Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan is one of the true icons of historic aviation. The aircraft started out as a key part of Britain's independent nuclear deterrent in the Cold War era and almost everyone had a soft spot for it - largely thanks to XH558. Its incredible restoration, thanks to the work of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, thrilled airshow crowds up until 2015, but it still has a role to play in inspiring the next generation of aviation engineers. Find out more about the British aircraft and its history since its first flight in 1952.
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Vulcan videos, features and news
The Avro Vulcan Unveiled
Steve Beebee revisits the origins of the Avro Vulcan and profiles a few of the significant figures behind the legendary bomber’s design
First year of the 'V-Force'
The ‘V-bomber’ triad came together in 1952, its longest-serving members, in the forms of the Handley Page Victor and Avro Vulcan, taking to the air to join the Vickers Valiant. But the Soviet threat they would face was evolving, too, and their weaponry had to keep pace
Vulcan pilot on bomber’s staggering fuel consumption stats
Built in the days before the environment was a consideration, the Vulcan could burn through some 9,260 imperial gallons of fuel in the seven hours it could stay a-loft. Former Vulcan pilot John LeBrun tells us more...
Avro Vulcan pilot John LeBrun on bomb loads
Whilst the Vulcan was capable of carrying conventional payloads, it originally formed the backbone of Britain’s nuclear deterrent, as retired Vulcan pilot John LeBrun discusses
Vulcan to the Sky - Eight weeks to hit target
The Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST) has until the end of the year to hit its fundraising target of £2.2 million needed to secure a mortgage and build a new home for Avro Vulcan XH558.
Vulcan pilot recounts scrambling for nuclear call out
Former Vulcan pilot John LeBrun knows first-hand what it is like to prepare for a nuclear scramble. In this video he describes the process in fascinating detail
Trailer: John LeBrun and the Avro Vulcan
Coming soon: Meet the man whose life has been a love affair with the iconic Cold War bomber
V-force: End of the deterrent
As the 1960s drew on, times changed for the ‘V-force’. No more was it a triumvirate of types, and no longer was the strategic nuclear deterrent to the fore
Dates and prices announced for Visit the Vulcan Day, Southend
London Southend Airport is home to the preservation effort of Avro Vulcan XL426. Now, you can see the former Royal Air Force bomber up close at their Visit the Vulcan Day, and even have the opportunity to climb inside the cockpit...
Avro Vulcan to wow spectators again
Tickets are available now to watch Vulcan XL426 on 11th September at London Southend Airport
Royal Air Force and the Vulcan
When the long anticipated Vulcan first rolled off production lines in 1956, nobody could know just how much effort would go into preserving the manmade, delta-shaped beast for years to come. It would go on to serve in the Royal Air Force for 28 years, but that wouldn’t be the last of the Vulcan – not by a long shot. Unlike so many before it, the Avro Vulcan has held such a special place in the hearts of many that since its retirement, it has only gained in popularity. Now, the bomber has spent more time in retirement than it ever did in active service. Despite this, the legacy of the aircraft continues to go from strength to strength, courtesy of Avro Vulcan XH558 and the dedicated team behind her at the Vulcan to the Sky Trust.
AVRO VULCAN BOMBERS
A.V. Roe and Company designed the Avro Vulcan in response to a specification set by the British Air Ministry. It was nothing like anything anybody had ever seen before: it was a jet powered, tailless delta-winged giant that was the first of its shape to be a production aircraft in the RAF. The Avro Vulcan was also in stark contrast with its older cousin the Avro Lancaster, which had been designed only 10 years earlier. Gone were the propellors and straight wings of the past. The Avro Vulcan introduced a new generation of bombers that not only looked futuristic but were capable of things that, once upon a time, could never have been dreamt of.
Despite its enormous exterior presence, the inside of the Vulcan bomber was incredibly tight. While the vast majority of the bomber’s size can be attributed to its delta wing construct, space for the crew seemed like it had been a secondary consideration at the design stage. As a result, the space in which the crew could operate was minimal to say the least. The crew was made up of five airmen: the pilot, co-pilot, AEO, Navigator Radar and the Navigator Plotter. While the pilot and co-pilot took centre stage right at the front of the aircraft, the other three crew members were crammed into the space behind them. Although the pilots of the aircraft were positioned at the front, visibility from inside the cockpit was notoriously poor. This wasn’t a major issue, however, as the aircraft was designed to rely on navigational radar systems to see its flight path. The Vulcan had performance and agility more akin to a fighter than a conventional bomber, particularly at high altitudes. Its four Rolls-Royce Olympus engines, famous for their deafening howl, were an early version of the engines that would later go on to power the world’s first supersonic airliner, the Concorde.
DESIGNED TO HOLD NUCLEAR WEAPONS
As a strategic bomber, the Vulcan’s role during its active service in the Cold War was to be capable of delivering British-constructed nuclear bombs to targets in the Soviet Union. Although they never used a nuclear weapon in service, the Vulcan was utilised during the Falklands War in Operation Black Buck and afterwards in reconnaissance and air-to-air refuelling training. After the Vulcan fleet was retired from military service in 1984, just one example was restored to flight for use in air displays and air shows: XH558.
AVRO VULCAN NOW
It wasn’t the only complete airframe to remain, as two were also kept in taxiable condition in Southend-on-Sea and Wellesbourne. However, XH558 has continually been funded by the public in order to preserve her as part of a crucial period of history. And now, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust and Operation Safeguard are looking to ensure that XH558’s legacy remains for future generations.