Mr H Sceptre Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 A bit off topic, but not sure of any of you guys are interested in old (ish)aeroplanes. At Bruntingthorpe airfield, south of Leicester, they are restoring a Vulcan bomber under the 'Vulcan to the Sky' project. They have had it flying, but I think it is currently grounded & they are short of funds. Anyway, I went to see it last summer. Apologies for the somewhat windswept & rain-lashed photo's - as I said, it was last summer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55bloke Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 That was/is a truly awesome project! But, possibly a case of biting off more than you can chew? It cost MILLIONS to get it airworthy again, and it's an awesome sight and sound in the air, but the running costs are astronomical, and largely dependant on the public/enthusiasts' donations. I'd be surprised if it flies again, to be honest. Shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrogeezer Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I saw it fly at the Farnborough airshow last year and think it's last flight was the cody memorial flight late last year.....great to see it in the air and I'd rather my tax paying money went on that than a bank bosses pension fund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I am not really into planes, but this one is a shame and part of our history. Surely there is some Government body that should get involved, or something like the Imperial War Museum? It's right up their street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futuramic Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Can't Fred thingy be ordered to pay £500,000 a year from his pension to the Vulcan. In perpetuity; and I go round his house and slap him if he doesn't. That would solve the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrogeezer Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Here's a few I took at the airshow: They have one on display at RAF Cosford too, well worth a visit as the museum is great...and free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Can't Fred thingy be ordered to pay £500,000 a year from his pension to the Vulcan. In perpetuity; and I go round his house and slap him if he doesn't. That would solve the problem.That would work for me! Dunno if it would work for him though, greedy git...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXrescuer Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I used to contribute to the fund to get 558 back in the air but no more. The whole project has been badly mismanaged and funds raised just seem to vanish into the ether. Every so often there will be a threat of give us 600k or she'll be grounded for life! I'm sick of hearing this jaded old line from them now. A lot of dedicated people have given their time to get this old girl back in the air and I feel they are now being royally shafted after all their efforts. If it hadn't been for the ground crew's diligence, the Vulcan would have been in a museum by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr H Sceptre Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Awesome photos Retrogeezer.Maybe Autoshite could have a quick whipround & raise a few quid & take the project off their hands. Our first priority would obviously be to give it a decent paint job, beige with chocolate brown vinyl roof........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55bloke Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 When I was living in North Yorkshire in the '80s, I can remember these glorious machines being flown very low over the moors- a wonderful sight, especially if there was snow on the ground so the reflected light lit up the undersides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompei Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Just heard on the local radio that the Vulcan will be flying again this summer - they are £50 k short in the million pounds needed to keep it going but that shouldn't stop it going up later in th eyear.Anyone know how to find out when it might be flying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shite_meister Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Really nice looking unit that.I haved loved these since I was a boy, the old man took my picture stood next to the front wheels and to a boy in was huuuuuuge.Wasn't 558 the one that finally did the longest distance bombing mission ever? from Ascension Island to Port Stanners?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shite_meister Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Might have that wrong actually. I was reading the book about it but it was one of those books that I started last August and still haven't finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55bloke Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 No, it was 607. The book Vulcan 607 is a superb, inspiring telling of just what it took to mount that raid, and how it so nearly failed on so many occasions. Real Boy's Own, Victor Comic stuff. A brilliant, highly recommened read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shite_meister Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Yeah-they had a few problems with re-fuelling mid-air which set them back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Case Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I do hope that it gets back in the air soon. Meanwhile, top marks for finally getting the Ford County tractor nicely in the shot in the third pic; agrishite at its finest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mash Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 They have one on display at RAF Cosford too, well worth a visit as the museum is great...and free!We had a Triumph Dolomite Club meet at Cosford a few years ago and I really enjoyed the museum.Possible A-S / OJC meet venue ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyG Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I do hope that it gets back in the air soon. Meanwhile, top marks for finally getting the Ford County tractor nicely in the shot in the third pic; agrishite at its finest Don't forget the late silver Sierra!Excuse ignorance, why is it so expensive to fly this compared to (say) an old Lancaster - is it the jet engines, or the vintage electronics/avionics?Mind you I can understand why Concorde will never fly again - now that was a bloody complicated bit of kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55bloke Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Excuse ignorance, why is it so expensive to fly this compared to (say) an old Lancaster - is it the jet engines, or the vintage electronics/avionics? You mean appart from the fact it burns fuel faster than you could pour it out of a tanker? It's vastly bigger and vastly more complex- the difference between a Lanc and a Vulcan must be something like the difference between a Ford Pop and a Formula 1 car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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