Vulcan 607
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Topic: Vulcan 607
Posted By: Zed
Subject: Vulcan 607
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 4:30am
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I recently finished reading this book, "Vulcan 607" It is the story of the longest non stop bombing run in history. Flying 8,000 miles round trip from Ascension Island to the Falkland islands; to bomb the runway at Port Stanley. This was 1982 and the British reply to the Agentinian invasion. The story is really quite remarkable; considering the Vulcan bomber was only 4 months from being withdrawn from service when it had it's only proper conflict. (Built in the 1950's it remains one of the most beautiful delta wing aircraft ever). The flight required 11 refuelling tanker's; it is an incredible story of courage and luck. If any of you would like to read the book; pm me and I'll send it. If more than one person replies, maybe we can pass it on one by one! ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Replies:
Posted By: MarkG
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 6:53am
| Oddly enough, I was watching a BBC documentary about this on Youtube the other day. Didn't save the URL though. |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 7:16am
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Excellent video here as well. The old Dalton NavComp is a classy bit of kit if you know how to use one.  ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: Honkytonk
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 7:42am
| I also just watched a show on the last flying Vulcan. Cost, parts, etc. we're astronomical to keep her flying. Showed footage of it at air shows. It apparently had a unique "growl" atafull throttle that wasn't supposed to be there. Something to do with the combustion air and the insides of the cowling. Pilot would come in low, hit full throttle then pass the crowd. Made my man part tingle! |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 9:34am
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XH558, last of the many. Crank up the volume, it's worth it! [tube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=71&v=gWfnoIaDTzI%5b" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=71&v=gWfnoIaDTzI[ /tube]
------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: MarkG
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 9:40am
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The Vulcan was basically the UK's B-52. Except the British government decided to scrap it rather than keep upgrading it to keep it flying for a century. There are some amusing stories online about Vulcans tangling with fighters in exercises and the fighters suddenly finding they had a bomber stuck to their six because it was more maneuverable than they were at altitude; I seem to remember that some of them were even fitted with hardpoints for Sidewinders, though they weren't actually used. BTW, I think the video embedded up above may be the one I was watching.
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Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 10:46am
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In Maggie's biography, I found some startling issues. The U.S. denied the use of Florida as a re-feuling point for the Vulcan, because they would be seen as a "beligerent nation". Also, many P.M.s before her..& including her - were trying to find a way to dump the Falklands, because they were / are a huge drain on British finacial resources. But, with her popularity at home dropping like a stone, she was able to use the Falklands as her "life-belt" & whipped up the population into supporting her. That saved her politically. ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: MarkG
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 11:05am
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The US may have denied use of Florida to military aircraft, but they also provided fuel and missiles, so it's not like they were anti-British. If I remember correctly, Reagan even considered lending the Royal Navy an ageing US carrier if one of the British carriers was sunk. I doubt it would have worked, but it was a nice thought. As far as I remember, the Falklands were one of the places the British Empire picked up pretty much by accident over the years, because they needed a refuelling stop for ships down that way. By the 80s it was of very little use to Britain, but politically impossible to just let the Argentinians invade and take it; had they not invaded, the British government would probably have agreed to a peaceful handover in a few years. More to the point, if the Argentinians had waited a few months, the Vulcans and some of the other forces used to retake the islands would have been mothballed. It was a bit of a balls-up all around. And pretty bizarre considering the previous collaboration between the British and Argentinian forces. I seem to remember that, when the Argentinian submarine was sunk, the commander of the ship that launched the helicopter that sunk it knew the commander of the submarine, because they'd been working together a little while before? Edit: back more on-topic for the forum, wasn't it also the last hurrah for the Lee-Enfield in British service, with the British forces using them as sniper rifles?
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Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 11:37am
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The USA did provide help by allowing the RAF to fly from the Ascension island airbase. But publicly they tried to play the peace maker in the early stages. The Vulcan raid changed the dynamic's of the conflict. Showing the Argentinians that we could reach them. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Honkytonk
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 11:43am
| I believe the SAS used them early in Afghanistan. |
Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 1:24pm
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Our late Tony Sugden(veteran of the campaign) told me the standard rifle for British forces in Falklands was the FN...but they had to break BREN GUNS out of storage..& they were used extensivley. I watched this event unfold & followed it intently. (BTW: It was the first time in British Naval history that a task force actually sailed on time...& the contractors that were still on board outfitting the ships were told that they were now in the Royal Navy (although reluctantly). ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: January 21 2019 at 2:10pm
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The politics were those of propping up a failed regime (on both sides). I had friends with my (borrowed) equipment down there just before this went off. They were wildlife photographers & my "Portable Studio" could be set up anywhere even in penguin rookeries. Just before the actual invasion the Argentine General in charge contacted them & advised them to leave immediately, being non-combatants. Beyond that he could of course say nothing & he probably shouldn't have said that much either. He flew them to B.A. so they could get a connecting flight back to the U.S. But a street mob there broke into their hotel room & destroyed everything they had (including my studio). The made a point of burning any ID papers & the U.S. Passports. It took them almost a year & a half to be smuggled back into the U.S. through their many contacts in South America. I met him a few years later in NYC. He was a dedicated military officer & a fine gentleman. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: Stanforth
Date Posted: January 22 2019 at 12:41am
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I remember a joke from that period. Q 'What's the difference between an Argentinian conscript and a slice od toast?' A 'You can make soldiers out of toast' ------------- Life.. a sexually transmitted condition that is invariably fatal. |
Posted By: Honkytonk
Date Posted: January 22 2019 at 5:13am
| One I remember was the Argentinian Admiral had to use a glass bottom boat to review his navy. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: January 22 2019 at 11:43am
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The job for the British soldiers was made more difficult by the loss of the merchant ship Atlantic Conveyer. At the time the full impact was not reported. It held 10 Wessex helicopters and 4 Chinook's plus much of the tent equipment. One of the Chinook's was flown off. The rest were all destroyed. Creating huge difficulties for the troop's when they landed. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: January 23 2019 at 5:48am
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Sir Gallahad's landing was another cockup. Capt was told NOT to unload there, but did. Made for a long trek across a barren windswept part of the island with heavy packs. IIRC, thats where Tony's mate took a round into the mag of his FN ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: White Rhino
Date Posted: January 23 2019 at 1:29pm
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I served with a guy who got his CIB in the Falklands , Sgt Pearcy , he was my squad leader when I first got to Ft. Stewart ! only others that had CIBs in my unit were the 1st Sgt and a couple of E-7 that were platoon Sgt s ... they got theirs in Vietnam .... ------------- "White Rhino" "Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer." --W. C. Fields |