Vulcan 607

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The tanker crews were well-trained for their wartime role, as their peacetime role involved refuelling fighters scrambled in response to incursions into British airspace, usually by bombers from the Soviet Union at a rate of five per week. [10] However, long-range flights over the unfamiliar South Atlantic Ocean necessitated upgrades to the Victors' navigational equipment, notably the installation of the Delco Carousel inertial navigation system and the Omega navigation system. [12] The tankers were themselves capable of being refuelled in flight, which meant that it was possible to set up relays of aircraft. [13] Burden, Rodney A.; Draper, Michael I.; Rough, Douglas A.; Smith, Colin R.; Wilton, David L. (1986). Falklands: The Air War. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 0-85368-842-7. OCLC 159813718.

There is no evidence that Mirage IIIs were withdrawn from southern Argentina to protect Buenos Aires. On 29 April, Argentine radars at Puerto San Julián detected a suspected British air strike and aircraft from there were moved to Comodoro Rivadavia, but they still remained in southern Argentina. [78]

After over 20 minutes of intensive flying through the storm, the jets had burned more fuel than planned. Martin and his Vulcan crew flew in formation with the tankers during the storm, but as air-to-air refuelling was carried out in radio silence they were unaware of the full detail of the Victors’ problems. When they received a little over half the fuel they expected and the Victor signalled they had given all they could spare, the Vulcan crew were surprised. They had much lower levels than needed to complete the mission and return to Ascension. In reality XL189 had given morethan they could spare. The aircraft was an Avro Vulcan bomber, capable of carrying a 21,000lb nuclear payload. It looked like a scary version of Concorde. The New York stunt was part of an Anglo-American military exercise which proved the plane's ability to deliver nuclear bombs wherever they might be needed, whoever the enemy. The RAF called it "the tin triangle". Aloft, the race to outfit the Vulcans and supporting Victors for their mission reached a kind of technical frenzy compounded by the problem of no one knowing exactly how the mission could be achieved. Three days before the Vulcans were due to fly to Ascension Island, the decision to bomb from 300ft was changed to 7,000ft. The crews practised this twice. Next they discovered that the fuel calculation to get them to Ascension was wrong. They took off two days later, from RAF Waddington, during a decommissioning ceremony for one of the other two Vulcan squadrons.

Badsey, Stephen (March 2013). "An Overview of the Falklands War: Politics, Strategy and Operations". NIDS Military History Studies Annual (16): 139–166. ISSN 1345-5117. Freedman, Lawrence (2005). The Official History of the Falklands Campaign: Volume II - War and Diplomacy. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge. ISBN 0-7146-5207-5. OCLC 249889816. Just over 20 years later, its last three squadrons were about to be disbanded, the aircraft sent to flight museums and scrapyards. But the Vulcan was to find one last role, one as unexpected as its appearance over the Big Apple more than two decades earlier. In 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands and the United Kingdom found itself fighting a war on the other side of the world.The first two Vulcans, commanded by Squadron Leader John Reeve, and Flight Lieutenant Martin Withers, left Waddington at 0900Z on 29 April and arrived at Wideawake at 1800Z after a non-stop nine-hour flight during which they were twice refuelled by Victor tankers. [25] [15] Two other Vulcans subsequently deployed to Wideawake: one commanded by Squadron Leader Alastair Montgomery arrived on 14 May, and another, commanded by Squadron Leader Neil McDougall, on 27 May. It carried out trials with the Martel anti-radar missile before being equipped with the Shrike missile. [26] [27] Missions [ edit ] Summary [ edit ] Mission just watched the youtube video of the falklands most daring raid featuring this aircraft.. its a must watch.. well done boys Ward, Sharkey (2000). Sea Harrier over the Falklands. London: Cassell and Co. ISBN 0-304-35542-9. OCLC 606040010.

Shields, John (2021). Air Power in the Falklands Conflict: An Operational Level Insight Into Air Warfare in the South Atlantic. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Air World. ISBN 978-1-3990-0752-8. OCLC 1310247587. Initial long-range operations by the RAF involved the use of Victor aircraft for reconnaissance of the region surrounding South Georgia Island in support of Operation Paraquet, the recapture of South Georgia. At 0400Z on 20 April, a Victor piloted by Squadron Leader J. G. Elliott, took off from Ascension, accompanied by four supporting tankers to supply fuel for the outbound journey. Another flight of four tankers supplied fuel for the return journey. Two more reconnaissance missions to the South Georgia area were carried out on 22–23 April and on 24–25 April. [14] These missions demonstrated the capability of the Victor tanker fleet, flying out of Ascension, to support operations in the South Atlantic. [13] Vulcan bombers [ edit ] The bomb bay of Vulcan XM598 Middlebrook, Martin (2009) [1989]. Argentine Fight for the Falklands. Barnsley, United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 9781844158881. Shields, John (2021). Air Power in the Falklands Conflict: An Operational Level Insight Into Air Warfare in the South Atlantic. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Air World. ISBN 978-1-3990-0752-8. OCLC 1310247587.

Visitor Comments

There is an excellent video in Youtube titled" XM 607 Falklands Most Daring Raid" featuring this aircraft.

Haulman, Daniel L. (21 November 2016). "44 Hours". Air & Spaces Forces Magazine. Vol.99, no.12 . Retrieved 1 May 2023. However, more challenges lay ahead. An electrical storm interfered with the last refuelling stop, an issue that almost jeopardised the entire operation. Unfortunately this Aircraft can’t be seen at this time. I was passing to go a visit a few of the Vulcans while on a long weekend and attending a Car show at the British Motor Museum. How disappointing after near 300 miles from Glasgow on a Friday to pull up at the wave before heading to another small Air museum with another Vulcan to find it had moved and was in a hanger for restoration. If anyone that is in a position of responsibility for the Aircraft or base is reading please cut the hedges and put... read more » read more » Brookes, Andrew (2009). Vulcan Units of the Cold War. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-818-1. OCLC 154800055. Argentine codes had been broken, and in March 1982 intelligence warnings about possible Argentine activity in the South Atlantic accumulated. [5] [6] The RAF began examining whether it was possible to carry out long-range operations with Avro Vulcan bombers using aerial refuelling. [1] [4] In 1961, a Vulcan had flown non-stop from the UK to RAAF Base Richmond near Sydney in Australia, a much greater distance, [7] but that was with pre-positioned aerial tankers along the route, which would not be possible flying from Ascension. All consideration at this point was about how it could be done; no targets were identified in the Falklands or Argentina. [8]After Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982, [6] the British Government resolved to recapture them. [9] Victor tankers [ edit ]