The Vulcan Bomber
Category: Aviation
The Pilot
Photographs, Video and Stuff
The Misplaced Ear Defenders
Photographs, Video and Stuff
In today’s plastic and electronic world, we often seem to lose sight of how important engineering skills are to us. And, we especially lose sight of how important solid engineering training is. We certainly don’t always seem to make things like we used to. Perhaps it is because our politicians mostly read PPE at Oxford or are former lawyers. They wouldn’t know a spanner if it hit them on the head! That leads me to ask the question…what exactly are our politicians good for? Answer (as in the song): ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
One of the very brave and highly inspirational women who, during World War 2, flew newly built aircraft from the factories to airfields around the UK. They flew without radios or any armaments. They flew many types of different aircraft with minimal training. Exceptional pilots.
It could almost be a spaceship! The photograph was taken from the ‘back room’ of the Vulcan where three ‘back office’ crew members would have sat. It will be clear from the image that the Vulcan bomber was not build for comfort.
If the firing pin interrupter mechanism didn’t work, there was every chance you would shoot your own propellor off.
A slightly different version of this image.
Over 57,000 aircrew were killed during World War 2 (46% death rate). I can’t help wondering how many more young men and women will be killed if fighting breaks out (again) in Iran/Iraq and beyond. Ultimately a pointless and tragic loss of human life. We never seem to learn.
Used for carrying large, heavy loads…
For Vulcan lovers everywhere…
I know, not technically a chopper!!
Right hotel room, wrong lens! A great view of London City Airport from my hotel room but I didn’t bring my long lens with me on this trip.
A curious way to look at an aircraft perhaps. For a long time, I rejected this image but, for some reason, it works for me today…
Very brave men flew these Lysander aircraft during WW2. The RAF pilots who flew these aircraft behind enemy lines, landed and either picked up or dropped off resistance fighters. The pilots would land in the dead of night in out of the way fields guided by only three people on the ground who held torches. No GPS or navigational aids in those days. The aircraft were unarmed.
When flying was exciting!
Following on from my image of the Jet Provost, here’s an image of the Piston Provost, the predecessor of the Jet Provost.
Let’s try this one again. It didn’t post properly last time.
Sheer undiluted power. From an era when we British used to build fine aircraft. A Lightning (AKA an intercontinental ballistic missile with a pilot sitting on the top!)
The De Havilland Beaver. A fine aircraft.
An old favourite reworked…
I remember a time when only the very wealthy flew around the world…
