Avro Vulcan XH558 flies home to Woodford
Airshow favourite Vulcan XH558 is a real crowd pleaser
It will not have escaped the attention of aviation enthusiasts in the UK that much loved Avro Vulcan XH558 ‘The Spirit of Great Britain’ is almost at the end of her flying display career and by the end of this month, the world’s only flying Vulcan will take to the air no more. Over the weekend of 10th and 11th October, the aircraft embarked on an ambitious ‘National Tour’, allowing as many people as possible to say goodbye to this much loved Cold War bomber and in the latest edition of Aerodrome, we will take a look at one of the locations from the ‘Northern leg’ of the tour, which had particular significance in the history of Vulcan XH558.
When enthusiasts look back at the highlights of the 2015 Airshow season, it will definitely be remembered as the year of the Vulcan, with any event boasting the attendance of the Vulcan seeing huge crowds turn up to take one last look at arguably the most significant privately operated aircraft in the history of British aviation. The well known ‘Vulcan Effect’ has gone into overdrive over the past few months and as we move closer to XH558’s final flight, the sheer numbers of people desperate for one last look at her classic delta shape have started to cause significant safety issues. With particular reference to her home base at the former RAF Finningley, the number of people turning up to see the aircraft fly have been causing such severe congestion issues for the local police that there was a real possibility that the Vulcan would be prematurely grounded. The announcement of a National Tour was intended to alleviate these problems, allowing as many people as possible to see the Vulcan one last time – don’t come to see the Vulcan, she will come to you!
Obviously, as a long time supporter of Avro Vulcan XH558, I was never going to pass up the opportunity to see her fly one more time and on studying the route for the proposed National tour, there definitely could only be one venue for me – the former Avro airfield at Woodford, in Cheshire. This was the birthplace of XH558 and seeing her fly over the airfield one last time, would be both memorable and extremely poignant. I would not be alone – for many people, this would be the most significant venue to see the Vulcan fly and it was certain to be extremely well attended. With ticket secured and a clear plan of what I hoped to achieve, I looked forward to the event and kept my fingers crossed for good weather.
Historic Woodford
The main gate at Woodford, photographed on 10th October 2015
The airfield at Woodford is extremely important in the history of Avro Vulcan XH558 and indeed of the Avro Aviation Company itself. Although the component parts of Vulcan XH558 were actually built at the nearby Avro Chadderton factory, these parts were transported to Woodford by road, where final assembly, fitting out, system testing and flight testing of the aircraft took place. On 1st July 1960, wearing a smart ‘anti-flash’ white paint finish, XH558 took off from the runway at Woodford and headed for RAF Waddington, on her delivery flight – she was the first Vulcan B.MK.2 to be delivered to the RAF.
When you consider the fact that Woodford and XH558 are inextricably linked, there really was only one place for Vulcan enthusiasts to be on Saturday 10th October, but for me personally, Woodford is also a place of extremely fond memories. As a young boy fascinated by all things aviation, Woodford was a place of wonder for me and was one of the few active airfields I could reach under my own steam. Living in Oldham, I could catch a bus to Stockport, then a further one to Woodford, which was a trip I made as often as I could, but certainly several times a year. In those fantastic days, the British aviation industry seemed to be really proud of what they were doing and Woodford would regularly open its doors for enthusiast or family days and I would always try to get to as many of these events as I possibly could. Entering the imposing main gates at Woodford, you would be taken past the main office and design buildings and led to one of the huge hangars on the site. Once inside, you really did not know where to look – there were aeroplanes everywhere! Nimrods, BAe146 airliners, HS 748 and ATP propliners were all at various stages of construction, many of which were undergoing systems or undercarriage retraction tests. This was a working aviation factory and things did not stop because a few visitors had turned up – it was absolutely fascinating to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a busy aircraft production factory.
A sign of the times. The main entrance at Woodford
Woodford Airshow – An Aviation Extravaganza
As you might imagine, the annual Airshow at Woodford was a must do event for me and if I could not convince my father to take me and my aviation buddies (which was no mean feat, as he was an absolute workaholic), it would have to be public transport – there was no way I was ever going to miss this local opportunity to get close to aeroplanes. Usually managing to attract the best that British Aerospace and the current RAF had to offer, you could also rely on the organisers to pull in some unusual international acts for the Airshow. The show even boasted the appearance of Britain’s Concorde 002 in 1971 – the first time it had displayed at a regional event! Whatever the organisers served up, Woodford Airshows were always well attended by the people of the North West.
There are three specific things that I will always remember about the annual Woodford Airshows of my youth. Firstly the rain – the Manchester area has a reputation for being rather a wet place and the Woodford Airshow tended to live up to this stereotypical view more often than not. It would rarely last all day, or spoil the show altogether, but you always made sure you had your coat when you went to Woodford, just in case!
The Second thing was Avro Vulcan XM603. This magnificent aircraft was always to be found somewhere on the airfield and usually in a location that allowed close inspection by the general public. Indeed, bearing in mind the previous observation, I have sheltered from the rain under the mighty delta wing of XM603 on numerous occasions, which simply has to be the most enigmatic umbrella in Britain.
The tail of Vulcan XM603 can be seen rising from the debris
My third memory of the annual Woodford Airshow is simply the venue itself, or more specifically the backdrop. When standing on the crowd-line at Woodford, you were looking at a quite unique backdrop for an airfield … the Pennine Hills. On a clear day, it was an absolutely spectacular sight, with rolling green fields, hills and trees as far as the eye could see – add to this the sight of a Lightning F.6 blasting down the runway and you can possibly image why Woodford was such an important place in my young life.
Demolition of Woodford airfield begins
Having described my affection for Woodford airfield, you can imagine my distress when it was announced that aircraft production would cease and the site was to be sold off, ending over 90 years of Avro aviation heritage. The Woodford site was sold to the heir to the JCB fortune, with talk of regeneration, including film studios, a classic car showroom and an equestrian centre. In 2014, plans were approved to convert the site into a housing estate, with planning permission granted for 920 houses, as well as shops and a new school. Thankfully, the plans also included the establishment of an Avro Heritage Museum on this historic site, using the old fire station building as its base and allowing this extremely important part of British aviation history to be preserved for generations to come. The museum would also provide a home for long-time Woodford resident Avro Vulcan B.2 XM603, which is now positioned outside the museum building.
Taking all these things into consideration, I knew that going to Woodford for the Vulcan flypast would be something of a bitter sweet occasion, but I was determined to be there for what would surely be an historic event. As a keen photographer, I also had a very clear idea of the picture I was hoping to capture – an iconic image of Avro Vulcan XH558 flying over XM603, with the new Avro Heritage Museum sign in the background! Well, it would have been a cracking image if I had managed it, but the best laid plans and all that!
View from the 07 end of Woodford’s runway
One of the more modern hangars at Woodford
Driving through the familiar main gates of the Woodford site, we were met with the rather upsetting sight of demolition in full swing. Gone was the office block and hangar behind the main gate, replaced by mounds of rubble and twisted metal – indeed, the demolition contractors were going about their work as we looked on. Even though this proved to be an unpleasant sight, we have to extend our thanks to the demolition contractors, as they now control the site and it was only as a result of their preparation and authority that we were allowed to attend this event.
Once our tickets had been checked, we were directed along the runway perimeter tracks, to a parking area at the 07 end of the runway. Obviously, with my specific photographic requirements, I asked if I could be directed closer to the Heritage Museum and was duly sent to the far side of the airfield and a further bank of hi-viz jacket wearing volunteers. A further explanation of my intentions was met with a categorical NO – there would be no access to the Heritage Museum at all. So much for my fantastic photograph!
The old A.V. Roe & Co. hangar at Woodford
Our view of the new Avro Heritage Museum
As we were allowed onto the historic Woodford site, I decided to get as many pictures as I possibly could, as this would surely be one of the final opportunities to do so, before the Woodford I used to know was gone forever. Just behind where we were parked, you could still see some of the original old A.V Roe & Co. hangars, which will hopefully be preserved for their undoubted historical significance. Whilst grabbing a couple of pictures, I incurred the wrath of one of the volunteers, who politely asked me to return to the main group, as we were not allowed to walk un-escorted around the site. Things were getting worse by the minute and we had ages to wait for the Vulcan.
I decided to try and find a position where I could see white Vulcan XM603 and hoped that when XH558 performed her flypast, there would be a chance to have both aircraft in the picture at the same time – this would still make for a memorable image and make the trip to Woodford a worthwhile one. All the time I was thinking about getting ‘the shot’, cars continued to arrive in large numbers. By lunch time, it was clear that a great many people had decided that Woodford was the place to see the Vulcan and parking spaces were fast running out – space was at a premium and the cars were still coming! One thing was absolutely certain, the Vulcan was assured of receiving a very warm Woodford welcome.
The control tower at Woodford survives amid the demolition debris
As everyone waited for the arrival of this very special aircraft, some groups were much more prepared than others. Perched on my aluminium work step (I know its sad), I looked on enviously at the table and chairs set out next to me, with lunch and wine set out for them to enjoy – we aviation people really are a civilized bunch. Whilst we waited, a local model flying club did their best to keep everyone entertained and I have to say that it was nice to see aircraft flying at Woodford once more, even if they were of the radio controlled variety. All the time, cars continued to roll in and people were now even lining the outside of the perimeter fence – the Vulcan effect was in full swing!
Radio controlled models kept the crowds entertained
A closer view of resident Vulcan B.2 XM602
As the published time for the Vulcan’s arrival approached, there was a real sense of expectation amongst the crowd and we all began to search the skies for the distinctive delta wing of mighty Vulcan. Using their phones to receive updates from friends, or checking Flightradar, the anticipation was almost unbearable and then we had the first ‘She’s there!’ Sure enough the unmistakable shape of the Vulcan could be seen in the distance, as she performed a fly-through at Manchester Airport, before positioning behind us for her appearance over Woodford. People began to clap and cheer and camera shutters began to click like machine guns, as everyone was desperate to record this historic event. At this late stage, the photography demons set in - What should I do? Should I zoom in to capture some of the last pictures of a Vulcan in flight, or should I pull back and record the historic venue at which she was flying? In the end, I tried to do both and think I managed to pull it off with reasonably successful results.
One for the record. Avro Vulcan XH558 turns above XM603 and the new Avro Heritage Museum
The massed crowds at Woodford were treated to two fantastic passes by Avro Vulcan B.2 XH558, before she sped away to delight some more of her adoring fans. For many of us, this will prove to be the last time we were lucky enough to see her fly, as she is due to cease all display flying by the end of October. By then, she will have exceeded the 250 flying hours indicated before her restoration and will have flown significantly more hours than any other Vulcan in history. She will still continue to thrill enthusiast in the years to come, by performing fast taxi runs at her home airfield at Finningley, but more importantly, she will inspire future generations of potential engineers, as she forms the centrepiece of a new engineering inspiration centre at this former RAF airfield.
A series of images from the second pass by Avro Vulcan XH558 at BAe Woodford on Saturday 10th October 2015
As the sun glinted off the huge delta wings of the Vulcan as she slipped from our sight, people began to collect their belongings and make their way back to their cars. In an extremely sombre end to the occasion, we were all saying goodbye to not one, but two pieces of significant Avro aviation history and although everyone will remember this day for a very long time, it was a rather sad day.
Thankfully, the Woodford legacy will live on with the Avro Heritage Museum and whilst we were not allowed to inspect the Museum on the day, it will be open to the public in the very near future. Hopefully, this development will also see the long term preservation of Woodford based XM603, who will serve as a spectacular reminder of the aircraft that were built and flown from this Cheshire aerodrome. Once the museum is open, I will be hoping to pay a visit and include this in a future edition of Aerodrome.
Corgi’s model tribute to the mighty Avro Vulcan B.2
The first Corgi release from the new 1/72nd scale Vulcan tooling
Without doubt, one of the models most requested by Corgi collectors over the years has been the Avro Vulcan in 1/72nd scale. The sheer size of this model proved to be a real challenge for the Corgi design team, but what they managed to produce was nothing short of spectacular - as we prepare for the inevitable final display of Avro Vulcan B.2 XH558, we can ease our pain somewhat with this magnificent scale representation of this much loved aircraft. In this larger 1/72nd scale, the Corgi Vulcan has to be one of the most impressive collector models ever produced.
AA27201 is a superb representation of the mighty Avro Vulcan B.2
The first release from this new tooling presented the collector with a model of arguably the most famous Vulcan to ever fly and the subject of this week’s Aerodrome feature – Avro Vulcan B.2 XH558 (G-VLCN). The model was finished in the livery the aircraft wore when she triumphantly ‘returned to flight’ at Bruntingthorpe Airfield in October 2007, where she immediately became arguably the most significant historic aircraft in the world. Ordered by collectors in huge numbers, this first release is now completely sold out at the Corgi warehouse and although it may be possible to still find an example by scouring the internet, they are going to be highly sought after models in the years to come.
Catalogue image of the second 1/72nd scale Vulcan release
The second model from the spectacular Vulcan tooling (AA27202) has just been released and includes tooling modification to allow for a ‘Blue Steel’ nuclear stand-off missile to be carried under the fuselage of the model. Using a strong magnet to keep the missile in place, this latest model release is finished in the distinctive ‘anti-flash’ white scheme, which was synonymous with the nuclear deterrent Vulcans of the Cold War period. Produced in much smaller quantities than the initial release, this latest Vulcan really does highlight the detailed work undertaken by the Corgi design team and their determination to produce one of the most impressive aviation models the hobby has seen. As the last flying Vulcan performs its final display, this model is a fitting tribute to one of the most distinctive aircraft to ever see service with the Royal Air Force.
If you managed to catch the Vulcan during her National Tour, why not share some of your pictures with us – we could possibly include them in a future Vulcan Tribute edition, which would be a nice way to mark the end of the Vulcan’s flying career.
As usual, you are welcome to discuss our latest blog either on the Airfix Aerodrome Forum or Corgi Aerodrome Forum. If you have any specific comments, questions or suggestions for future editions of Aerodrome, please feel free to let us know on Airfix Facebook or Corgi Facebook, or on Airfix Twitter or Corgi Twitter using #aerodrome.
That’s it for a slightly emotional Aerodrome this week. I hope that you enjoyed the Woodford report and I hope to bring you more aviation related musings next week. Until then, thank you very much for reading.
Michael
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