Vulcan XH558

Simon,

As a kid I rmember driving passed RAF Carnaby, East Yorkshire, with my parents when it was also lined up with what semed like 100s of Bloodhound missiles ready and pointing east. RAF Carnaby also had 3 Thor ballistic missiles I believe.

This was in the early 60's when my farther's squadron (RAF Leconfield) used to be on stand-by 24 hours a day with a squadron parked out on the runway ready 'to go'. Fortunately for us all they did not have 'to go'.

Richard

Never ceases to amaze me the depth of knowledge that members display on the forum. Rarely a day goes by when I don't learn something new. Excellent stuff on this thread. Keep it up fellas!

Mike

The Buccaneer wasn't initially designed for delivery of nuclear devices, only for conventional weapons - it was specifically a low level (150-200ft) naval strike aircraft.  However, the design was adapted for nuclear capability before entering service; but, except for nuclear depth charges (the reason for the adaptation), that would have been a suicide mission at low level.

It was Lord Mountbatten who kept saying it could be used by the RAF as well.  He said this to oppose the development of the TSR2.  He was wrong: it wasn't particularly suitable for land based use, it was vulnerable to High/Low interceptor tactics and ground fire, it wasn't hopeless, but it definitely wasn't the best solution.

My dad was the chief shipwright on a carrier in the early '60s. Prior to going through the Suez Canal the Captain told the chippies to build a dummy missile and hang it off one of the aircraft to confuse the numerous Rooskie spies who photographed every warship passing through. The missile was enormous and a thing of beauty. All had a good laugh. 

Three months later there was the mother of all turd / fan interfaces as the Admiralty demanded to know who it was who was responsible for ramping up the Cold War another notch. Some people have no sense of humour.

The Buccaneer was an excellent low level strike aircraft, its anti-turbulence flight system was unique & effective, problem was the latest Navy defence systems could zap them most times & it was effectively past its sell by date well before its planned life date.

I was remotely involved in a Buccaneer program to develop a tactical ship zapping neuk using a lob (stand-off) technique & that turned out to be a suicide mission.  But realistically pretty well all nuclear devices delivered by an aircraft was a suicide mission in those days - & still is - if the bomb shock, or more likely the EMP didn't get you, the enemy defence missiles would.  

At the risk of being a pain I would point out that Royal Navy ships did not have the AA defences they deserved for far too long. The losses in the Falklands could have been far worse. 

Tony I had heard a similar story - never quite sure how true it was. It was Bawdsey I was referring to, and here is a view last week taken from Bawdsey looking SW past Felixstowe Ferry up the Deben - you sort of get a feel for why those service men perhaps were all out on the river/sea. The Bloodhound pens were about a half of a mile away from this spot.

Agreed. 

Thanks Mike and other cotributors. This topic has opened up into something really interesting.

On the other hand, if you thought the American leadership was paranoid, look at the Russians.  But then if you look at a map of the world using a Northern Polar Projection, you can see why the Russians felt they were surrounded by enemies.

Don't forget that the Russians and the Chinese were also enemies, each accused the other of corrupting Communism.  They also had several border disputes, and each tried to project power above the other by building rival clubs of satellite states.

Personally I think Marx actually did have it right: "I wouldn't want to join any club that would have me as a member!".

RAF Carnaby, photographed around 1960. The circular dispersal on the south side was converted with NATO-like parkings (for the Bloodhounds I assume) and an additional taxitrack with parkings to the center of the runway. Three Thor launch pads can be seen also.

Richard

I found this photo of Bawdsey from 1984, and MkII Bloodhound missles. From the lane down to Bawdsey manor and Felixstowe ferry, you could see the missile tips just peering over the raised earth pens

Info on the site from Suffolk Herritage : https://heritage.suffolk.gov.u...378-RAF-Bawdsey-GCI-(B)-ROTOR-Station-'PKD'-and-Bloodhound-Missile-Site.-(CW)

The footage of the actual hit looks a bit "contrived"

Compare it to this Bloodhound footage & also the BE Thunderbird footage  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDQQrYkUG9A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLIXbMh96TI

 - the Thunderbird was the Army's SAM,  the Navy had SeaSlug.   oh well we had lots on money in those days - NOT

Back to the Bloodhound,  the footage does not do its launch speed justice, I suspect it might be the slower Mk-I.  

The Mk-II was impressive --- copied from Wiki  ---- "By the time the missile has just cleared the launcher it is doing 400 mph. By the time the missile is 25 feet from the launcher it has reached the speed of sound (around 720 mph). Three seconds after launch, as the four boost rockets fall away, it has reached Mach 2.5 which is roughly 1,800 mph"

Now compare this footage of a SeaSlug

http://www.britishpathe.com/vi...rom-h-m-s-devonshire

.........  pretty quick eh ??

Its the last month we will see XH558

Today it flies from home base at Doncaster to a display at Old Sarum nr Salisbury, then on to Goodwood & home.  That will be the last sortie to the south of England.  

I will try to get the flight plan (map) & post the google link

The final few flights are  ........

Sat 12 Sept   Old Sarum (Salisbury)

                      >>>> Goodwood Revival

Sat 19 Sept   Southport Air Show (Merseyside)

Sat 26 Sept   Leeds East - Church Fenton

Sun 4 Oct      Gaydon - Heritage Motor Centre

                      >>>> Old Warden (Bedfordshire)

I hope the weather's nice for Shuttleworth. I was a boy last time I went and am planning to visit and combine my return with the Vulcan's swansong.

Here's the flight plan -  no times as yet - more later 

-  over my house in both directions 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/...d3-Qg5U.kNpWGfoWJf8I

I understand The Vulcan will route over Middle Wallop then onto Old Sarum just before 16:00 today.

Timing and route could be subject to the weather.