Last ever flight over North Wales for Vulcan as plans are released for a two day farewell tour.
Aviation fans in north Wales could be in for a bit treat in October, the last remaining flying Vulcan bomber XH558, is set to undertake an ambitious two-day farewell tour of Britain, which includes a north Wales leg.
Vulcan fans in north Wales thought they had seen the very last flight in the skies above Wales as XH558 took part at the Rhyl airshow in August however plans are being finalised for the farewell tour across Britain
The iconic aircraft, based at Doncaster’s Robin Hood Airport will finally cease operating this year due the three expert companies who keep Vulcan flying – BAE Systems, Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group and Rolls-Royce collectively deciding to pull their support for the delta wing bomber, without that crucial support under Civil Aviation Authority regulations, the Cheshire-built Vulcan will be prohibited from flying.
The spectacular nationwide sortie on October 10-11 will be split into two days one for a northern the other a southern leg.
Owners Vulcan To The Sky Trust said:
“A celebratory national tour, XH558’s most ambitious ever, is being planned for Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th October.
It will bring her flying career to a spectacular close in two sorties to cover the north and south, giving as many people as possible a final opportunity to see the dramatic sight of a Vulcan in the air.”
The southern route will see the veteran bomber enter north Wales airspace at Aberystwyth then up the coast to Harlech, Caernarfon and Bangor onto Anglesey, following the coastline from Llandudno, Rhyl and across into Flintshire.
The flight plan which hasn’t been finalised and is subject to change currently shows Vulcan routing over Caerwys and Northop Hall on its way to a Hawarden and hopefully a flypast over Airbus Broughton then on to Holt and over the border.
The Northern leg of Vulcans final flight.
Vulcan To The Sky Trust said:
“In saluting that remarkable period of intense British innovation that XH558 so powerfully embodies, the tour will include fly-pasts of several sites famous for British aviation excellence, as well as other well-known locations chosen to provide good vantage points for supporters.”
Keep and eye on the website for further information vulcantothesky.org
A total of 136 Vulcans were produced at Woodford Aerodrome between 1956 and 1965, with the first entering operational service on 20 May 1957.
XH558 was the first of the upgraded B2 version to enter service with the RAF, making its maiden flight from Woodford on 21 May 1960, and being delivered to No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, on 1 July 1960.
The OCU was the unit which prepared pilots familiar with other aircraft to fly the Vulcan. Almost immediately 230 OCU transferred to RAF Finningley, South Yorkshire. In 1968, XH558 transferred back to Waddington, where it saw operational service with units of the Waddington Wing (44, 50 and 101 Squadrons). – Wikipedia
Main Image: thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk
