DON’T miss one of the last chances to see Vulcan XH558 fly as she undertakes a national tour this weekend, flying over the Cotswolds on Sunday, October 11.

At the end of this month XH558 will no longer be airworthy, following the withdrawal of vital engineering support from BAE Systems, Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group and Rolls Royce.

On Sunday, the aircraft will embark on its Southern route, departing from Doncaster’s Robin Hood Airport.

Along the route the Vulcan will visit Staverton Glos Airport and RAF Brize Norton and the journey between these two points will see XH558 fly over the Cotswolds just south of Northleach.

The timings of the flights are yet to be confirmed.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

Vulcan XH558's route across the Cotswolds

 

The Vulcan was developed by aircraft manufacture Avro in the early 1950s and first entered RAF service in July 1956.

Part of the V-Force alongside the Vickers Valiant and Handley Page Victor, the Vulcan was the backbone of the United Kingdom’s airborne nuclear deterrent during the Cold War.

For 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, the Vulcan’s crew were on ‘Quick Reaction Alert’, ready to take off within two minutes in the event of a Soviet Attack.

In 1982 the RAF embarked on several long-range bombing missions against Argentinean positions in the Falkland Islands, the only time the Vulcan has been used in anger.

XH558’s Chief Pilot Martin Withers, was involved in the first of these missions, placing a bomb in the centre of the runway at Port Stanley airfield, highlighting its vulnerability and forcing Argentina to reconsider its plans.

The RAF retired the Vulcan from service in 1984. XH558 continued to fly as an RAF display aircraft until March 23, 1993.

In 1997, a small team, headed by Dr Robert Pleming started to plan the return of XH558. Ten years and £7 million later, she took to the skies once again on October 18 2007 and has been a highlight of air displays ever since.

For more information about Vulcan XH558’s national tour visit www.vulcantothesky.org