Avro Vulcan Near Disaster at Wellington Airshow

Video from the channel The Northern Historian about Avro Vulcan, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 12:11. Language: English. Video type: Documentary.

Account of the air show that inaugurated Wellington International Airport, in New Zealand, in October 1959. That day three accidents were narrowly avoided, the most serious involving an Avro Vulcan B1.

Rongotai airfield, in use since 1929, closed in 1949 because it had become too small for larger aircraft. In the early 1950s it was decided to turn it into an international airport: land had to be reclaimed from the sea at Evans Bay and Lyall Bay, and about 160 houses had to be relocated. The opening was set for 24 and 25 October. The RAF's 617 Squadron deployed four Vulcan B1s to Ohakea air base and brought three to the air show. Rain and wind prevented flying on the Saturday. On the Sunday, still windy, an Australian Canberra, a Fokker Friendship, a Handley Page Herald, a refuelling formation with a KB-29, an F-101 and an F-86, a US C-130, and a Britannia, a Beverley and a Comet 2 of the RAF all flew.

A New Zealand Short Sunderland made such a low pass that its keel grazed the runway and tore open; it returned to Hobsonville. The Vulcan XH498 made two touch-and-goes and, on the third attempt, touched down before the runway. The left landing gear struck an embankment and bent. The pilot applied full power and took off again, but the loose gear leg punctured a fuel tank. At Ohakea, the three rear crew members, who had no ejection seats, refused to bail out by parachute. The captain landed resting on the good gear leg until he lost speed, and all five came out unhurt. At the closing, four New Zealand Vampires flew into a cloud during the final formation manoeuvre: one pilot said he had pulled 12 g, and a spectator reckoned one passed within three metres of the ground.