Avro Vulcan (Combat Machines №6).pdf

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VULCAN HISTORY
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PHOTO REFERENCE
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PROFILE ARTWORK
PROFILE ARTWORK
Vulcan prototype VX770, overall gloss white as seen in 1952 during trials. It flew with Rolls-Royce
Avon, Sapphire and Conway engines, but exploded in the air at Syerston on September 20, 1958.
Vulcan B.1, XA895, 230 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Waddington, 1957. High Speed Silver
overall. This example also flew with the Bomber Command Development Unit, and the Aeroplane and
Armament Experimental Establishment.
Vulcan B.1A, XA907, Waddington Wing during the early 1960s. Medium Sea Grey and Dark Green
over white. It also served with 83 and 44 Squadrons, and the BCDU.
Vulcan B.1A, XA913, Waddington Wing, September 1962. Overall ‘anti-flash’ white. The aircraft
was converted to B.1A format in 1961 and flew with 101 Squadron, before being absorbed into the
Waddington Wing. It was sold as scrap in May 1968.
Vulcan B.2, XM570, 27 Squadron, RAF Scampton, 1962-63. Overall ‘anti-flash’ white. This aircraft
was modified for Blue Steel, also flying with 35 Squadron and 230 OCU.
(Andy Hay/www.flyingart.co.uk)
2
AVRO
VULCAN
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Vulcan B.2
XJ781 of 83
Squadron,
resplendent
in ‘anti-flash’
white.
RAF via
Terry Panopalis
A trio of
Waddington-
based Vulcan
B.1s fly in
line astern
formation.
Key Collection
FOREWORD
K
ey Publishing’s blossoming
Combat Machines series now
examines one of Britain’s most
famous military aeroplanes, the
mighty Avro Vulcan. This aircraft has
been covered by various publications
over the years, but the opportunity
has been taken here to provide a
new reference – and to precede the
pending release of the newly tooled
(and long awaited) 1/72 B.2 plastic
model kit from Airfix.
The text provides a basic history of
how this iconic bomber came into
existence, there is a section exploring
Vulcan testing and some of the later
trials programmes, while another gives
a full service history and there are
breakdowns of the various versions
and the weapons they carried.
Production and squadron/unit list
listings are also included.
Following the author’s sections comes
The XH558 Story – the ‘Vulcan to the
Sky’ Project – written by the man that
did so much to make it all happen, Dr
Robert Pleming. And then a Falklands
Vulcan detachment veteran, Alastair
Montgomery, provides his perspective
on the type’s contribution during that
conflict. Extensive use has been made
of previously unpublished or rarely
seen images, including some in colour
captured during the Vulcan’s early
career. As such these will provide a
most valuable reference source for
modellers and pure enthusiasts alike.
It should never be forgotten that the
Vulcan was originally designed to be a
nuclear bomber – a weapon of mass
destruction. Fortunately, it was never
called upon to deliver atomic stores
in anger and it went on to provide
valuable and reliable service to the
RAF across three decades. By the
time it dropped conventional bombs
over the Falklands, right at the end
of its active life, the Vulcan had
become one of the most popular
and adored British aircraft. Anyone
wishing to argue that fact cannot
have witnessed the huge queues and
crowds that were a feature of any
airshow with XH558 attending.
It is hoped this guide will provide a
useful introduction to this legendary
type and prompt those readers new
to the subject to look deeper into the
Vulcan’s history.
Tony Buttler AMRAeS
Authors:
Tony Buttler, Alastair Montgomery,
Dr Robert Pleming
Series Editor:
Chris Clifford
Acknowledgements:
The primary sources
accessed to provide materials for this work
were Avia and Air files in the National
Archives at Kew, plus reports held by the
Avro Heritage Museum at Woodford. Unit
data was compiled mainly from Air-Britain’s
The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force
& Commonwealth 1918-1988 by James
Halley. Thanks to Phil Butler, Terry Panopalis,
Dr Robert Pleming and Alastair Montgomery
for their help with photographs.
Colour artwork:
Andy Hay – Flying Art
Designer:
Tom Bagley
Head of Design:
Steve Donovan
Chief Content and Commercial Officer:
Mark Elliott
Head of Production:
Janet Watkins
Group CEO:
Adrian Cox
Publisher:
Mark Elliott
Key Publishing Ltd:
PO Box 100,
Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ,
United Kingdom.
Distributed by:
Seymour Distribution Ltd,
2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP.
Tel: 020 7429 4000. Fax: 020 7429 4001.
Printed by:
Precision Colour Print, Telford
Printed in England
ISBN: 9781-913295-509
This view
provides
excellent
forward fuselage
and nose detail
for a Vulcan
prototype (and
for the towbar).
It was taken on
September 7,
1953. Note the
Avro/Hawker
Siddeley Group
badge on
the nose.
Key Collection
www.keypublishing.com
AVRO
VULCAN 3
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
BABY VULCANS AND
WHITE PROTOTYPES
Even today
the Vulcan
prototypes look
impressive. Their
appearance in
the early 1950s
must have been
a shock to
many, when one
considers that
conventional
piston-powered
Avro Lincolns
and Lancasters
were still in
service in
large numbers.
Tony Buttler
T
he Avro Vulcan story begins in
early 1947 with Specification
B.35/46. This new requirement
outlined the need for a very advanced
medium range strategic bomber – and
in doing so brought together several
then recent developments in aviation
and weaponry.
Firstly, this aircraft would carry
Britain’s Blue Danube nuclear bomb.
The very end of World War Two
brought the arrival of nuclear weapons
How the
Vulcan might
have looked!
The three-
view drawing
of the Avro
698 as it was
first proposed
against
Specification
B.35/46 in
May 1947.
Tony Buttler
onto the world stage. It soon became
clear that the Soviet Union was a likely
future enemy and the UK would need
a nuclear delivery system that matched
anything the Soviets could offer.
Secondly, the new type would have
to be powered by jets. The bombs
dropped on Japan in August 1945
were delivered by the piston-powered
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, but soon
most of the world’s air forces would
be equipped with jet fighters. From
then on, piston-powered bombers
would be extremely vulnerable
and the RAF’s Avro Lancasters and
Lincolns faced obsolesence.
Thirdly, to help the bomber avoid
enemy fighters and other defensive
weapons, it would need to fly at very
high altitude. To that end, B.35/46
specified a cruise altitude between
35,000ft (10,668m) and 50,000ft
(15,240m) and a speed of 500kts.
To achieve these aims the designs
proposed by industry included
truly advanced wing shapes and
in mid-1947 two were chosen
for prototype construction – the
Avro 698 and Handley Page HP.80.
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4
AVRO
VULCAN
The former featured a delta
(triangular) wing, the latter what was
termed a crescent wing, and for the
late 1940s both were aerodynamically
quite revolutionary. The development
of these aircraft would be a risk and,
because of the urgent need to rush
a nuclear deterrent into service, two
further steps were taken to support
the decision.
• Flying scale model airframes were
ordered to provide data and flight
experience for these new shapes
• Prototypes of a third strategic
bomber type were requested from
Vickers. This company’s B.35/46
design had a moderately swept
Original
manufacturer’s
model of the
original Avro
698 design.
Avro Heritage
The first Avro
698 Vulcan
prototype,
VX770,
pictured most
likely during a
Farnborough
display.
Tony Buttler
www.keypublishing.com
AVRO
VULCAN 5

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