Leslie

I went to a Vulcan reunion dinner last night. Had a great time, my boss from a good many years ago was there-one of the really good ones that I had in my time. He retired as an Air Marshal but insisted on being known by his christian name. One of my colleague Captains was there too and we were able to admit all those things we got up to that we were forbidden to do at the time , including my boss!

Martin Withers was going to be there but was unable to because of illness at home. He was also a captain on my squadron when I was. I was hoping to chat with him about 558 but the other captain was able to tell me a bit that Martin had said the previous night. Apparently it is so light now when they removed 7 tons of operational equipment that it goes like a rocket but he is very heavily restricted in the power that he may use in order to prolong the life of the engines. Thats why he cant really fly it to all the extreme angles that we used to on a display. The power is just not available to push it up to the high hanging in the sky type wing overs with a fully inverted stop to the climb at the top. he can't do the steep tight turns we used to do in front of the crowd either.

Must be very frustrating not being able to show off what the aircraft can really do when "wrung out" a bit!

I am looking forward to next year's reunion now.

Les

ps1ewis

Glad you had a good time, Les!

albob

i'm looking forward to Waddington next year -- hope it will be able to display this time!!

RA Dunk

Meet anybody interesting by any chance?



Soz couldent help it

BOB.T

I went to a lecture thingmy about the Falklands a couple of weeks ago, Martin Withers was there and spoke... I really enjoyed the whole thing. All those Victors for one Vulcan, well 2 but...

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

I read 607 whilst waiting for my flight out to Afghanistan earlier this year. I know it was a hell of a mission, but I didn't realise just how complex until I read that book.

I do love the old v-force, wonderful aircraft from a real great era of British aircraft engineering

Leslie

I am sure you would never have guessed that I was expecting it anyway!

Yes all sorts, including an ex crew chief who was on the original Vulcan Mk 1's, he joined in 1938 and is 87 now! Sharp as a tack and looked very much younger. Very interesting to talk to of course.

Its worth remembering that if Martin had not taken the runway out and prevented them from operating fighters off it we would probably have lost that whole engagement.

Les

yoza

Im glad you had a good night.

Did you ever drop live bombs from the flights you were on, I mean in a war situation, and not a practice one?

Leslie

No never actually dropped a live full size one rather than the 25 or 28lb practice ones on the bombing ranges.

We were scrambled once in the Canberras during the first attack on Kuwait by Iraq and I had an enviable target to deliver some 1,000 pounders on, as well as a 4 x gunpack in the bomb bay (the bombs were clipped under the wings). We were running a book on who would shoot an Iraqi Mig 17 down first since we knew their capabilities when we trained them!

The scramble was cancelled so I did not get the chance!

Les

yoza

Exciting/terrifying times, certainly not for me. My bottle goes on a civil flight when the undercarriage clunks down.

For someone to say, " Right off you go, Kuwaits that way, watch out for major AAA." I would s@&t my pants.

Real heroes.

Leslie

What makes you think I was not doing just that Yoza!

Les