re-supplying and forced their aircraft to operate against the British task force at the limit of their endurance and only from the Argentine mainland. The brief flight this week over the Leicester countryside paves the way for the Vulcan Operating Co (VOC) applying for a display licence to star at air-shows from next year. Pilot Al McDicken said after he touched down: "Everything worked and she flew like a dream. We rose to 2,000 ft at 200 knots and tested the undercarriage. Then we increase speed to 250 knots and carried out a few more tests. Before we knew it was time to touchdown." Said Keith Mans, recently-appointed Chairman of the Trustees of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, said:"Today the Vulcan rejoins the exclusive club of iconic military aircraft – including the Lancaster and Spitfire - still able to take to the air and be instantly recognisable. The challenge now is to keep her flying for many years to come – so we need to continue raising funds in the same way as before." Mr Mans, who is also Chief Executive of the Royal Aeronautical Society, added: "This is an appropriate time to thank all our supporters, the volunteer workforce and the RAF who provided aircraft electrical technicians for many years to work on XH558 as part of their continuation training. The project to restore her to flying condition was probably one of the longest and most complicated in UK aviation history." Former Chairman Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight added: "For the past ten years the Vulcan team has worked tirelessly to get XH558 back in the air. Now that goal has been achieved the focus must switch to keeping her there. Each operating year will cost an estimated £1.6 m. It's all worth it bearing in mind the Vulcan's amazing power, grace and manoeuvrability. And of course the Delta shape is returning to the RAF in the shape of the Typhoon. Roy Chadwick would have been proud." Vulcan pilot Martin Withers is one of four ex-RAF bomber pilots authorised to fly XH558. He flew the first bombing mission over the Falklands, cratering the runway with a line of 1,000lb bombs. He was on the ground as the Vulcan – one of the last to be decommissioned and leave RAF Service in 1984 – flew overhead. He said: "It was flown into Bruntingthorpe by Dave Thomas – it was fitting he was in the cockpit for this inaugural flight after 14 years. It is the first time a jet aircraft of this size has been restored to flying condition and seeing her fly is another very proud moment of my life. She lifted off like a dream, belying her 50 tonne weight. But it was a different story taking off from Ascension in 1982 in hot conditions and with less powerful engines and a full bomb load." Chief Engineer Andrew Edmondson, a former RAF air frame fitter, said: "XH558 is now equipped to modern flying standards. Little is obvious from the outside, but internally she now has sophisticated flying systems and avionics such as GPS. To facilitate this, unnecessary equipment associated with her bombing past has been stripped out where appropriate. Over the past eight years every rivet, pipe, piece of wiring and switch has been fully checked and upgraded or replaced – we acquired several hundred tonnes of spares including four extra engines when we acquired her and these will enable her to have a flying life of about a decade. Ultimately this time in the air now depends on the availability of spares for each component and the air frame itself. "It was very emotional watching her lift off, circle twice and land perfectly - definitely the pinnacle of my aviation career." Technically the Vulcan currently flies under the control of Marshall Aerospace of Cambridge. Once more test flights have been completed the Civil Aviation Authority is expected to issue a permit to fly which will then enable owners the VOC to plan the flying programme for 2008. Joint Force Harrier Junior Technician Stu Youds (35) of 4 Sqn, RAF Cottesmore is on the VTS Club Committee. The 3,500-member club helps by raising funds and providing volunteers to support hangar work, look after visitors and develop the education programme. He said: "The British public now has a direct link between the aircraft of World War Two still flying and the Cold War. The Vulcan succeeded fully at both the strategic and conventional levels – not many aircraft can claim that." Following the Second World War the then Air Ministry decided to replace its ageing propeller-driver bomber fleet with a new generation of aircraft. The demanding requirement was for a four-engine jet bomber that could fly higher (more that 50,000ft), faster (up to 500 knots) and further (more than 3,000 miles) than anything ever built. Critically it also had to be able to carry the huge British nuclear bomb, projected to weigh 4,500kg (10,000lbs). Lancaster designer Roy Chadwick came up with an innovative design – a huge delta wing that would allow the engines, undercarriage and bomb load to be enclosed in a low drag shape which gave good high altitude and high speed performance. The first Avro Vulcan was delivered to the RAF in July 1956 and 83 Sqn was formed. Alongside Valiants and Victors they became known and the RAF's V-Force - the leading component of Britain's independent strategic deterrence in the Cold War era of the 50's and 60's. More than 100 Vulcans stood ready to defend the UK against all-out attack with nuclear weapons In the late 1960's the Royal Navy's submarine-based Polaris nuclear weapon system took over the role of Britain's strategic deterrence and the airborne Blue Steel missile withdrawn from service. As a result the Vulcans adapted to the conventional tactical bombing role as well as retaining nuclear weapons such as the WE177 parachute-retarded battlefield bomb. But the Vulcan only unleashed its power in anger once during a 30 year career – during the famous conventional "Black Buck" raids on the Falklands. They set records for the longest ever bombing missions – nearly 16 hours and 8,000 miles. By 1982 the Vulcan had been in service far longer than originally envisaged. Its replacement – Tornado GR1 – had started to enter service but the rundown of squadrons and aircraft was shelved when several Vulcans were selected for duties in the South Atlantic. Refuelled by a carefully-planned sequence of Victor air-to-air tankers, the first audacious raid took place at the early hours of 1 May and was a daring and successful attack on the occupying forces who woke up to find their only airfield for vital supplies had been denied them. XM607 had released 21 1,000lb bombs on Port Stanley Airport. Instantly Argentina realised that the if Vulcans could reach the Falklands virtually undetected, then targets in their country were vulnerable and the Junta redeployed their air assets to defend the mainland. Some of the Victors gave so much fuel to enable the Vulcans to return to Ascension that they barely had enough themselves and many almost glided the final few miles to safety. Another would have crashed into the sea 400 miles short of Ascension had not another Victor – having just returned itself with an exhausted crew – flown out to refuel it with moments to spare. Said retired Sqn Ldr Hugh Prior, XM607's Air Electronics Warfare Officer: "The primary mission for the Vulcan was carrying a nuclear weapon to the enemy a long distance away. She could do that without refuelling in the air. So with the Black Buck missions coming up we had to relearn the art and cannibalise Vulcans from all over the UK and world for spares." But the high-profile part the Vulcan played in liberating the Falklands caused only a short delay in the retirement of the V bomber force and on its final retirement the RAF decided to retain two, later reduced to one Vulcan for display purposes. In 1992 the final one – XH558 - was sent into retirement. Vulcan XH558 was a later variant delivered in 1960 and during her life served in the nuclear deterrent, maritime reconnaissance, air-to-air refuelling and, finally, providing awesome air displays from 1986 to 1993, when she was flown to Bruntingthorpe by Flt Lt Dave Thomas and hangered. Starting in 1997 the "Delta Lady" as she is sometimes known, began her restoration. The VST was formed as a registered charity and the VOC was formed in 2002 to raise funds so the extensive engineering work needed to obtain a CAA permit to fly could go ahead. In 2003 in recognition of the Vulcan's historical importance the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a £2.7m grant towards the cost of restoration. Public support has so far netted a similar sum and that support continues as it moves into its flying career. More details are available on www.vulcantothesky.com The inaugural flight was watched by Gp Capt Andy Fryer, Station Commander of RAF Waddington – said by many to be the spiritual home of the Vulcan. He said:"While there is still work to be done before XH558 will publicly display, we obviously hope the Waddington Air Show will be a consideration next year. It's great to see one of the last Vulcan's to leave RAF Waddington's 50 Sqn with air under her wings once more. She is no less spectacular today than when she first flew in 1952. It fact she is more so as she represents the end of the RAF's heavy bomber era. Seeing them fly when I was a teenager made me determined to find out more about the RAF and I popped into the careers office in Derby and have never looked back. "The Vulcan was designed and built in a remarkably short time in response to the growing menace of the Soviet Union. The Russians had no aircraft to match the Vulcan – as one of the deadliest aircraft in the world she played her full role in deterring a strategic attack. Happily she was never used in that ultimate role. The VST have done an amazing job that has brought about a return to flying condition an iconic aircraft from the Cold War era. " VTS Chief Executive Robert Pleming added: "I hope the project will proudly be remembered as more than just a momentous engineering success. The Avro Vulcan is an inspirational example of British aviation delivering just what Britain needed at the time. Now flying, she should get the increased recognition it deserves." Pilot Al McDicken who retired as a Sqn Ldr in 1981 after serving on 9 and 50 Sqns, went on: "Now we have probably two more test flights, after which we think the CAA will be in a position to grant the display permit – all hopefully before Christmas. We are all looking forward to displaying her to the British public next year." By Steve Willmot – Leicester