When I am out and about , I always keep my eyes open for anything interesting in aviation. I often browse antique markets and bric a brac stores and recently I went to the Antique Cellar in Brackley Northants. I picked up some early SBAC Farnborough Flying Display programme for just a few pounds and I have reproduced some of the pages here that I found interesting and of relevance to the Avro Vulcan.
The earliest airshow that I attended was Farnbourough in 1970 when I was ten, I have the programme somewhere? I thought that the 1970 programme was a bit small and short on detail, but the programmes from 1950, 53 and 54 are even smaller . The front cover of the 1953 programme is shown above and was sold for the princely sum of 5p !
You will see below that the Avro Vulcan featured in the programme along with its smaller stablemate the Avro 707C.
VX770 the first prototype Avro 698 was delivered on 30th August 1952 the type becoming operational in less than five years with No.83 Squadron.VX777 the second prototype and B2 prototype was delivered in September 1953. In the picture below both VX770 and VX777 are flying in formation with a quartet of Avro 707s. (check out the Flying Display programme pages below).
A total of 136 Avro Vulcan’s were built, including the 2 prototypes. By 1956, Avro had produced many design
changes resulting in replacing the B1 with the B.2 version.
The subject matter of Corgi’s latest Vulcan model XL321 in the air !
And again, this time above the clouds with missile in place.
AA27202 Avro Vulcan B2, XL321, 617 Squadron, RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, 1964.
The Avro Vulcan was a British delta wing subsonic bomber operated by the Royal Air Force from 1953 until 1984. The Vulcan was part of the RAF’s V bomber force, which fulfilled the role of nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Arguably the most famous RAF squadron, No.617 was formed in 1943 at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. Commonly known as “The Dambusters” due to its successful attack on the German dams in May 1943, the Squadron operated the famous Vulcan bombers throughout the Cold War.
Painted in its iconic white “anti-flash” scheme designed to reflect some of the thermal radiation from a nuclear explosion, the B.2 bombers were configured for the Blue Steel stand-off missile and No.617 Squadron was the first to be declared operational with it in August 1962. These white Vulcans were some of the most distinctive aircraft to have served in the Royal Air Force. The Squadron’s Vulcans would serve mainly in a low-level penetration role until disbandment on 31st December 1981.
This aircraft was scrapped in 1987. It had been the aircraft with the most individual Vulcan aircraft flying hours – 6,952 hours .
The Vulcan model is due to land with Flying Tigers this month with very many pre-orders already placed. Don’t miss out on this one as this is a very special model indeed. Please click on the link here or the image above to go straight to the model page.
MORE MODEL NEWS.
Please check out the website for those collectors with a little bit of modelling skill !
HA8601(DEF) Hawker Hurricane Mk.I R4175, Sgt. J. František No.303 (Polish) Sqn. RAF Northolt, Sept 1940 is on SPECIAL OFFER ! The model below has suffered a QC failure in the factory and has been released openly into the market for those collectors who wish to take advantage. The faulty model is described as follows:-
THESE MODELS HAVE FAILED QUALITY CONTROL AT HOBBYMASTER. THE APPLICATION OF THE ROUNDEL HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTLY APPLIED AND SMALL WHITE LINES SHOW UP FROM THE PRIMING PRINT IN THE PANEL. THE MODELS ARE PRICED AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISCOUNT. EXPERIENCED MODELLERS AMONG YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CORRECT THIS MINOR FAULT AND GRAB YOURSELF A BARGAIN ! ALL OF THESE MODELS HAVE BEEN OPENED AND RE-SEALED IN THE CHECKING PROCESS.PLEASE SEE ADDITIONAL PICTURES FOR DETAILS OF THE MINOR FAULTS.(see pictures below).DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS OFFER, RETURNS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY FLYING TIGERS ON THIS OCCASION.
If you do not want to take advantage of this offer and still wish to buy HA8601 without these minor defects they are still available from the website at the normal price. Please click here to go to the perfect model.
Please click on the link here to go to the Deals of the Week Section and it will take you straight to the models on offer at fantastic low prices! alternatively simply click the image that takes your fancy. First come first served as always.
Offer ends midnight Monday 7th September 2015.
OTHER UPDATES ON THE WEBSITE
Just a couple of other things to briefly mention.
Firstly there is a tick box to fill in at the end of the payment page which is entitled… ” I agree to the terms and Conditions” etc..
Just to let you all know that there is nothing sinister about this. NO terms and conditions have changed at all, it is simply a new banking requirement that I have had to add this to the website. You probably have come across this on other websites of all sorts. Unfortunately without the tick in the box the payment cannot be made and the order cannot be placed. If you feel uncertain at all you can ALWAYS call on 01604 499034 and place your order over the phone. you will be most welcome. Don’t forget office hours are 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday. You can always leave a message on the answer machine if I am away from my desk, or busy on the line with another customer, and I will call you back as soon as I can.
Twitter is now integrated onto the website. You will find the logo and link on the Home page. Please follow us on Twitter for latest Aviation updates, model news and special offers. We have only been going for a couple of weeks and already have over 230 followers !
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Until next week, thank you for reading this week’s Newsletter.
Richard.
Flying Tigers.
