Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 The Vulcan (specifically, "Vulcan bomber XH558" or G-VLCN) has in a sense been on her farewell tour for a while, now. But the farewell will definitely come to an end on Sunday October 11th, which will be the last day upon which she will ever fly, prior to being grounded. (During that flight she will be passing over Farnborough — only a couple of miles down the road, so I should be able to see her from my house. The slight snag is that no one seems to know what time it will make the overflight, or indeed whether the public will be admitted to the airfield for the occasion (although somehow I very much doubt it, since Farnborough is nowadays a very private airfield for the seriously rich, apart from the biennial International Air Show, of course). One enterprising soul even rang the Farnborough control tower to enquire, and they don't know, either. Ah well). Anyway, the full list of places which are planned to receive an overflight during her "Southern tour" is as follows: RAF Waddington, Rutland Water, North Weald Airfield, Gravesend, Herne Bay, Manston, Dover, Ashford, Dunsfold, Farnborough, Middle Wallop, Old Sarum, Bristol Airport*, Filton, Cardiff Airport*, St. Athan, Staverton Glos Airport, RAF Brize Norton*, Wellesbourne, Bruntingthorpe and Newark. *Passes at certain airports will be dependent on ATC clearances at the time of arrival. There will also be a similarly emotive "Northern tour" on the previous day (Saturday October 10th), during which the planned overflights are: Gainsborough, Brough, Menwith Hill, Leeming, Durham Tees Airport*, Newcastle Airport*, Eshott Airfield, Alnwick, East Fortune, Carlisle Airport, Bowness on Windermere, Warton, Barton, Manchester Airport*, Woodford, RAF Cosford, East Midlands Airport* and Derby. *Passes at certain airports will be dependent on ATC clearances at the time of arrival. Sincere congratulations are in order to whoever chose the routes. I have to admit that for those of us who were in the RAF during the period concerned both lists of airfields are redolent with memory: I have visited the majority of them (the exceptions being mostly the smaller ones) at one time or other. For more information, please see this page: http://www.vulcantothesky.org/news/710/82/Latest-on-National-Tour.html There's also this on Twitter: http://twitter.com/XH558 However, you can watch almost twelve minutes of excellent video of the Vulcan, beginning with the flypast with the Red Arrows at the Southport Air Show on September 15th, here (the video also has the benefit of an extremely informative commentator): And no sniffling at the back, please! We're British, dammit, so we're used to farewells.... Cheers, bruce a.k.a. brian747 1 Link to post Share on other sites
adrians69 159 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Great video marking the end of an era. Thanks for posting Adrian Link to post Share on other sites
Christopher Low 63 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Bowness-on-Windermere tomorrow, eh? I could get there very easily with my camcorder if I knew what time she was due to arrive... Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,493 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Hi Christopher, The Vulcan should be at Bowness 85 minutes after take off from Doncaster see here https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zJoGZd3-Qg5U.k9_QAWQWnmes Usually they post their progress on Twitter @XH558 for live updates of where they are. I hope get to see to her Sunday, I may visit Popham Airfield if I can. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,303 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 By far the coolest looking bombers of that period. Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,493 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 @Brett, I got up close to one at the Museum at Cosford this past weekend, the size of that delta wing is truly awesome and investigating the different payloads took me right back to the cold war and the rumpus at the Falklands. The Vulcan entered cult status after that and those incredibly log flights from Ascension was just incredible. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,303 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 I read up on Operation Black Buck when the Vulcan came out at Just Flight, I was impressed that they flew at 300' above the water and dropped the bombs from 10000' and also the other aircraft had some limited success but was blown away with the logistics involved and pilot skills of getting to Port Stanley and back in itself. All in all it gave the Argentines pause for thought. They deserve their cult status. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
hlminx 301 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 Hi all.. the northern route is up.https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zJoGZd3-Qg5U.k9_QAWQWnmes According to Twitter the vulcanised I'll be going counter clockwise Link to post Share on other sites
Jess-b 420 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 I was lucky enough to experience a Vulcan landing way back in the early 90's. I was stood between two hangars at RAF St. Athan and the old girl came in to land. The runway was very close. . The noise. . That said the VC-10 tanker that came in behind her wasn't exactly quiet either. Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 Been lucky enough to see two full-blooded displays at RIAT (2012/2013) along with the classic V-Force tour in June. Sadly stuck over here but the memories will still be there. The 'young' ones coming up in a few years won't know what they missed 1 Link to post Share on other sites
hifly 925 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 She displayed at Hastings a couple of years ago. The sight and sound as she did a near vertical climb was truly unforgettable. Judging by the size of the crowd most of the population of Hastings and surrounds must have been there to witness it. We watched in silence but there was a real collective buzz after the display. Wishing XH558 a long and happy retirement. Link to post Share on other sites
dodgy-alan 1,587 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 Saw her over Bognor a few weeks ago when she visited Shoreham on that ill fated day, It was lovely to see the old girl coming along the beach with a Spitfire flying escort! I'm thinking of going up to Adversane on the A29 to see her go over tomorrow but depends on the weather. Also need to check times as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 By far the coolest looking bombers of that period. ^This! Hope some of you get a good last look, and photos if possible, of this beauty before she lands to rest. Cheers. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
dodgy-alan 1,587 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 Here's hoping, depends how far away she passes. Link to post Share on other sites
dodgy-alan 1,587 Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 When the Vulcan finally ceases to fly, it will be the end of an era, the last of the V bombers still flying, the last big Delta winged aircraft flying anywhere, the last Olympus powered aircraft, the superlatives for this aircraft go on. Apart from Concorde, the public love for this aircraft has been astonishing. A machine designed for war has bought thousands of people together in their love for her. The B-52 may be still in service, may be a lot bigger, is very impressive. But it lacks the sheer class and elegance of the Vulcan.......but then I am unreservedly biased when it comes to the Delta Lady! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142 Posted October 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2015 Just had a superb view of her as she overflew my garden away from Farnborough and on west. Sad to think that those engines will soon be mothballed. Cheers, bruce a.k.a. brian747 P.S. She departed Farnborough at 2:24 p.m. (BST), in case that helps anyone later on the route to work out an E.T.A. B. Link to post Share on other sites
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