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The first jet bomber to employ the delta-wing configuration. The original Avro 698 Vulcan prototype was developed to Air Ministry Specification B.35/46, issued on 1 January 1947, flying for the first time on 30 August 1952. It was then fitted with four Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets, but was later re-engined with Bristol Siddeley Sapphires and subsequently Rolls-Royce Conways.
A second prototype powered by four Bristol Siddeley Olympus 100 - with a slightly longer fuselage to eliminate the need for shortening the nose-wheel leg during retraction - made its first flight on 3 September 1953. It was later fitted with wings having a redesigned leading edge with compound sweepback and it made its first flight in this form on 5 October 1955. On 31 August 1957 it began flight testing the larger wing of the Vulcan B.2.
All production Vulcans were fitted with wings having the revised leading-edge configuration and two main versions were produced. The first production version was the Vulcan B.1, powered by Olympus Mk 101 or Olympus Mk 102 engines. All of these engines were converted later to Olympus Mk 104 standard. Planned re-equipment of three Bomber Command squadrons of the RAF with this version was completed in 1960. The B.1A version was given electronics in a bulged tail-cone, like the B.2. A total of 45 B.1/1A were built. The B.2 was a developed version with Olympus Mk 201 or 301 engines, wing of increased span (with elevon controls) and the ability to carry the Blue Steel stand-off nuclear bomb. The first production B.2 flew on 30 August 1958. Production was completed in 1964.
| CREW | 5 |
| ENGINE | 4 x BS/RR "Olympus 301", 89.0kN |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 91000 kg | 200622 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 33.8 m | 110 ft 11 in |
| Length | 30.5 m | 100 ft 1 in |
| Height | 8.3 m | 27 ft 3 in |
| Wing area | 368.3 m2 | 3964.34 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Ceiling | 18300 m | 60050 ft |
| Range w/max.fuel | 6400 km | 3977 miles |
| ARMAMENT | one guided missile or bombs |
 | A three-view drawing (690 x 548) |
| Kieran, k2k_t(@)hotmail.com, 20.10.2009 Can anyone point me in the direction of some decent sized 3 view drawings o the plane, im trying to make a 3d model cheers! | | Cliff Whitwell, cliff_whitwell(@)hotmail.com, 17.09.2009 great to see one still flying - long may it continue. I can remember as a child listening to the Vulcan flying over my house at around 9pm every night [Knottingley, West Yorkshire area] on a regular routine. The whole house shook as they were so low - around 100'. I also remember the display's at RAF Finningley with my heart in my mouth thinking it was going to drop out of the sky during a low, slow climbing turn - fantastic!!!! | | Mark Brown, jurassicmark1963(@)yahoo.com, 15.09.2009 I remember seeing the white Rolls Royce test bed flying over our home in Patchway in the 70s. At the time it was testing the RB199 engine, later used on the Tornado, I vaguely remember that it was used for testing the Olympus engine as used in the Concorde, Boy was it noisy!! | | paul scott, psmiddx(@)yahoo.com, 20.08.2009 Amazing, beautiful, outstandingly manouevrable and what a sight. I remember as a kid in 'seventies London, on the Queen's birthday, two flew with an escort of Lightnings/Phantoms over every year - a sight no more alas -our prowess/money is diverted to speed cameras, supporting refugees and MP's expenses. Sad but true! | | prince, wtp63(@)aol.com, 18.06.2009 one of the most beautiful acft made a british marvel | | Keith Small, hilkie(@)btinternet.com, 22.12.2008 For several years there was a feature in the main display hanger at Tern Hill (Uk) air shows. It was a model of a Vulcan B1 painted white that slid down wires and released a dart when a "player" pressed the "bomb release" switch. A good shot and the dart landed in the middle of a factory model. I tried this about 20 times over the years. Does anyone else remember this early version of an interactive similation? | | g blanks, mblanks2003(@)hotmail.com, 02.08.2008 lovely aircraft a bit noisey i lived at raf waddington in the 1960s end of the runway in M QS | | Phil Nutt, pnn2618(@)hotmail.com, 17.05.2008 Visit:
www.vulcantothesky.com
and join the Vulcan to the Sky club or make a donation to keep XH558 flying. The hard work is done, she has performed well in flight tests, now we just have to get enough money to see her flying at the UK airshows this summer! If you love this plane, please make a donation! | | Jim antill, jpantill(@)ihug.co.nz, 12.11.2007 I have many memories of seeint Vulcans etc. flying around my (then) home in Warwickshire in the early and mid-60s. But the most vivid is of Farnborough, seeing the Vulcan with the red 707A and blue 707B information. The 707s then broke away and put on a spectacular display. The dates given for the 707s and Vulcan first flights don't seem to correlate with this. I have a feeling it was Farnborough 1951, and I was there the day after John Derry was killed in the DH110. However I was also at Farnborough in 49 and 50, so may be a bit confused! Can anyone straighten me out? |
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