Restored Vulcan cleared for take-off

[expat]

LePaul , can you explain your comment about accuracy ? Also there were more then 1 Black Buck missions ......

[LePaul]

Well, this is what I found on Wiki...so...our mileage may vary.  I'm still sifting through other sites I found on the Vulcan Bomber (its a quiet night here at work       )


Although the primary weapon for the Vulcan was nuclear, Vulcans could carry up to 21 x 1000 lb (454 kg) bombs in a secondary role. The only combat missions involving the Vulcan took place in the 1982 Falklands War with Argentina, when Vulcans, in the Black Buck operations [8][9] flew the 3,380 nautical miles (6,300 km) from Ascension Island to Stanley. There were three missions to bomb the airfield at Stanley; two to attack Argentine radar installations with missiles and two missions were cancelled.

Victor aircraft were used for air-to-air refuelling in a complex scheme and approximately 1.1 million gallons of jet fuel were used in each mission. [10]

Five Vulcans were selected for the operation: their bomb bays were modified; the flight refuelling system that had long been out of use re-instated; the electronics updated; and wing pylons designed, manufactured, and fitted to carry an ECM pod and Shrike anti-radar missiles where the Skybolt hardpoints remained in the wings The engineering work began on 9 April with the first mission on 30 April–1 May 1982.

The first raid cut the runway at Stanley with a single bomb hit (from the 21 bombs dropped, a maximum of two had any chance of hitting the runway because it had been decided to attack from an angle for a greater chance of success).

The second raid failed to arm the bomb load before release, so no damage was done.

The third raid missed the runway completely and did a small amount of collateral damage around the runway, blowing up a jeep and causing one or two casualties.

After this, there were three raids using Shrike missiles. The first fired missiles but the Argentine radar operators turned off their radars when they detected missile release and no damage was done. The second aborted on the return journey and landed in Brazil, while still carrying live munitions. The third destroyed an anti-aircraft radar.

Each mission required use of Sea Harriers from the Hermes and Invincible, providing indirect escort and ground attack support.

 
Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan XM607 on display at RAF WaddingtonAt the time these missions held the record for the world's longest distance raids. The planning and execution of the "Black Buck One" raid has been described in Rowland White's book Vulcan 607 [11].



Wiki Link

[expat]

Got to love a quiet night shift
They achieved what they set out to do , ie to hit the runway , thus making it unuseable for the Argentine  jets .

[FrodeMk3]

I've taken my kids' to Castle AFB, and they have a Vulcan at the Museum there. It's a hell of a bird, would love to see one fly.

[Halo]

The Vulcan is easily one of the most stunning aircraft ever built.  That big delta wing reportedly gave it impressive high altitude performance.

Quick, what were the other two V bombers?  The Valiant with its unusual wing (sometimes referred to as scimitar, I think) and the more conventional Victor.

[Hwkeye]

at Ramstein back in the middle 70s and then in the early 90s when it made it's last appearances at airshows around the UK.  

I contributed to the restoration and I am glad to see so much progress has been made.  A Vulcan is a truly remarkable plane to see flying.

[deSelys]

Originally posted by Furball
...a decisive weapon in the Falklands War...

PS Furball, I know that you were only quoting the article