MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
World's only flying Vulcan bomber will be displayed at the Yeovilton Air show
XH558, the world’s only flying Avro Vulcan ‘V-bomber’, is RNAS Yeovilton Air Day’s first confirmed flying display participant. . Now 55 years old, this thunderous Cold War icon which played a great role in the Falklands' conflict, will be among the largest, heaviest and noisiest types involved in this year’s show on Saturday 11 July. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesI can see why MP has put this in. Argie trolls posting “only one bomb on runway” etc.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 10:43 am - Link - Report abuse 0In the 1970's they used to practice low level flying in the hills to the south of me.
I remember driving along a twisting narrow road on a hillside with a valley about 500 feet below me. When I came round a bend there was a Vulcan about 250 feet BELOW me weaving it's way through the hills. It looked enormous and the noise was something else.
I was shown round one at RAF Marham and was surprised at how small the cockpit was. I was almost too big to get between the pilots seats and sit down.
It smelled of old leather and hydraulic fluid.
They told me a story about their first visit to Red Flag stopping off at a New England fighter base with resident F-106's. After some banter the Yanks challenged the Vulcan's crew to a race to 50,000 feet. They took off together and the F-106 shot off at high speed leaving the Vulcan in it's trail.
When they got to 50.000 feet, they found the Vulcan circling about waiting for them !
I hope Sharky Ward is there ....
Feb 13th, 2015 - 11:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0His scathing comments about the cost per bomb dropped of the Black Buck raids in '82 make priceless reading .
The various books on the raids make excellent reading too .
The whole “only one bomb on runway” thing is hilarious when you think about it, bearing in mind that it's primary design armament was one bomb/missile.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 11:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0They were about the single noisiest plane that Britain ever made, but the design did have one rather interesting (and largely unanticipated) side effect - with their recessed engines and delta wing configuration it was surprisingly stealthy (for a plane about the size of a blue whale), certainly when compared with the Soviet Tu-95 (Bear) with it's four pairs of contra-rotating propellers that made it stand out like a walrus in a goldfish bowl.
2@
Feb 13th, 2015 - 02:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0did not sharky pass on, I hope im wrong, but sure I read it somewhere,
the Vulcan was another great British plane,
how many countries ever made a military plane that flew thousands of miles and get back safely,
as for black buck, again, how many air forces could achieve this.
just a thought.
@3 Rufus
Feb 13th, 2015 - 02:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What people who mention the “only one bomb on the runway” conveniently forget was that the Vulcan raids were important (regardless of how many bombs hit the runway) for two reasons.
Firstly it showed the Argentinians that we could attack the Falklands from the UK, which meant that if we could attack the Falklands then we could also attack Argentina itself.
Secondly (and most importantly to my mind) was the morale boost it gave to the Falkland Islanders imprisoned in their own homes by Argentina's fascist troops. When those bombs fell they knew that they hadn't been abandoned and that help was on the way.
Well done to the Vulcans. An great plane which has more than earned its place in the annals of history.
Indeed as the attack was on the 1st of May it gave the Argentinians the opportunity to reconsider and remove their military occupation.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 03:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Instead the Argentinian Military ordered it's surface fleet to attack the British task Force.
Thus defending the Task Force, HMS Conqueror sunk the Belgrano.
We had cracked the Argentinian military codes so knew her precise orders.
The direction of travel of the Belgrano when she was sunk, was a huge red herring. She posed a clear and present danger to the Fleet.
If only Argentina had taken the hint a lot of lives would not have been lost.
Argentina made a disastrous decision to attack the Falklands (there are NO Malvinas you argie twats) and when the realisation came that the Brits were not going to take it up the backside, in fact THEY were about to take it up theirs, they started the bleating.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 04:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If Raygun Ronnie Regan had kept his big mouth shut about “leaving them some dignity” we may have attacked fighters on the ground in mainland TDC, now THAT would have made them crap themselves..
If they are ever stupid enough to try it again, and boy, the argies ARE stupid to the power Googol, we should lay waste to the damnable place once and for all.
It would be great if we could kill the 15M Peronistas and give the remaining citizens a chance: just like we provided the background for democracy to start. Pity it's been killed by The Cyclops and TMBOA and her murdering thugs.
Being the bunch of murdering cowards that they are I doubt they will ever take on ANY country again, except perhaps Uruguay. 42M to 3.3M might just give them the confidence.
When we heard here in Chile of the successful British bombing of the islands, we were estatic. It was no secret that we were on the side of the British and completely against the Argentines who had earlier planned to attack us.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 05:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It's hard to believe now, but our Andean neighbor had a formidable air force and a sizable navy. (They even had a aircraft carrier at the time!)
With the sole exception of their brave and very skilled fighter pilots, the Argentine armed forces were all inept cowards and were shocked that the Prime Minister in a skirt was able to achieve the bombing. It truly scared them, because it made it perfectly clear that she was serious.
Of course, we in Chile remained completely neutral during the war, despite being gifted by the UK with some of the most advanced radar equipment of the period. It was purely a coincidence that we installed it in Terra de Fuego...
The important thing is the concept that LEPRecon has stated. No matter what it takes the Royal Air Force will get there. If their activities are limited to skirting around the nuclear craters annihilating the stumbling, blind, living (for the time being) corpses, so what. I think it's called putting the shite out of our misery.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 05:17 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When we heard here in Chile of the successful British bombing of the islands, we were estatic. It was no secret that we were on the side of the British and completely against the Argentines who had earlier planned to attack us.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 05:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It's hard to believe now, but our Andean neighbor had a formidable air force and a sizable navy. (They even had a aircraft carrier at the time!)
With the sole exception of their brave and very skilled fighter pilots, the Argentine armed forces were all inept cowards and were shocked that the Prime Minister in a skirt was able to achieve the bombing. It truly scared them, because it made it perfectly clear that she was serious.
Of course, we in Chile remained completely neutral during the war, despite being gifted by the UK with some of the most advanced radar equipment of the period. It was purely a coincidence that we installed it in Terra de Fuego...
@10
Feb 13th, 2015 - 06:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Great post.
They are well overdue another well deserved pasting though, I do hope we are the ones to oblige.
Not much changed in the UK, we still have a Prime Minister in a skirt!
@ 11 Britworker
Feb 13th, 2015 - 07:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Not much changed in the UK, we still have a Prime Minister in a skirt!”
Yes, but The Blessed Margaret had balls and was a formidable foe: Camoron has female genitalia and acts like a girl.
The Conservatives have had some lulus for their Leader but the present idiot has surpassed even Major.
And I write as a former life-long Conservative voter.
Am I not correct that some Vulcan landed in brazil and Chile,
Feb 13th, 2015 - 07:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0over the course of the conflict. I hope..
Given that the Vulcan is now an old, obsolete warplane it's only a matter of time before the Argentines put in a bid to buy her.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 07:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Meanwhile the UK invests in more modern alternatives,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAE_Systems_Taranis
although half a dozen sub launched Tomahawks could do the same job, the fact is that the RN could destroy most of whatever Argentina eventually buys before it ever left the ground.
Sorry about the double post, but it was an Internet glitch.
Feb 13th, 2015 - 07:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There was a landing in Brazil, but definitely not in Chile. (It's well documented, although there are some things that occurred in Chile that remain classified.)
One of the reasons I actually like the scoundrel Carlos Menem is because he forced his defense forces to end their hostility towards Chile.
#13
Feb 13th, 2015 - 07:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yes, one on an anti -radar strike on the Falklands had trouble when it's fuel probe broke. It dumped one of it's Shrike missiles but the other one hung-up.
It called Mayday and headed for Rio where it came straight in with empty tanks. The aircraft and crew were impounded and the Shrike missile seized and kept by the Brazilians. The crew were well treated by the Brazilian air force who were delighted to have a look around the aircraft. Nine days later the Vulcan was released to fly home.
interesting posts here.
Feb 14th, 2015 - 02:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0thanks guys
:-)
anything from the usual trolls?
No? Thought not.
ho, hum...
Interestingly , the Argentine Air Force were going to buy 20 Vulcans when they were retired from the RAF .
Feb 14th, 2015 - 11:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0The little misunderstanding in 1982 obviously put an end to that sale .
interestingly
Feb 14th, 2015 - 08:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The little misunderstanding in 1982
has put an end to most things concerning CFK,
Today they are clinging on by their finger nails.
@18
Feb 15th, 2015 - 08:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yes-the Vulcan sale was politely declined before 1982, but Argentina were offered Harriers which the Argentines thought was just a one trick pony so they didn't buy them. I remember Lloyds bank lending Argentina money (after the 1982 war) to rebuild their forces, hence I told them to stuff their account, and I believe Lloyds did not get their money back.
@20 PB : I believe Argentina were one of the first export countries offered the Harrier , but turned them down on cost , choosing the 2nd hand but refurbished A4/ Mirage / Super Etendard option instead as it gave them a greater number of airframes .
Feb 16th, 2015 - 08:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0If the invasion had been a long term plan rather than a spur of the moment thing , their service chiefs might have had a re-think .All purchases were made with a continental war in mind .
Chicureo might know more about it .
WAR WAR war..,,Sooner or later..
Feb 16th, 2015 - 07:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina and China signed deal for 20 FC-1 fighter aircraft in order to increase aerial capabilities of the Argentina. The move, which further raised tensions in the South Atlantic last night
http://www.airrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1517
The single-seat, single-engine, fighter has a top speed of Mach 1.8 at altitude of 55,000 ft and combat range of 840 miles, allowing it to comfortably fly to Port Stanley and back
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[][--Facts and fakes are easily mixed up, as we see once again. The Su-24 story was never true - just like this one---][]
Out of interest----
Russia, ISIL & Argentina.//- 3 clear reasons why any UK defence cuts would be gross negligence
,,,,,,,,,,
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@22 Briton
Feb 17th, 2015 - 08:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Thanks for the link-more journalist panicking that the 'Thunder' can get to Stanley and back (although since 1985 it only needs to get to MPA)-apparently effortlessly! I would like to bet that a Thunder pilot would not enjoy a Meteor missile being fired at it by a Eurofighter and although it could get back to it's base in Terra del Fuego that's not going to help, if its runway is holed by several methods available to the RAF and RN (and that's without a carrier based strike from F35s).
Hope for the Thunder pilot that there isn't a T45 floating around or that it doesn't fly anywhere near the Rapier replacement.
@2
Feb 18th, 2015 - 08:59 am - Link - Report abuse 0Yes it is a fantastic read 'Sea Harrier over the Falklands' by 'sharky' Ward.
Give the reader an incredible insight to that area of the conflict.
PS once visited Yeovleton to do their Helicopter ditching simulator, while we were there we broke their record for their 'cliff & chasim' run!!
@22 : The problem with shiny new aeroplanes is that they have to be paid for .
Feb 18th, 2015 - 11:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0As Kletina has turned all her supporters into welfare dependants , a simple choice would have to be made :
A budget for rebuilding the armed forces to capture some islands with no intrinsic value or ;
Keep the money for planes sociales , choripan , futbol para todos , surgery grants for transsexuals , pensions for nioquis , Madres , former terrorists , veterans of the last conflict and every other flea on the dog's back .
I think her “ Clients ” will tell her exactly where to stick the Malvinas .
Chile got quite a bit of kit off the UK and was very helpful especailly as they were next on the juntas game plan.
Feb 18th, 2015 - 12:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Vulcan was pratically obsolete and was desgined to drop nukes pinpoint accuracy not required.
@26 : That's just it , though .
Feb 18th, 2015 - 06:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Mod had been dumping obsolete war surplus kit on Argentina for 40 years .
Lancasters , Lincolns , Rapides , Meteors ( well they were current ,at least ) an aircraft carrier , type 22's , Bren carriers , Priests , Sherman Fireflys , sunderlands , Bristol freighters , Brittannias , comets .The list is endless .
Oh , and Stirling SMG's .
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