Vulcan Farewell

Staying with delta wings of the 50s & 60s for a bit.
Anyone remember the Javlin, they used to have some based at West Malling when I was a kid.

I remember them flying over.

 

Remember them days well. Every Saturday down to Woolworths for a 2/6d kit Not in posh boxes like below , in them days it was a plastic bag. My favourite for value was the Bloodhound kit - missile , land-rover and transporter for half a crown !

 

As to Airfix kits, I bought loads of them back in the 60s.
I always preferred the models of WW2 planes as against the jets, just had that bit more intrest to me.

Not sure why, but I clearly remember saving my pocket money for weeks to buy a model of a Sunderland flying boat at the local shop that was on display.
The price was 10/6d.

52.5p if I've worked it out correctly.

 

I used to see the Vulcan quite often as it was used as a flying test bed for the Olympus 593 (Concorde engine). We used to see plenty of different aircraft about the place, there was usually something flying every day, including the Vulcan, which was always impressive.

 

The Sunderland was one off the first Airfix super-kits . I remember my cousin making a superb job on his build. A stunning WW2 plane - always reminds me of Biggles !

 

Mine never looked that good Harry.

Flying test beds, not of course to be confused with "Flying Bedsteads" that takes me back to the Farnborough days, remember a VC10 flying round with two of its engines replaced by one big one.
Might have been the RB211?

 

Funny you should mention that. The first section I worked on was sited under the wing of that VC10. Yes, the RB211.

 

Btw Pete, what was your connection with Farnborough? I worked there myself for a few months, on secondment.

 

And the RB211 went on to power the British Airways 747s???

Or am I getting mixed up, I remember it very nearly got scrapped by RR.

 

My connection, I'm afraid was nothing more than attending the airshows, when I could.
Not been for years now.

 

I used to go to a few air shows, never Farnborough though. The best by some distance was Greenham Common. Do they still hold shows?

Dunno Pete But time wise, sounds about right.

 

Dont think Greenham Common is still an airfield, since the Yanks moved out.
They got fed up with that bunch of lay abouts protesting about cruise missiles around the perimeter so moved out.
Think its been turned back into Common land now.
I only went there once.

The big one then moved to Fairford.
Not been there, kind of put off these days by the massive crowds and the security.

I was going to go to Fairford a few years ago, but I picked the year it was called off, at a very late stage, due to waterlogging.

 

I remember that, lots of disappointed people. I haven't been to a show for a very long time, although we've had small scale affairs here that issued to go to. These were put on every two years as part of an open day. Last year they closed the airfield, so we won't be having any more. This used to be a great place to work, but now it's just boring, as all we now produce are components in high numbers. Progress eh?