Vulcan Bomber XH558 @ RAF Cosford

[centuryg5]

Arrived home from R.A.F. Cosford 11.30 last night (sunday)afer leaving home 6.45 a.m. All that was in my head was the fabulous sight of the Vulcan bomber in the air,and after a long,hard process of funding,rebuilding.test flights etc.to see it acually demonstrating at Cosford, was worth the £15.00 ticket of anybobies cash.Question is, Did anyone here experienced the Vulcan Howl?

 

[haplesshacker]

Crumbs. You've hit on my childhood dreams here!

I was fascinated by military planes. I joined the space cadets (Air Training Corps), and my first annual camp for a week was at RAF Waddington. With visits to RAF Scampton. One of my enduring memories (well, ones that are publishable!), was visiting the Vulcan bomber that bombed Port Stanley airfield in 1982, and I have a fan blade from that planes engine! I've not had the opportunity to tell anyone about it as it's the kind of 'information' that would see any invites to friends houses dry up very quickly!

I used to go to Farnbourgh and Greenham Common airshows regularly back then, when these things were flying together with the Victors.

Oh. I also 'crashed' a Vulcan in the RAFs simulator whilst trying to land it. One thing that did surprise me was just how small the cockpit was.

Thanks for bringing back great memories of that week at Waddington. I wonder where she is now!!

 

[KeefG]

I joined the space cadets (Air Training Corps)

I was in the Air Training Corps too....266 Stockton Squadron!!

Happy days....

My first ever flight in any aeroplane ever was a 20 min trip in a Jet Provost across the Yorkshire Dales, it was wicked!! I also got to sit in the navigators seat of a Tornado while its engines were spooled up and it shot down the runway at RAF Leeming, we didnt actually take off though as they were allowed to take us up

 

[Gustavo]

My name is Gustavo and I used to be in the ATC, i'm not ashamed at all Hapless Hacker !! It was about 3 weeks ago that I discovered that a guy who works in the unit next door to me used to be a gliding instructor for the ATC, I'd met him during my BGT. When I looked for my 3822, I could see that he had given me 6 lessons !! My 3822 has a quite impressive flying log, from Chipmunks to Jet Provost, Bulldogs and then some serious planes indeed -

I was lucky enough to get selected to go to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to commemorate 50 years after the end of the war and Cyprus' involvement as a base. While there I flew in Black Hawk and Sea King helicopters, a Jaguar, a Tornado ( flew to Germany and back), and spent a day with the Red Arrows who are based there for training before coming over here for show season. I've probably been in a Hercules about a dozen times, I was at RAF Lyneham for a day flying Hercules on the same day that Joh McArthy the hostrage flew back to the UK, our Hercules gave him a fly-by across the runway - doors open about 50ft off the ground.

I've been on camps at Kinloss, Cosford, Brize Norton, Valley, Northolt, Cottesmore, and Lossiemouth. The ATC was a fantastic opportunity for any youngster, I'd encourage my kids to attend (if and when I have kids ! ).

St AThan used to have open days, the Vulcan was always an exciting addition, being a Cadet Warrant Officer you'd be able to walk behind scenes as it were and get vreally close to any planes I'd like !! Good days indeed.

 

[andycap]

I remember seeing the last vulcan in the air at Southend air show, an awesome plane , that when it came past slowly with it's bomb doors open and then powered away the ground was shaking like a earthquake.There is a restored one at Southend airport that sometimes does high speed test runs and that can be heard miles away, although i don't think it will ever fly again

 

[GB72]

Another confession,

Flight Sergeant Begy of the combined Cadet Force here. Been to Scampton and Waddington as well as quite a few other bases (now live next to RAF Cottesmore so visits there do not count). Was the guest of the base commander for the 2 airshows carried out at Cottesmore so had prime seats and as much Pimms as I could drink whilst watching the jets fly past.

 

[Tommo21]

Well, there’s a V bomber just up the road from me at East Fortune museum of flight along with other planes including concord. http://www.airshows.org.uk/news/?page_id=339

Better still the Vulcan bombers, when is service, used to fly regularly over Belhaven bay Dunbar, where I first played golf and still do. It was a regular sight for many a year.

 

[nomadpaul]

Not only was i an aircraft fanatic as a kid but i followed that up by joining the Fleet Air Arm at the age of 16 , as a weapons/electrical technician (Artificer) . Worked mainly on Mk5 Seakings but also got up close and personal with Lynx and Sea Harriers. Never will forget the smell of Avgas in the morning !!!

 

[centuryg5]

Gosh, i wish i did better at school to achieve A levels so as could have got into the R.A.F.Been interested in military aircraft for the last 25 years or so.was at cosford 2 years ago when 2 hand gliders "invaded" the Red Arrows airspace as they were on approach to do their "Bit" with all the hardware on the runway aprons, would have scrambled a GR4/F3 and fried the bast**** 150,000 people most disappointed when their "bit" was abandoned,i get to as many airshows as i can during the summer months

 

[backwoodsman]

Blimey, that takes me back to my childhood. Vulcans used to operate out of RAF Finningley - just a bit up the road from home and quite often they'd be roaring overhead. At first it was the base of the then cold war nuclear strike force but then I think changed to the Vulcan training unit.

Because of the Vulcans, the runway was extended to be the longest in the country. The airforce vacated the place a bit back and it is now used for shipping out oiks to Majorca & Tenerife under the guise of Robin Hood International Airport.

 

[RGDave]

Cosford Air Show!

Tony and I spotted the horrendous queues on the hard shoulder of the M54 westbound at around midday Sunday.

Front page news here......apparently, they had to "close" the gate and stop admitting visitors....even those with pukka booked tickets...

They allowed 60,000 in and then turned folk away. They have apologised, rightly so, but what kind of organisation allows people to travel from 10s or 100s of miles with previously booked tickets.... I'd have been so cross.

Glad you got in.....

 

[CliveW]

I had my first "Piloting Experience" in one of these at the tender age of 13 with the school CCF.

I then joined the local Air Cadet Squadron where as a cadet I passed my Gliding proficiency at 16, Flying Scholarship at 17 and International Air Cadet Exchange at 18. I was also a member of staff at the local Gliding School, became a Civilian Instructor at my Squadron, took a comission and eventually became the Commanding Officer. After moving away and returning, I joined the Civilian Commitee and finally resigned a couple of years ago when I retired and moved North. In all I have been involved with the ATC for over 40 years! (Longer than my marriage. )

 

[Tommo21]

Better pilots than golfers in here.

 

[viscount17]

CCF, first flight at 13 - we all got the Chipmunk, then at the same camp (Little Rissington) my mate and I used to hang around the flight line so we also got Piston Provost, Varsity and best of all JP. **

like nomad, joined up at 15, ended up as pinky tiff having worked Sea Vixens, Gannet 3, 4, 5 & 6, Wessex 1, 3, 5, Sea King 1, 3 & 4, Wasp, Lynx, Phantom and Harrier (including darn sarf - Falklands). (Some of 'my' Gannets are at Duxford.)

ps the Vulcan only got one bomb on the runway. Oh that we had still had the Ark with the Buccaneers - they wouldn't have liked that up 'em!

** there were two cadet forces at Ris' at the same time - the other lot (from Stowe) were a strange lot - turned down the chance to fire the Bren, we near on burned out two barrels!

 

[centuryg5]

Cosford Air Show!

Tony and I spotted the horrendous queues on the hard shoulder of the M54 westbound at around midday Sunday.

Front page news here......apparently, they had to "close" the gate and stop admitting visitors....even those with pukka booked tickets...

They allowed 60,000 in and then turned folk away. They have apologised, rightly so, but what kind of organisation allows people to travel from 10s or 100s of miles with previously booked tickets.... I'd have been so cross.

Glad you got in.....

Get in early that has always been my motto,considering the gates opened at 8.00am,and it was printed on the tickets,RAF Cosford have their own radio station 87.9 fm and all morning they kept on advising its getting full,the show started at 12.00,what did they expect, The Red Carpet treatment and waltz straight to the front

 

[Timberbonce]

I used to love the Cosford airshow when i joined the RAF I spent about a year there twice for training and you get to watch them all practising and then work on the Day + free admition at anytime to the museum. Although i joined the RAF because i liked aircraft, i ended up spending most of my time on Bomb Disposal.

 

[tonecapone]

Got a tape of xh 558 on stand by.Also two other claims to fame met Douglas Bader& Bob Stamford Tuck when i was a young en at Hendon Bader sat me in the Spit also took me back to train station in his Mini.Going up one way streets the wrong way. My recent trip sent me over Area 5 with 100 sqn on a tornado & Hawk refuelling Mission got som great pics sorry if you are all asleep lets get back to golf YAWN!!!!

 

[centuryg5]

Got a tape of xh 558 on stand by.Also two other claims to fame met Douglas Bader& Bob Stamford Tuck when i was a young en at Hendon Bader sat me in the Spit also took me back to train station in his Mini.Going up one way streets the wrong way. My recent trip sent me over Area 5 with 100 sqn on a tornado & Hawk refuelling Mission got som great pics sorry if you are all asleep lets get back to golf YAWN!!!!

Hey Tone, if i'd a known you had pics would of asked you to have brought them to the formum meet last week

 

[wrighty]

There's nothing geeky about planes!

How about this for a company car:

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/aircraft-pictures/C130J.jpg

60 tons, 20,000 horsepower, 250mph at 250 feet - queen of the skies!!!

 

[mattyb0y]

thanks for the post and replys... i have always enjoyed looking at old planes and its been nice to read about people who enjoy this also... i was recently playing a invitation day at chesterfield golf club derbyshire when a spitfire flew over very low the entire course stopped to watch such an impressive display... such engineering excellence to make these planes a truely great site!