Avro Vulcan

Here's a few of XM655 that I took during the Members Day last Sunday -


Steve

" Lucky sod " Good pictures mate !!
Bomber.

After a lot of work on the electrics we finally got the bomb bay hydraulics operational and were able to open the doors for the first time in 10 years!

Excellent. I bet they creaked a bit when opening after all that time!
Thanks for posting this up Roger & please do keep us updated.

Stevie, they were a bit slow opening for the first time, but after some grease and a few more cycles they were really smooth. The bay itself is in pretty good condition with not much corrosion. We also cycled the air brakes, bit of a problem with the starboard upper but fixable. Hoping to complete her repaint early next year.

Glad it all went smoothly & hope the upper airbrake isn't too much of a big job. I must get down there for a visit some time soon.

Is that a fuel tank at the far end of the bomb bay?

Yes a fuel tank is fitted at the forward end of the bomb bay. According to Barry Masefield who was the AEO on John Reaves crew when they took XM612 down to Ascension in May 1982 she had a full bomb load plus a Martell missile hung on the port wing. The same crew took her back to Waddington about 10 days later when the overload tank was fitted. I have about 5 pictures of XM612 taken by an armourer on Ascension showing her being bombed up for the aborted Black Buck 3 mission which I will post later today.
Let me know when you decide to visit so I can make sure she. Is open, also we have Nimrod XV255 at the museum which has all her hydraulic systems operational.

Just managed to get these pictures of XM612 on Ascension Island being bombed up for Black Buck 3 berfore my afternoon stint at the Museum

RogerP wrote:

Yes a fuel tank is fitted at the forward end of the bomb bay. According to Barry Masefield who was the AEO on John Reaves crew when they took XM612 down to Ascension in May 1982 she had a full bomb load plus a Martell missile hung on the port wing. The same crew took her back to Waddington about 10 days later when the overload tank was fitted. I have about 5 pictures of XM612 taken by an armourer on Ascension showing her being bombed up for the aborted Black Buck 3 mission which I will post later today.
Let me know when you decide to visit so I can make sure she. Is open, also we have Nimrod XV255 at the museum which has all her hydraulic systems operational.

Thanks Roger. I remember XH558 still had a fuel tank left in the bomb bay from her days as a tanker as well when she was the RAF display Vulcan. I listened to a talk by Barrie Masefield about his experiences as AEO in the Falklands recently funnily enough. Really interesting guy.

Those photos of a 'tooled up' XM612 are fantasic. Thanks for posting them up. I'll certainly be in touch soon about a visit.That would be great as I've not actually seen XM612 in the flesh. I'll send you a Private Message on here soon.

Cheers Roger,
Steve

Steve
A couple more pictures from Ascension Island.
Roger