My Brother was flying the Vulcan that day, he says that at display weight the Vulcan performs like a fighter, one of the reasons why they climb so steeply is to get the wheels up and doors closed before exceeding the limiting airspeed. I can tell you it is pretty thrilling to stand there thinking that's your big brother flying that.
It's only a dream that they have an air worthy Vulcan for displays. Incredible aircraft. Upsets me that we never get to experience the Vulcan and the Concorde . Two special aircraft in their own rights
The Vulcan was designed to be supersonic but was dangerously unstable at transsonic speeds... it had the thrust to go supersonic but aerodynamically it was a disappointing failure.
@@sandervanderkammen9230 The Vulcan was NOT designed to be supersonic; it couldn't be unstable at transonic speeds. There was was no disappointing failure. There was a design development track that might have lad to a supersonic variant; it was used as a test bed for Concorde's engines. Methinks your either interpreting the history wrongly or you're intentionally encourage the growth of hay on a dairy farm for whatever silly purpose you might imagine is ethical.
@@koitorob I was in York while XH558 was flying out of Elvington. Shortly before it stopped flying. I saw it a lot. I never imagined something that big could fly like that. It danced like a fighter over the city. I remember first seeing it while golfing with my dad. All you could hear is a howel like a dragon was coming and then it broke almost through the trees it was so low. It passed over at about 50 feet maybe. You could read the warning labels on the panels.
I like the way the cameraman started to follow the predicted take off path as being the same as the B52 with a tiny climb out, only to have to readjust for the fact the Vulcan had already taken off like a fighter. Good noise.
Bloody thing even sounds like a fighter . With performance's like that , it's no wonder it scared people . We used to build some quality gear once . I hope we can again , but somehow i doubt it .
Brian Green That is because the Vulcan is more like a fighter bomber than just a heavy bomber. The one in this video is the XH558. It was the only flyable Vulcan left after the rest of them were retired in March 1984. And it was modified to be used for demonstration flights, air shows, and delta wing developments. It’s not a fair comparison to the B-52 which is still flying strictly as a heavy bomber.
The panning thing reminds me of my dad with the cine camera at the end of Fairford runway with the British prototype Concorde taking off directly away from us. They opened up the engines and it literally disappeared behind a massive cloud of black smoke! Only appearing above the smoke some seconds later as a spec in the distance. I'm surprised he kept the camera running as he was pretty careful with film use!
@@eggyness no big, it was a thing 'in the North of England back in the day. Old men nursing half a 'mild' (a lesser alcoholic ale) at a pub table for hours was a sight in many a pub. Where Vulcan was made in the North West of England, half a mild and half a bitter was fairly commonplace.
The Lancaster bomber and Vulcan look decades apart in design. They’re both cutting edge designs of their day. The spaceship like looks of the Vulcan compared the old school propeller driven Lancaster. What really boggles the mind, is the Vulcan’s first flight was just 11 years after the first flight of the Lancaster, 1941 and 1952 respectively.
Different aircraft for different situations, the Vulcans had to react FAST and with limited air superiority, the B52s didn't. Sure the B52 has been stoic and extremely upgradeable over the years where the Vulcan wasn't but you can't deny we made a bloody beautiful looking aircraft years ahead of it's time.
Exactly . The B-52 has only survived by being a bomb truck in asymmetric conflicts , except Vietnam where over a dozen of them were shot down ( when they applied it to strikes against the North, for years they just pulverized Laos and South Vietnam ) . The 1991 Gulf War , and then Iraq 2003 , then Afghanistan - used only when there is absolutely no enemy air threat ( SAMS or fighters )
@@jockstrapp21 Actually, Vietnam showed SAC how to develop TACTICS for BUFFs in order to survive SAMs & AIR to AIR THREATS. This is why the B-52 has ENDURED for as long as it has & it will continue to do so as a major strategic platform for ordinance delivery!
@@and7bartonI guess low & fast would be special but on a typical summer day I'll see about 4 Spitfires fly over my house at 1,000 ft with an occasional barrel roll on their way to Beachy Head!
The Vulcan and the Victor. Such incredible looking aircraft, they looked like they had just left the set of a Thunderbirds episode with Scott and Virgil at the controls. Is it any wonder aircraft like the Lighting, Hunter, Buccaneer and Harrier followed. So awesome, so British! 🇬🇧
Me too, but then I also miss Britain being British and now every one of my neighbours names sounding like they should be at the " other end" of the Vulcans bomb run.
Damm the Vulcan is such a stunning plane, even in 2021 it still looks futuristic and modern. So clad I got to see her fly at Farnborough and Fairford air shows as a kid
I was present at McGuire AFB in New Jersey, to witness the the Perfomance of the last operational Vulcan. It's next mission, was the Falklands. The plane performed like s fighter. That's what I remembered. Fell in love with it.
The Vulcan. I was a schoolkid in Lincolnshire in the '60s. Vulcans overflew our schoolyard most days. You have to be six years of age to really get "The Vulcan Howl". I'm still SIX years of age when I hear the greatest aircraft EVER howl to Me.
I grew up in SE Northumberland and cold war aircraft were regular sights for us children. Rapid fighters screaming into the sky after refuelling at Newcastle Airport - so loud that we had to stop talking for two minutes until the noise lessened. The Vulcans would also make appearances and the sight and sound of them was incredible.
I was there that day. When this happened I was stood near the Burger van with a member of the US Airforce in front of me eating his burger . When the Vulcan spooled up and took off he exclaimed " Jesus H Christ, what the gad damn hell is that " and dropped his burger I just said " Thats our heavy bomber a bit like the B52 but Better "
He didn't say 'More reliable' he said ' Better' An F!5 is better than a Dakota, but is it more reliable? The Vulcan needed to be able to get airborne quickly as unlike the B52 force, the Vulcan force would have a few minutes warning of an attack, not the 20 that the US mainland would get.
I am 61 and so have enjoyed watching the Vulcan display at many UK airshows. The noise, smell, shaking ground, babies crying in prams and car alarms going off were all part of the experience. Lovely film this but for me the little lad who puts his fingers in his ears (at 0.58) really took me back there. Thanks
First time in decades I've really heard the famous Vulcan howl. (I saw one at Auckland airport (NZ) four or five decades ago. As I recall it started going up like the one in this video and just kept on climbing like that until it was out of sight.)
In the Early 1960s the Vulcan proved able to penetrate US Airspace using electronic counter measures and superior 60,000' manoeuvrability to the F102 to 'bomb' Washington and New York. Rather cheekily they called in, previously undetected to land in New York.
The test you are referring to are the Sky Shield and Sky Shield II operations which took place between 1960-1962. The maximum ceiling for the Avro Vulcan is 55,000 feet not 60. Also the us did have an interceptor that could’ve reached it it was the f-106 with its service ceiling of 57,000 feet. Also it wasn’t the electronic countermeasures that messed up the radar it was the chaff released by the bombers. The radar operators had to switch to manual which allowed the bombers in close enough to “bomb” their targets without being “shot down”. This was the early 1960’s us radar was no where near what it was in the 70’s.
An interesting story is the one about an F104 pilot betting a vulcan crew about which aircraft would be at "altitude" first,the bet was taken,the Vulcan crew accepted the wager...........and the F104 took off first! The Vulcan was at "altitude" was up there waiting for the Starfighter pilot!
nice story. not remotely true, but nice. Vulcan can climb at approximately 16,000 feet per minute. the F-104 can climb at 48,000 feet per minute. literally triple the rate.
@@Thethorschariot F104 record climb to 66,000 feet 3 minutes 42 seconds A Vulcan during testing with engines at max went to 50,000 feet in 9 minutes. No load on board 50% fuel. Why anyone would believe a large bomber would be able to out climb a small fighter jet designed specifically to get to altitude as quickly as possible is beyond me.
Two interesting solutions to the same problem... I would surrender on first hearing the howl... a nation that can create and deploy such a beast is too scary for me!
northern High level or low level the Vulcan did a god job. It was originally intended fr high altitude but was adapted to be able to go low under the radar.
I love this video. The B-52 is mighty, but even that is made to sound like a mouse once the Vulcan starts howling like a T-Rex. Then it takes off like a fighter jet just for added shits and giggles. A beautiful jet, way ahead of its time.
I witnessed the Vulcan at the Biggin Hill Air Show in 88 or 89. As it passed overhead, with its bomb bay doors open, the ground resonated beneath my feet, such was its thunder. It was a magnificent and unforgettable experience.
I remember at an air show all the kids were playing football on a field not really interested in the planes at all until the Vulcan went over. The game stopped and they all stood gaping up at it in awe.
I remember being close to a Vulcan taking off at a Culdrose (Cornwall) air display, many years ago - the power and noise of its engines was truly awesome.
Coming from North Hykeham at the bottom of Waddo hill, i used to watch the full squadron scrambles in the late 60’s. Its a sound you never forget…. The rolls royce howl
@@ginnerthetosser was good mate. My grandad used to cut all the hedges around waddington camp so i used to watch them all the time. Still live in the area…. Only noise now is red arrows…. Who is used to work with at Scampton
Oh my god it's a lovely howl. I'm gonna miss her so much-no airshow will ever be the same without the great vulcan. I believe it's the UKs best achievement and will never be topped. She handles like a fighter but looks like an armoured beauty. The Avro Vulcan inspired me and will hopefully do so despite the permanent grounding of XH558. The way I see it, the vulcan has returned multiple times( in RAF service, XM607 and the great XH558, the spirit of Great Britain ) and one day I hope to see a V Force reunion in form of flight. The dream of seeing a Vulcan, a Victor and a Valiant is a distant one, but I won't give up hope. The Vulcan shall return once more- all we need is a billionaire and passion for the howling beauty that is in the form of a terrifying war machine. She truly can't be beaten by any other aircraft outside of the V Force.
Growing up near Farnborough in England meant that you got to see those aeroplanes pretty often. I even saw a Vulcan testing a strapped-on Pegasus engine for the (then) upcoming Concorde.
Mark Evans Pegasus would be he harrier one, carried by xa894 which burnt up on the ground. Xa903 tested Olympus 593, which was a related development of the Olympus 100, 201 and 301 engines of the Vulcans
It’s not the money - it’s the fact that the airworthiness certificate was revoked due to the fact that there were no engineering companies that would support it. And that will be the case in the future as well. (“The decision came after three crucial engineering backers decided to end their support for the aircraft, which meant under the Civil Aviation Authority regulations, the plane could not be flown past 2015.”)
Rolls Royce Olympus is the Merlin of the jet age and that Vulcan is the most Eroticly Demonic sounding bad ass bomber ever to live and breath. It has your spine tingling from the moment those beautiful harmonics begin to an eye watering departure. The B-52 can't even get out of it's own cloud of fuel pouring out the back. Vulcan is a Chariot fit for a god alongside the Blackbird.🙏
@John Snyder lol Sink enough money into a bus and you can keep it running forever. Those two planes were born of the same generation and at that time the Vulcan could out turn the fighters sent to splash it at 50000ft and twice nuked american city's during exercises despite usa attempts to prevent this where as all b52's trying were intercepted. There is very little original equipment left on the current b52 fleet and the life extension programs are hugely complex and expensive. Can be applied to any plane so just because it's still in service doesn't mean it hasnt required alot of help to achieve this. Vulcan XH558 was only retired a few years ago which proves the concepts created then are still able to be operated but at great cost.
@John Snyder That's my point, at the time of creation Vulcan was cutting edge, afterburners on a bomber for example. Aerodynamics don't lie, just look what happens when a b52 attempts bank angles that the Vulcan can achieve on takeoff. Vulcan is a flying wing essentially. Time is always the decider for aircraft fame with regard to conflict during their time in service as you pointed out. I just appreciate what we as man have built over the ages in all its views and just like the SR71 of that era another legend and it never fire a shot. For it's intended roll at conception Vulcan was bad and that engine howl is something else! We all have our crosses to bear regarding our fanfare and I'm not disputing any of the b52 legacy as it is to be appreciated in it's own right also.
What a great video! That’s how I remember the Vulcan, from Biggin Hill in the 80’s when the RAF used to fly her hard. The noise was absolutely immense and actually uncomfortable when they’d do the long spiral climb-outs and touch and goes with the power on! Happy days. Seeing her in recent years was great, but it just wasn’t the same. I have to admit to shedding a tear on her final flight too!
That is a shame for those who only saw her flown AFTER she was decommissioned. They never saw her in her full full role taking off in a scramble and climbing out towards her objective under full military power.
my husband ,a slim 20yo then saw the vulcan take off at 1960 farnbrough air show, In those days very little restrictions and when it took off and went vertical everything shook including his stomach unforgetable
I had the good fortune of working on all three types of V bombers and, even though the Victor was faster and had longer range, the Vulcan was the ONE. Well ahead of any aircraft, of its type, in the world when brought into service. A beautiful kite.
Went to a cadet camp back the early 1970s. Camp ground was near the end of runway at Scampton. The Vulcans were in and out every half hour, night and day for whole week. Barely slept a wink but was worth it.
In 1980, I had an opportunity to enter the cockpit of a Vulcan in Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. It was quite an experience! We also saw them (and other military aircraft) take off and land many times during the year we lived in Goose Bay.
I was actually sat right next to the crowd barrier with my friend from work for those take-offs. The Vulcan just completely upstaged the B-52 with its "Vulcan howl" and the fighter like vertical climbout. Those and the Rockwell B-1 Lancer take offs are my fave of all time. Thanks for reminding me of great times gone by 😊
@@DarthBludgeonTwo of the best looking, futuristic aircrafts ever designed, and they were designed in the 40's and 50's, respectively. Boggles the mind what post-WW2/Cold War era designers and engineers were capable of, given nothing has come close to replicating their grandeur.
This is just the coolest video on RU-vid as far as I'm concerned. That Vulcan howl is spine tingling every time, and then there's the 80's fiestas and 118 shorts. Awesome 😆
Just keep watching this over and over again, by far the best Vulcan howl on RU-vid, especially when you turned your speakers up to let the B-52 make some decsent noise! Also like the roar when it turns away, with these loud ratling sounds almost like a space shutlle (which it is almost)
the first time i ever saw a Vulcan, was in 1971. It flew over our school and was in flames. the plane crashed into a field next to a primary school in Wingate, Co Durham. the crew bailed out over northumberland, and the pilots flew south, they ejected over the north sea, but the plane turned before crashing and headed back inland
My father was stationed at RAF Coningsby 1962-64. At the time there were, if memory serves me right, 3 squadrons of Vulcans based there, all painted in anti-flash white. I recall one evening when they were scrambled on exercise. It was SO annoying because the noise completely drowned out Coronation Street on TV for about 20 minutes :-))
I was at Coningsby 62-64 the Squadrons were 9,12.and 35. The Hare and the tortoise, The Vulcan and the B52 a perfect illustration. 58 years and counting
I use to watch 5/6 of these take of from Scampton as a lad, it was fantastic to see them climb and just dissapear into the either they where painted white then,
The B-52 has twice as many engines as the Vulcan - it is *incredibly* loud on takeoff, but I think many miss the point. It isn’t just the volume (although the Vulcan is **** loud too) it is the sound the air entering the intakes makes on the Vulcan under certain conditions - as others have pointed out - “The Howl” - it sounds like it is a demented beast on the attack 😵
A SAHB fan?? I was listening to Zal Cleminson EP here on RU-vid last night, if anything Zal is an even better guitarist now than he used to be if that is possible :-) I wonder what the maximum range, top speed, and ceiling is for both aircraft? cheers
Yorkshire Dragoon: Only 4 years (if you include the Vulcan prototype which first flew in 1949). Currently can be seen in the Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester, UK.
A lot of that is due to the fact that the focus during WWII was on making more of the same thing. The allies didn't fall into the trap the Nazis did, experimenting with a ton of new designs neglecting the needs of the battlefield. Just look at how the US was making tanks and airplanes - the focus was on speed. More B17s and Shermans and less about making a supertank (albeit there were projects looking into heavier tanks - they never saw the light of day though). Once the war ended, there was the race to get the German scientists and designers and take advantage of the research they had done. That jump start combined with the freeing up of materials allowed innovation to take off.
I lived 8 miles from the former RAF St. Athan base in South Wales, and for many years loved the open day event. The highlight of the flying display was the Vulcan. First approach skimming down the runway at about 200 ft, and lighting the afterburners and going almost vertical. The delicious deafening roar and feeling your insides shaking was unbelievable. Second pass down the runway banked to port with bomb bay doors open, showing the crowd the empty bay, and thankfully never having to be used in the role it was designed for. Very happy memories. 2nd fav in the display was the EE Lightening.
I see it as a tragedy that I will never be able to share the experience of watching and hearing a Vulcan take to the air with my Grandson as I did with my Dad.
The Vulcan Howl... The sound of one of the most iconic aircraft ever built and it always turned heads when in flight. You'll never forget that aircraft once you heard it in fligh!
For me the most staggering thing about the Avro Vulcan was that it first flew only ~11 years after the Lancaster. It was from an age when Britain was white-hot with innovation and capability, unmatched anywhere else on the planet.
NOW RETIRED I served in the R.A.F from 1977 till 1989 and refueled and towed theses BEAUTIFUL aircraft the Vulcan on to the pan and in and out of hangers at R.A.F WODDINGTON and other R.A.F. stations in thoses days. I sore the last day it flew IT CAME over my house. IT HERTS THAT WE WILL NEVER SEE THIS WONDERFULL AIRCRAFT TAKE TO THE AIR AGAIN !
That noise ..... it gives you goose pimples each time. I saw the Vulcan at an air show in the 80's as a child. I asked "when will we find out the Vulcan is taking off" - the reply i got was "you will know straight away". It did not disappoint :)
I remember one flying over my junior school many years ago at fairly low altitude. I think it was done to raise the public’s moral during the Cold War. What a sound!
Which is basically the statement it was designed to make. There wouldn't have been much civilisation in the east after the Vulcans had delivered their noisy apocalyptic message. Sadly, there wouldn't have been much here in the UK either.
the Vulcan penetrated American airspace twice in the 60s and bombed Ny and Washington with nukes. We sent seven over only one was shot down on both occasions.
Richard, back in Cold War days, the 4 minute warning etc; I was lucky enough to be at Farnborough when they ran a simulated QRA, the announcer had said at the start of the show, that at sometime during the show the warnings would sound, what ever was displaying at the time would vanish to safer pastures, and a full nuclear reaction would take place. Set up very clearly, fortunately a nice sunny day, we could see the aircraft with crews sat out in chairs close by, we know that the Vulcan and Victor both had rapid start facility, the Valiants had blowers of some sort attached to the intakes. Sure enough the sirens went off, it felt almost within seconds jet engines spooling up, the take offs were lead by 4 Vulcans, then 4 Victors finally 4 Valiants, the bombers using the left side of the runway, down the right side, went 4 Hunters, 4 Javelins and 4 of the then very new Lightnings. The intervals between aircraft was minimal, looked a bit like wacky races, but clearly a well trained, organised operation. The sound was more than noise, almost felt like my bones were shaking never mind the ground, within way less than 4 minutes, I seem to recall something just under 3 minutes all aircraft came back over the airfield in formation, each set of 4 bombers accompanied by 4 fighters, very very impressive. I have spoken or been in contact with a few who remember this, but never seen film of this, of course long before any one had mobile phones and cine cameras would be few and far between.
Ginner possibly still plenty looking, but seeing only old posts don’t reply, then someone posts a new reply, the lookers decide post is still very much alive and reply in numbers. Nostalgia for that Vulcan “howl” will keep going for some time yet.
Ah the Vulcan! Crossing end of runway with Father towing caravan when squadron took off. Stunning! Farther carried on towing in this tower of sound and as a young teenager I later asked how he did it. ‘ You should hear the Stukas when driving the water cart’ ! Apparently he was known as ‘Lucky’ for a time as he drove them to prove to his men you could do it and survive! Both these machines were incredible.
The B52 is a lumbering giant with 30 minutes take off alert. The Vulcan was a tactical ground hugger with only a 4 minute QRA. Both were lethal at their job. But for sheer display impact a Vulcan always steals the show.
The Vulcan was built before the B52 with the sole purpose of being a nuclear deterrent. The B52 however was American and therefore had to travel long distances. The Vulcan was proven to be a far effective nuclear deterrent than the B52 for multiple reasons. It was faster, smaller radar signature, more agile and far more accurate. So therefore it was the best plane built for it purpose and is also far more impressive. The b52 could be adapted to most if not all purposes and therefore the Vulcan was inferior in that respect. The UK decommissioned the vulcans because the nuclear weapons were passed to the Royal Navy so the Vulcan has no military use any more. It is however the star of the show when it comes to air shows. In addition the Vulcan has not seen much military combat because the UK has not had to nuke anyone. However, during the Cuban missile crisis it was going to be the Vulcans that were sent in if it all went sour. Not the B52's. The vulcans. Now shut up and stop arguing over which plane is better. The Vulcan is the best in air shows and nuking people while the B52 is better at carpet bombing and potentially transport.
'However, during the Cuban missile crisis it was going to be the Vulcans that were sent in if it all went sour. Not the B52's.' Really? USAF had 5 Buffs on 24/7 status up in the air 365 days a year and during the whole of the Cold War and during the Cuban crises they had 135, yes, One Hundred and Thirty Five, B-52s on QR, besides the standard 5 bombers continually in the air. The Vulcan was an awesome jet indeed, but I'm not sure it was built for its howl or its performances at airshows. When it came to real operations both the B52 and the Vulcan were potent bombers. The Vulcan is now (sadly) history. Not so the Buff.
+The Loyal Stormtrooper. I'm not going to sit her and have an idiotic "which is better" debate but a couple of your points are simply wrong/incorrect... The B-52 flew BEFORE the Vulcan and went into service BEFORE the Vulcan. And the Vulcan was NO faster than a B-52-they have an identical top speed. Yes it LOOKS like it'll fly faster and is sexier. No debate there... They're both a special sight to see in person, but very few planes I'd rather see do a few flybys than a Vulcan ;)
sidefx. The B 52 flew just before the Vulcan , both 1952, the B 52 was just an update of an old design, the Vulcan was a new design, both about the same top speed, the Vulcan just over mach 1 in a dive, I doubt the B 52 could do that, a higher cruise speed and higher service ceiling. The Vulcan has been superseded by the Tornado but the B 52 has had to carry on due to the lack of a replacement.
