Airfix A12011 Avro Vulcan B2 Aircraft

Product Information

The Avro Type 722 Atlantic was a 1952 proposal (announced in June 1953) for a 120-passenger delta-winged airliner based on the Type 698. [60] Avro Type 732

a b "Vulcan's bombing run is highlight of Leicestershire war show". Leicester Mercury, 7 September 2009. A planned weekend appearance on 21/22 August 2015 [41] at the Shoreham Airshow was interrupted by the crash of a Hawker Hunter. The Hunter crashed on the first day, just before 13.30 (BST), with the Vulcan due to appear at 14.05. A de Havilland Sea Vixen that was already airborne for the next display instead flew a tribute, with XH558 doing the same at its allotted time, the last aircraft to fly on the day. [42] On 15 May 2015 it was announced that 2015 would be XH558's last flying season, due to the fact the three companies assisting the project with technical expertise ( BAE Systems, Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group and Rolls-Royce) were unwilling to support the aircraft beyond that, meaning it would no longer have the necessary CAA approval to fly. According to the Trust, the companies arrived at the decision for two reasons – they were now entering uncertain territory regarding predicting future safety risks to continued flight due to the fact XH558 had already performed ten percent more flying hours than any other Vulcan, and secondly, the increasing difficulty in obtaining the necessary expertise, particularly with regard to the engines. [3] [25]The engine intakes took a long time to complete. After gluing the parts, I filled and smoothed the seams before painting the insides white, and fits were generally good. The problem arose when I had to add camouflage fairly deep into each intake because I wasn’t confident I could mask and paint them. The instructions provided a template of the demarcation line, so I ended up painting some decal paper with the appropriate colors and used the template to make a decal to go into the intake. The first post-restoration display at RAF Waddington comprised a flypast with the Avro Lancaster of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and then a solo display. For the first season, it was anticipated the Vulcan would be able to perform 13 appearances. [23] Ultimately however, three appearances were cancelled due to technical problems, two due to bad weather and three due to a fault in No. 2 engine. The navigation and bombing system comprised an H2S Mk9 radar and a navigation bombing computer Mk1. [91] Other navigation aids included a Marconi radio compass ( ADF), GEE Mk3, Green Satin Doppler radar to determine the groundspeed and drift angle, radio and radar altimeters, and an instrument landing system. [91] TACAN replaced GEE in the B.1A [94] and B.2 in 1964. Decca Doppler 72 replaced Green Satin in the B.2 around 1969 [95] A continuous display of the aircraft's position was maintained by a ground position indicator. [95]

The first prototype VX770 had its Sapphire engines replaced with four 15,000 lbf (67 kN) Rolls-Royce Conway RCo.7 turbofans in 1957. It was transferred to Rolls-Royce as the Conway test bed. It flew with the Conways, the first turbofans in the world, until its fatal crash in September 1958. On 7th January 1971, Vulcan B.2 XM610 of No.44 Squadron crashed due to a blade fatigue failure in the No. 1 engine, damaging the fuel system and causing a fire. The crew abandoned the aircraft safely, after which it crashed harmlessly in Wingate.

The responsibility of providing Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent passed to the submarines of the Royal Navy in July 1969 and saw the RAF performing its final V-bomber Blue Steel mission late the following year. Although taking on a more conventional strike role, RAF Vulcans would retain a nuclear capability and maintain their position as one of the worlds most effective bombers for the next fourteen years, before finally being withdrawn from service. Due to the affection in which this aircraft was held by the British public, the Vulcan Display Flight was almost immediately formed to operate one aircraft on the UK Airshow circuit for a further nine years, before itself being disbanded. A combination of factors resulted in a decision at the end of 2012 to retire XH558 after the end of the 2013 season. After another feasibility study the decision was reversed and a major funding drive launched, which resulted in the required engineering work being done to ensure XH558 flew for the 2014 and 2015 seasons – see Operation 2015.

Molded in 227 soft blue-gray plastic parts, the kit features optional parts to build the landing gear up or down, conventional bombs or a Blue Steel nuclear missile in the bomb bay that can be posed open or closed, and separate posable control surfaces. The bomb bay assembles from sides, frames, and spars that attach to sturdy supports for the massive wings. Good engineering makes for smooth construction, but be sure everything is aligned. I airbrushed the bomb bay with Tamiya white primer. The lower wings needed a just a little filler and sanding before I added the landing gear bays, bomb bay, and wing spars. In 1960, the Air Staff approached Avro with a request into a study for a patrol missile carrier armed with up to six Skybolt missiles capable of a mission length of 12 hours. Avro’s submission in May 1960 was the Phase 6 Vulcan, which if built would have been the Vulcan B.3. The aircraft was fitted with an enlarged wing of 121 ft (37 m) span with increased fuel capacity; additional fuel tanks in a dorsal spine; a new main undercarriage to carry an all-up-weight of 339,000 lb (154,000 kg); and reheated Olympus 301s of 30,000 lbf (130 kN) thrust. An amended proposal of October 1960 inserted a 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) plug into the forward fuselage with capacity for six crew members including a relief pilot, all facing forwards on ejection seats, and aft-fan versions of the Olympus 301. Export proposals

Engine test beds

As the aircraft operated under visual flight rules (VFR), it could not fly through clouds to higher altitudes where turbulence is lower, as this would require instrument flight rules (IFR) certification. Flying VFR in lower, often turbulent air, the airframe suffers from more fatigue which increases fatigue-index (FI) consumption. A longer-term aim was to make the authorised modifications depending on the usage of fatigue index and engine cycle, to allow the fatigue life to match expected engine life with both expiring at about the same time.

On 24th July 1959, Vulcan B.1 XA891 crashed due to an electrical failure during an engine test. Shortly after take-off, the crew observed generator warning lights and loss of busbar voltage. The aircraft commander, Avro Chief Test Pilot Jimmy Harrison, climbed XA891 to 14,000 ft (4,300 m), steering away from the airfield and populated areas while the AEO attempted to solve the problem. When it became clear that control would not be regained, Harrison instructed the rear compartment crew to exit the aircraft and the co-pilot to eject, before ejecting himself. All the crew survived, making them the first complete Vulcan crew to successfully escape. The aircraft crashed near Kingston upon Hull. The top motor mount is now designed in two parts to allow the EDF to ESC connectors to be easily connected and disconnected.The front fuselage fits the wing assembly well, but I carefully clamped it to minimize misalignment. I had to trim quite a bit from the mounting tab for the tail to fit flush with the fuselage. All the little bits and landing gear finished the build. The main gear legs were a little tough to get in place but are sturdy and should have no problem supporting the weight. If you paint the camouflage, enlarge the marking diagram 250%; it provides a nearly perfect match to the model.