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Operation Corporate
Background
Famous Quotes
Commanders
Ernesto Crespo
Henry Leach
Jeremy Moore
John Fieldhouse
Leopoldo Galtieri
Margaret Thatcher
Mario Menéndez
Sandy Woodward
Equipment
Aermacchi MB-339
Blowpipe
Canberra
Chinook
Dagger
Exocet
Gazelle
Harrier
Hercules
Learjet
Lynx
Mirage III
Neptune
Nimrod
Oerlikon 35mm
Pucará
Puma
Rapier
Roland
Scout
Sea Cat
Sea Dart
Sea Harrier
Sea King
Sea Skua
Sea Slug
Sea Wolf
Shrike
Sidewinder
Skyhawk
Skyvan
Stinger
Super Etendard
T-34 Mentor
Victor
Vulcan
Wasp
Wessex
Battles
Alférez Sobral
Belgrano
Black Buck
Bluff Cove
Goose Green
HMS Coventry
HMS Sheffield
Mount Harriet
Mount Longdon
Mount Tumbledown
Operación Azul
Pebble Island
San Carlos
Seal Cove
South Georgia
Two Sisters
Wireless Ridge
Aftermath
Books
Battle for the Falklands
One Hundred Days
Razor's Edge
Sink the Belgrano
Vulcan 607
Videos
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Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan was a massive subsonic delta-winged bomber that served with the British Royal Air Force (RAF).
The first prototype flew in
1952,
and the aircraft was in squadron service from
1956 to
1984
and carried out the Black Buck raids during the
Falklands War.
The aircraft was originally developed as part of the RAF's V-bomber
nuclear deterrence force against the Soviet Union, during the early part of the
Cold War. The aircraft also had a secondary role as a conventional bomber,
being able to carry up to twenty-one 1,000 lb bombs (it also served for
a period in a maritime radar reconnaissance role, and as a tanker - but
not in either role during the
Falklands War).
By the time of the
Falklands War, the Vulcan was preparing for retirement,
its role as part of Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent role
having long passed over to the Royal Navy's Polaris submarines.
Nevertheless, despite its age, the Vulcan remained capable of
delivering WE.177B freefall nuclear weapons, and continued to be available
to support NATO ground forces in a tactical strike role.
In preparation for the Black Buck raids, five Vulcans were selected.
Because of their age, many modifications were necessary. The aircrafts'
bomb bays were modified, the flight refuelling system (which had long been
out of operation) was repaired, the electronics upgraded, and the capability
of carrying an ECM pod and Shrike anti-radar
missiles added.
Vulcans were to carry out five raids
(out seven that were planned) during the war,
and bombed Port Stanley airfield, Argentine radar installations and
Argentine ground forces. The raids on Stanley airfield, cratered the runway
and forced
the Argentines to withdraw their fast jets (including
Mirage IIIs) back to the
Argentine mainland. Each of the raids was flown from Wideawake airfield
on Ascension Island over a a range of 3,380 nautical miles (6,300 kilometres),
making them the longest range air combat mission then carried out.
The Vulcan finally retired from RAF service in
1984.
Of the 134 aircraft that were originally built, 21 are currently on display in museums
Here is a summary of the Vulcan Mk B 2 technical specifications:
| Crew |
5 |
| Wingspan |
111 feet (33.8 metres) |
| Length |
99 feet 11 inches (30.5 metres)
105 feet 6 inches (32.2 metres) with refuelling probe |
| Height |
27 feet 1 inch (8.1 metres) |
| Wing Area |
3,964 ft2 (368 m2) |
| Maximum Take-off Weight |
204,000 lb (92,400 kg) |
| Cruising Speed |
Mach 0.86 - 610 mph (980 km/h) |
| Maximum Speed |
Mach 0.92 - 625 mph (1,006 km/h) |
| Range |
4,600 miles (3,995 nautical miles, 7,402 kilometres) |
| Service Ceiling |
60,000 feet (18,300 metres) |
There is an excellent account of the
first Black Buck,
and the background to the missions, in the book,
Vulcan 607.
Here are some other books about the Vulcan:
By Phil Butler
Midland Publishing, Ltd
Paperback (144 pages)
 | List Price: $35.95
Lowest New Price: $22.54
Lowest Used Price: $22.54
Usually ships in 24 hours
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Click Here | Product Description:
The Avro Vulcan was one of three aircraft designed to form part of Britain's V-bomber fleet alongside the Valiant and Victor. The Avro Vulcan was perhaps one of the most iconic aircraft designed and built in the UK in the postwar years. Ironically, the type's most famous action did not involve combating the international communism threat, but rather the Argentinean invasion of the Falkland Islands in April 1982. In two of the most carefully planned and audacious aviation raids in history, Vulcans from RAF Waddington attacked the airfield at Port Stanley in early May 1982 in order to prevent Argentinean Air Force fighters from using the airfield. The success of the raids was an essential part of Britain's ultimate victory in the South Atlantic.
By 1982, the Vulcan design was already more than 30 years old and the newest aircraft was almost 20 years old. Between 1952 and 1964, 89 delta-winged aircraft were built and by the time of the Falklands War, the type was rapidly approaching withdrawal. The final examples of this highly regarded aircraft were withdrawn from Squadron service in 1984. It is a tribute to the popularity of the Vulcan among aviation enthusiasts that numerous examples survive in preservation both in Britain and overseas. |
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By Tim McLelland
Crecy Publishing
Hardcover (336 pages)
 | List Price: $59.35
Lowest New Price: $39.13
Lowest Used Price: $42.17
In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.
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By Kev Darling
The Crowood Press
Hardcover (216 pages)
 | List Price: $49.95
Lowest New Price: $32.97
Lowest Used Price: $37.47
Usually ships in 24 hours
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The Avro Vulcan is probably the most famous and best loved of the three V-Bombers that constituted the Royal Air Force's nuclear strike force during the 1960s. Immediately recognizable thanks to its huge delta wing, it was at the forefront of Britain's strategic nuclear defenses for over a decade. As the nuclear deterrent was passed to the Royal Navy at the end of the 1960s, the Vulcan was redeployed onto tactical interdiction duties. During the 1982 Falklands War, the Vulcan saw the only combat service of its career. This detailed study surveys the history of the aircraft from its inception in 1947 to its final role as an inflight-refueling tanker in the mid-1980s, and beyond. |
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By Philip Birtles
Midland Publishing, Ltd
Hardcover (128 pages)
 | List Price: $39.61
Lowest New Price: $24.57
Lowest Used Price: $24.57
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The origins of the Avro Vulcan, which entered squadron service in 1956, go back to an Air Ministry requirement issued in 1947. The requirement called for a jet bomber capable of carrying a nuclear weapon, reaching a top speed of nearly 500 knots, flying at a height in excess of 50,000 feet, and a range of over 3,000 miles.
The Vulcan was the most famous of the three types of V-Bombers. Along with the Victor and the Valiant V-Bombers, the Vulcan helped maintain Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent during the early years of the Cold War. Initially finished in an all-over white color scheme to protect the aircraft and their crews from the heat and flash of a nuclear explosion, the V-Force's aircraft could be scrambled in minutes in response to any Soviet attack. V-Bombers and their crews stood on constant alert until 1969 when the V-Force handed over its nuclear deterrent role to the Royal Navy's Polaris submarines.
In all, 136 Vulcans were built by Avro, the last being completed in January 1965. After it lost its nuclear deterrent function, the Vulcan found other roles as a conventional bomber, a maritime reconnaissance aircraft, and as a tanker. Its only combat action was seen in the famous Operation BLACK BUCK raids during the Falklands Conflict. At the time, these were the longest bombing missions in the history of warfare, with the Vulcans covering some 8,000 miles in around 16 hours. The aircraft was finally withdrawn from squadron service in 1984.
This stunning pictorial tribute to an iconic British aircraft celebrates its return to flight and the 25th anniversary of its historic Falklands missions. |
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By Stewart Wilson
Australian Aviation
Paperback (200 pages)
 | List Price: $24.95
Lowest New Price: $44.44
Lowest Used Price: $24.95
(As of 22:29 Pacific 8 May 2008 More Info)
Click Here | Book Description:
The fifth volume in the Legends of the Air series, Vulcan, Boeing B-47 & B-52 examines in detail these three remarkable Cold War warriors which were aerodynamic pioneers of the era. It features around 70,000 words of text, hundreds of photographs, 48 specifically commissioned color sideview drawings, technical drawings, specification and production tables, and more. There had certainly never before been an aircraft of the design concept of the Vulcan with its incredible delta wing, aptly named the 'tin triangle'. Meanwhile across the Atlantic, Boeing had forged ahead with the then black art of high speed swept wing high altitude bomber design that culminated in the B-47 Stratojet, an aircraft that hopefully would be able to outfly the Soviet fighters of the time. Almost before the B-47 was fully operational though its successor, the incredibly long ranging eight engined B-52 was airborne and preparing to become one of the legendary aircraft of the modern era. In fact, on present plans, this multi war veteran should still be flying in 2030, three quarters of a century after the prototype appeared! |
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By Bruce Barrymore
Pen and Sword
Hardcover (320 pages)
 | List Price: $50.00
(As of 22:29 Pacific 8 May 2008 More Info)
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The prototype Vulcan first flew in 1952 and the type entered service with the RAF in 1956 to become part of the famous V-bomber force. Its unique delta wing and outstanding, almost fighter-like maneuverability soon made it a favorite with its crews and aviation enthusiasts. It followed in the tradition of its ancestor, the World War II Lancaster, by having an enormous payload for its size and could carry Britain's nuclear deterrent missile, Blue Steel, to targets in excess of 3,000 miles distance.
Towards the end of its frontline service, The Vulcan first flew in anger, when a single aircraft was flown the length of the Atlantic Ocean to bomb the runway at Stanley during the Falklands war, an amazing feat that captured the nation's imagination. There are well-advanced plans to restore an example so that it may once again delight the crowds at air shows around the world.
This book examines the design and evolution of the type throughout its career and includes each of the several variants that were produced. Weapon systems and operation of the type are all covered in great detail and the text is enhanced by many unpublished photographs and color profiles. |
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By Robert Jackson
Patrick Stephens Ltd
Hardcover (192 pages)
| List Price: $22.95
Lowest New Price: $9.99
Lowest Used Price: $0.40
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By Andrew J. Brookes
Allan
Hardcover (128 pages)
| Lowest Used Price: $23.99
(As of 22:29 Pacific 8 May 2008 More Info)
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By Kev Darling
Crowood Press
Hardcover
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By Christopher Chant
G T Foulis & Co Ltd
Hardcover (56 pages)
| Lowest New Price: $16.50
Lowest Used Price: $3.97
(As of 22:29 Pacific 8 May 2008 More Info)
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