Avro 698 Vulcan

Video from the channel Mundo de Aviación about Avro Vulcan, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 11:14. Language: Spanish. Video type: Documentary.

Documentary about the Avro 698 Vulcan, the delta-wing strategic bomber that underpinned Britain's airborne nuclear deterrent for much of the Cold War and was also used for conventional bombing, maritime reconnaissance and air-to-air refuelling.

In late 1946 British industry was asked for a bomber capable of carrying a 10,000-pound bomb, about 4,500 kg, over 2,800 km. Of six proposals, three were chosen — Valiant, Victor and Vulcan — later known as the V bombers. Avro drew on studies by Alexander Lippisch and, with no experience of the delta wing, tested it with the one-third-scale Type 707, of which it built four examples. The first prototype, painted white, flew on 30 August 1952 with Rolls-Royce Avon engines. It was to have been named Ottawa, but a name starting with V was sought and the Roman god of fire was chosen instead. The first production B1 flew in 1955 (45 were built), followed by the larger-winged B2.

Maximum take-off weight of 77 tonnes, range of 4,171 km on internal fuel, top speed of 1,040 km/h and a bay for one nuclear bomb or 21 1,000-pound bombs. Five crew rode in a pressurised two-level cabin; the pilots had Martin-Baker ejection seats while the rest left through the entry door. Fuel was carried in 14 tanks, and the B2 replaced ailerons and elevators with eight elevons. Air-to-air refuelling was added from 1959; in June 1961 a Vulcan flew 18,507 km in about 20 hours. Its only combat missions were the Black Buck raids of 1982 in the Falklands War. It was retired in March 1984. A passenger Avro Atlantic and a Phase 6 version with Skybolt missiles remained on the drawing board.