The Last Vulcan Flight

[Over The Hill]

Driving back down the M40 on Sunday, suddenly there was an amazing sight of a Vulcan bomber right in the middle of a steep turn - where they just seem to be hanging sideways in the air for ages not moving. Fantastic and really close to the road. This is not my shot but it was like this ---


Drove on a bit and the whole area was in gridlock and a 5 mile tailback the other way and people hanging on every bridge and vantage point to see.

Bit of googling and I see that this was the third from last ever flight of a Vulcan Bomber, and the last operational one is being grounded after its final two flights next week.

It was great to see and I am so pleased we just came along at the right moment. End of an era.

 

[Rooster1]

Damn damn damn. I so want to see it before it goes into permanent display. My father was in the RAF and was an engineer on the Vulcans. I caught Vulcan xh558 a few years back at Farnborough, but since then it has alluded me. I am on the mailing list and get stuff through the post all the time, but I still don't know when the last two flights are. Will do some interweb crawling now.

 

[buggi]

It was the news, was giving a bunch of people at a lake in Warwickshire their own private show apparently. Did a few fly bys much to their amazement.

 

[gbb]

Its a tragedy we're not going to see it anymore.
Not having seen one for years (dad was an airframes tech on them, ive even sat in the cockpit of one ...errr slightly against all the rules, although it was a decomissioned aircraft), i saw 558 a couple times over the last couple years and it brought a huge smile....shame thats nearly it.

 

[Bollo]

Wow. Another RAF kid here. I remember them when my dad was posted to Cyprus. He was a scopie so spent his working hours up Mt Troodos, but we lived in Limassol close enough to RAF Akotiri to see them. I was only a toddler, but I remember the noise of them used to scare the bejesus out of me.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Airshow in 1980, great display by many different types of aircraft, including the French Air Force display team and the Red Arrows, all fantastic. Then right at the end ....... the Vulcan took off, and almost immediately climbed, virtually straight up. Wow, the noise, the very ground shook! Absolutely amazing, put everything else totally in the shade. Total respect for the designers back in the 1950's, the engineers and the aircrew.

End of an era by the sound of it.

 

[Bazzer]

I used to go school not far from Woodford Airfield where they, among other aircraft, were maintained. Lessons brought to a temporary halt as the thunderous noise rolled across the fields on take offs.

 

[GaryA]

All the 1950s V bombers were amazing leaps in technology...seems scarcly believable that Britain could rival and in many ways beat the yanks and Russians
In my opinion the HP Victor looks even better and more futuristic than the Vulcan

 

[pplpilot]

Wasn't aware it was the last flight, shame, one of my all time favorites. Here is the last time I photographed one , Cosford Airshow 2013 -

 

[mickle]

Why is it being grounded?

 

[vernon]

Why is it being grounded?

Not enough funds to keep it airworthy.

 

[pawl]

Why is it being grounded?

The companies who do the engine maintanence have pulled the plug

 

[Mattonsea]

This week was going to be the farewell tour, flying several routes around the country.keep an eye on the website to find out if it's in your area.

 

[Glow worm]

I was very lucky to see it yesterday (it flew right over our house). I'd had no idea it was about, but luckily I had just bumped into a chap I know while I was out on a ride and he told me it was on it's way from Bedfordshire, doing a loop around Newmarket before heading off to Cambridge then Lincs. Quite a sight!

 

[Soltydog]

Final flights planned for Saturday & Sunday will be released tomorrow http://www.vulcantothesky.org/ Hope I get to see it on Saturday