Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

bjacko · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:46 am Post subject: Avro Vulcans

I was an apprentice at Avro's Woodford, building Vulcans and Shackletons.
I think it was just prior to the 1958 Farnborough Air show when all staff were allowed outside the factory to watch the final practice by Avro pilots for the Farnborough show. Two Vulcans took off simultaneously one from each end of the runway and close to the centre (and each other) they both went up vertically belly to belly and at about 2000 feet rolled over in an Immellmann turn and flew back over their starting points. It was certainly breath taking seeing the aircraft heading towards each other at about 100+mph.
Needless to say the "boffins" at Farnborough would not allow it, so the public missed out on a spectacular (frightening?) display!

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22447 Location: UK

Wow not heard that before, sounds incredible that anyone would ever OK a move like that. I'll mention it to dad to see if he's heard of this via his connections with the Avro Heritage Museum at Woodford.

Shocked

RJ
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Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4757 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

With a runway length of 7,500 ft they would have to both get of the ground and rotated to vertical in 3,500 ft and that would have to be done without any wind because a head wind for one would be a tail wind for the other.
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bjacko · Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:57 am Post subject: Vulcan

I don't know who's idea it was but it is the sort of thing Tony Blackman would have come up with!
I don't recall if there was any wind that day. It may have been 1960.
Both aircraft would have been fairly lightly loaded with fuel and no weight in the bomb bay. the MK 2 could take off almost from a standstill when light.

lowdrag · Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1585 Location: Le Mans

The last time I saw one fly was at the Revival 2009. When it went vertical and the afterburners lit up all conversation died.

bjacko · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2022 7:23 am Post subject: Vulcan

Vulcans did not have afterburners. With a 20 foot tail pipe they would probably have burnt the tail pipes away.

norustplease · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 779 Location: Lancashire

When I was a lad we used to go to the Battle of Britain air display at RAF Finningley, a V Bomber station. One of the highlights was always a four minute warning scramble of two Vulcans on the double runway. The ground literally shook as they took off together.
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