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[Kevin Wood]

I've been spending a bit of my time this week operating a radio station to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight in the UK by Samuel Cody.

On Thursday there was a flypast http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7673625.stm as part of the celebrations. Now, I was stuck in a meeting but my mates at the radio station naturally had the Farnborough Tower frequency to hand.

Apparently, Vulcan XH558 was called in to land from a holding area. The conversation went along the following lines:

Tower: Vulcan, you're clear to land. Are you aware that the main runway is closed and you'll be landing on the cross runway?
Vulcan: Not without a parachute arrester, I won't!
Tower: Well, the main runway is not serviceable.
Vulcan: If I can't have the main runway I'm diverting.
Tower: <Pause>
Vulcan: What is the status of the main runway?
Tower: The ILS needs calibrating.

The pilot flying XH558 was a chap called Martin Withers. Back in the Falklands war he was a member of the crew who flew the BlackBuck raid, taking off from Ascension Island, flying to the Falklands, refuelling in-flight several times on the way, bombed the runway at Port Stanley in the dark, and returned to Ascension, on vapours.

Ironic that 26 years later he is told he can't land on an 8,500ft runway in perfect flying conditions without a functional Instrument Landing System.

Never underestimate the power of the jobsworth.

Kevin

[albitz]

If the Falklands conflict happened today,I suspect the outcome may be different. :-/

[Del Boy]

If the Falklands conflict happened today,I suspect the outcome may be different. :-/

Why do I have to agree with that  

[LaserLance]

If the Falklands conflict happened today,I suspect the outcome may be different. :-/

Think that is a understament   When half the RN is in mothballs in Portsmouth and our army and airforce is undermaned , another fine job done by our polititions  

[Martin_1962]

What a mess

He could land that easily

Have you read his book?

[Martin_1962]

If the Falklands conflict happened today,I suspect the outcome may be different. :-/

As soon as the Sea Harriers were retired Argentina got excited

[Kevin Wood]

What a mess

He could land that easily

Have you read his book?

Yes. An excellent read.

Kevin

[Lizzie_Zoom]

It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements.

Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones.

What is even more worrying, given the current shortage of convential weaponary, is would we have to resort to using full nuclear resource in any future major conflict?

[Martin_1962]

I tend to pick up military and railway books as I find them - currently reading a book about the WW2 bombing of Germany - very interesting

[Martin_1962]

It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements.

Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones.

However it scared the Argentine forces into protecting the mainland. HMS Conqueror kept the aircraft carrier in port as well.

The Argentines were really scared of Vulcan attacks on the mainland.

There are rumours that if it had gone bad it could have gone nuclear

[Kevin Wood]

It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements.

Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones.

I don't think they ever expected it to cause much lasting damage but it sent a very powerful message to the Argies that they were within our reach.

Kevin

[bertiecbx550]

I`ve just finished reading the vulcan book and i`m currently reading apache by ed macy about the british apaches in afghanistan and thier role in the rescue of the marine from the jug room fort in helmand province its a very good book and i highly reccomend it.....

[Bandit127]

I thought Farnborough didn't have an ILS system? Everything got talked down - certainly until a few years ago...

[Lizzie_Zoom]

It must be also admitted that the Vulcan bombing mission was largely ineffectual as they missed the main runway target according to contemporary statements.

Mind you the Vulcan's were really designed to drop either the hydogen or atomic bomb, so absolute pin point accuracy when dispatching the weapons was not crucial, given the blast and fallout zones.

However it scared the Argentine forces into protecting the mainland. HMS Conqueror kept the aircraft carrier in port as well.

The Argentines were really scared of Vulcan attacks on the mainland.

There are rumours that if it had gone bad it could have gone nuclear

Yep that's very true!

[Kevin Wood]

I thought Farnborough didn't have an ILS system? Everything got talked down - certainly until a few years ago...

They've certainly got one now. http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=UK80835

Kevin