Interview with Bill Ramsey on Vulcan XH558 

I joined the Air Force less than two years after than this legend, although it was the US Air Force. Even back then you needed a college degree to be an Officer, which was required to become a USAF pilot. Amazing how young you could be and fly a nuclear capable bomber in the UK. I can’t imagine myself flying a B-52 at age 20. Great video, thank you.

The Vulcan is an amazing achievement, especially for something that first flew seven years after the end of WWII. The engine development started in 1947. My most memorable Vulcan display was at RAF Chicksands in the late 80s. The Vulcan and F-15 were the best displays that day. My most memorable Vulcan event was having one coast just a few hundred feet over my head on its way up the Tyne valley near Lanehead, around 1980. She was just suddenly in front of me, then there was smoke as they opened the throttles, followed a second or two later by the noise. And then she was gone.

We loved watching the Vulcan fly at Barksdale Air Force Base at Shreveport, Louisiana. It was like standing on the ocean floor watching a huge stingray swimming overhead, except it was loud and made lots of smoke.

I flew with Ramsey during my conversion course in Tornado in RAF Cottesmore in 1990 when he was squadron commander of B Squadron!! Happy to see him again since I didn't see him ever since

Thanks Bill, as a youth i was not lucky enough to join the RAF, but became a B1 civy engineer. I envy your career as a pilot, and would of liked to have worked on the Vulcan, like my dad did in the 60s. thanks again for protecting us from the baddies......

I was lucky enough to meet Mr Ramsey when he was doing a talk at another Vulcan's open day which was pretty informal so my husband and I had a good chat with him

I saw 558 at many airshows but 2 highlights were Throckmorton which was absolutely rammed, so many people at a tiny air show, and Yeovilton with the formation with the Sea Vixen and 2 vampires. I saw her on the farewell tour at Old Sarum, my one regret was not making the trip to beachy head for Eastbourne.

Another fantastic interview. Really brought back so many memories of XH558 when Bill answered your question at 40:05 on whether it was the right time for the Vulcan to be retired. I filmed it as it came back to land at Prestwick Airport in 2015 when it had that nose-gear issue. It was such a relief that it all ended well. Once again thank'you for sharing.

I was fortunate to work for Bill, many years ago. A real gentleman and a superb boss. It was a pleasure to hear his story, thank you Aircrew Interview.

Love that famous engine howl, only wish I could see one flying - another post-WWII British classic!

I was lucky enough to see it 3 years at the Ayr air show with my kids fantastic herd the Howell amazing 👍👏

Excellent interview with so many missed questions.

How the hell these blokes has the balls to pull this off beats me. Top job lads

Great interview. Met Mr Ramsey at Vulcan Day 2015. Nice man.

What an engaging and fascinating interview. I hope that Mr Ramsey knows how grateful we are. You both must have been rather cold out there.

Really enjoyed this interview!

Very interesting interview. Thanks for all the hard work.

Been looking forward to this one and it didn't disappoint ! Will never forget kev and bills display at RIAT, best Vulcan display I've ever seen and that includes when it was in service with the RAF

Thanks for sharing a great and very interesting video

Sat in one. Unbelievably small cockpit. Long way to the Falklands in that...

Thank you Mike & Bill (he looked cold). Amazing video as ever, I was counting down the days for this one to come out :)

Thanks !!!

Excellent,thanks

I've loved the Vulcan since being a child in the '60s. My wife took me down to England to see XH558 Final season.i can honestly say I cried when she finally landed. If the B52, TU95 and AV8 aircraft can still be flown why can't we find a way to keep a Vulcan, Victor, Buccaneer etc be kept in the skies?

Remember his name from airshows.

Much admiration & respect to all the crew's [ both aircrew and ground crew ] and above all .... ENVY ..!! lol I'm still trying to come to terms with the bombing of the Falklands and all the refueling etc. Just an opinion, but should go down in history as one of the best flights ever by the RAF. [ in ' modern times' ] thks

24 Minutes in he mentions the Vulcan Experience - please note this is the Virtual Aerospace Vulcan Experience and you can see Bill flying his airshow routine in this sim at ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vyI-jmKHNDA.html

A man clever enough to survive.

I sat in that very one pulled the black curtains down to stop the flash after the bomb

Great stuff... I I'm allowed a wish, could you interview an Lincoln "driver" o nav ? I'm preparing a novel about this airplane and I would love to hear from the pilot, nav or engineer... Thanks !

Shame (afaik) that no one tried a Draken-style 'short parade' (Cobra) in the Vulcan.

Question that should have been asked - that howl, could you hear that inside?

Could tell that this was shot at newark air museum from the thumbnail 😉

Ahhhhhh I love this interview, ahhhhhh I mean no offense,ahhhhhhh you have my respect

Did You Know?: There was a knuckle on the stick grip so that your fingers parted in respect to spock and the vulcans. 🖖

Nice interview, i suppose the grobs hes talking about vere just purchased by the Finnish airforce? Not everyone of my countrymen are so happy about it. And sertainly not Grob which wanted to sell us new planes. It seems they are now refusing spareparts and Technical support for these planes.

And the ironic thing, folks, is that aside the Falkland Islands conflict where the Vulcan flew the longest long-range strike missions IN HISTORY, the plane is probably best known now for being hijacked and plundered for nuclear warheads in the 1965 James Bond/Sean Connery film, "Thunderball." I was very surprised to see it turn up in a Bond film but it was a very new plane when the movie came out. It shouldn't be that huge a shock that it was there at all. They were always trying to be current in those films and make them contemporary. Still, it was a very convincing mock-up that they did of the bomber for the underwater scenes. You would have sworn it was a REAL Vulcan unless you know were to look for the tell-tale signs. I don't! Link about the mock-up used in the Bond movie => www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2012/06/rare-photographs-avro-vulcan-bomber-mock-up-thunderball-bond/

He could always form a "Madness" tribute band. The guy's a dead ringer for Suggs.

where was this shot?

I would like to know who barrel rolled her.. so I could shake their hand and say nice one!

Grob means "coffin" in russian btw haha

5g

compare to B-52, Vulcan is a pice of Junk.