Woooooosh

[Belatucadrus]

I thought that the airworthy Vulcan had been grounded for cost, reasons. This weekend it flew over the house really low so not static yet !!!

[Gandalph]

I flew in a Vulcan many years ago from RAF Finningley in Doncaster when I was in the ATC. Noisy aircraft though.

Do you live near an airfield.

[-pops-]

I lived close to the Hucknall Aerodrome in the 1950's where Rolls Royce did their engine development. The Harrier was developed there, the RB211 engine (which powered the TriStar) and several other landmark aviation developments. Rolls Royce had two Vulcans which they used as carriers for development engines and very, very often I saw this magnificent aircraft at close quarters - airborne and on the ground. I was offered the opportunity to fly in one but, it would have been my first flight and I chickened out.

I was present at the annual airshow when one of the Vulcans crashed. It took off from Hucknall but Google references don't make it clear which crash it was. I can't remember were it came down (nor does it mention the Hucknall connection).

[Gandalph]

I remember there was not a lot of room in the cockpit. Just about enough for the pilot and co-pilot. I was crouched down behind the pilot on a drop-down seat made of canvas. Luckily I was a tall boy for fifteen and when I stretched myself a bit I could see over the pilots shoulder. There was just enough window on the pilot's left for me to look out of and see the ground.

[andsome]

There is VERY little room in any of the V bombers, all space is taken up with fuel and equipment.

[Belatucadrus]

No we're not near an airport but we appear to be on the flight path for some interesting planes during the airshow season. I seem to remember that another interresting quirk of the vulcan was the escape system, pilot and navigator had ejector seats everybody else had to fight their way out of an escape hatch.

[gordythegouge]

As an ex-RAF armourer (Or plumbers as we were affectionately called), can I just say those that worked on this big beast were spoilt! Able to stand up and load it with bombs? Sheer luxury! However, a lot of my time was spent crawling about on hands and knees working on a Buccaneer bomb bay. (Should never taken the sodding aircraft from the Fleet AirArm) My poor knees, 36 years later, have begun to protest I say!

[Gandalph]

As an ex-RAF armourer (Or plumbers as we were affectionately called), can I just say those that worked on this big beast were spoilt! Able to stand up and load it with bombs? Sheer luxury! However, a lot of my time was spent crawling about on hands and knees working on a Buccaneer bomb bay. (Should never taken the sodding aircraft from the Fleet AirArm) My poor knees, 36 years later, have begun to protest I say!

Hello Gordy, crickey, you're a blast from the past. :D

[gordythegouge]

Aye,

hopefully I'll be able to get more involved again once this extremely busy phase of my life moves into more placid waters. Nice to know that there are still some of the "old" faces around. Let's face it....my pearls of wisdom just have to have been missed!

:P