617: Last Days Of The Vulcan Squadron (Full Documentary)

Video from the channel Dave Martin Guitarist about Avro Vulcan, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 36:05. Language: English. Video type: Archive footage.

Observational documentary about the final weeks of the RAF's 617 Squadron with the Avro Vulcan. It follows Flight Lieutenant Mike Kay's crew on their last training flight: route planning and its restrictions over towns, villages and farms, the division of tasks on board (the captain coordinates, the plotter navigator takes the aircraft to the initial point and the radar navigator acts as bomb-aimer), low-level flying and a simulated bombing run. It also captures crews discussing nuclear deterrence as an insurance policy that only works if it is never used, the discomfort of the rear crew positions, and the ground crew's work during winter.

Filmed at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, in late 1981, during the squadron's final days. By 8 December 1981 there was fuel allocated for only 12 flying hours, and then nine. The last flight was planned over the Derwent and Ladybower reservoirs, with 500 feet as the minimum height over water, aircraft 318 and 51,000 pounds of fuel. Freezing fog forced the take-off to be delayed while waiting for a clear spell that the forecast placed between 14:00 and 17:00.

617 Squadron was formed at Scampton in March 1943 under 25-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson to attack Germany's large dams with a new weapon. After weeks of low-level practice over reservoirs in Derbyshire and the Lake District, the attack was launched on the night of 16 May. In 1958 the squadron reformed at Scampton as one of the first Vulcan units, first as a high-altitude nuclear bomber and later in low-level attack, for 23 years. At closure, its commanding officer hoped the squadron would re-form with the Tornado within a year or two.