NMS


 

Record

Aeroplane (1 of 3), Vulcan bomber

< 1 of 1 > Back
Aeroplane (1 of 3), Vulcan bomber
Add to album

This aircraft, a Vulcan, was built by Hawker Siddeley, entering service in 1963. Along with the Victor and the Valiant, it was one of the three 'V' bombers that constituted Britain's nuclear deterrent in the 1960s. It took part in two missions during the Falklands Conflict of 1982, in which it dropped anti-radar missiles. Whilst undergoing in-flight refuelling for the journey back to Acension Island, the probe fractured, forcing the aircraft to divert to the nearest safe airfield - Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The Vulcan is pictured here landing at the Museum of Flight at East Fortune in East Lothian.

The delta-winged heavy bomber has provision for flight refuelling, including a nose probe. It is powered by four Olympus turbojet engines buried in the wing. It has a camouflage finish with RAF red and blue markings and serial number 'XM597' on the fin. On the nose can be seen two mission markings and Argentinian flags, as well as a Brazilian flag denoting its unscheduled stopover.

The Avro Vulvan (later Hawker Siddeley) first flew in 1952. It was the first tailless delta winged bomber to fly. The type was one of three large four-engined bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons. These aircraft were known as the 'V' force. Their nuclear capacity was never used and only time they were used in action was in the Falklands War, when XM597 was one of five Vulcans selected for use in operation 'Black Buck'. Vulcans were retired from RAF service in 1984.

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.


< 1 of 1 > Back