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[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.

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

True, and they knew of course about our nuclear attack submarines, not the USA would have let us use them!

[Bandit127]

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

Runways
ID
(Click for details.)       Dimensions       Surface       PCN       ILS
06/24       8005 x 148 feet
2440 x 45 meters       ASPHALT       075FCWT       YES - BUT PLEASE CHECK CALIBRATION STATUS BEFORE DEPARTURE

 

[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

Runways
ID
(Click for details.)       Dimensions       Surface       PCN       ILS
06/24       8005 x 148 feet
2440 x 45 meters       ASPHALT       075FCWT       YES - BUT PLEASE CHECK CALIBRATION STATUS BEFORE DEPARTURE

 

.. and calibration involves zig-zagging over half the county in a light aircraft getting in everybody's way. I've seen it.

Kevin

[Bandit127]

Ooh look, Blackbushe says:
Operating Hours       CLOSED DURING PERIODS OF EGLF ILS CALIBRATION

 

[Kevin Wood]

Ooh look, Blackbushe says:
Operating Hours       CLOSED DURING PERIODS OF EGLF ILS CALIBRATION

 

Interesting. They just stay away from Lasham. Don't like flying into steel cable, obviously.

Kevin

[Markjay]

Bombing runways is always tricky. Firstly, you must run in parallel (rather than crossing it), which is why the AA guns will usually be waiting at both ends. Secondly, the airbase would have teams at hand to quickly fix any bomb damage, so in real terms you only shut it down for 2-4 hours. Still, these missions have a devastating impact on the enemy morale, especially the airbase ground crews who naturally feel more safe during conflict.

[Nickbat]

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

Did the Vulcan eventually land on the main runway or divert?

[Kevin Wood]

Did the Vulcan eventually land on the main runway or divert?

It landed somehow. Then developed brake problems (I wonder?) which has apparently delayed its' return to Bruntingthorpe today.

Kevin

[BigAl]

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

Just to clarify, the bombs were dropped exactly on target, as they landed on the specified co-ordinates  8-)

shame, that when the the island was mapped,  the runway co-ordinates were out by about 20 meters, which is where the bombs landed

[hotel21]

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

Just to clarify, the bombs were dropped exactly on target, as they landed on the specified co-ordinates  8-)

shame, that when the the island was mapped,  the runway co-ordinates were out by about 20 meters, which is where the bombs landed

As I recall from reading the book and viewing the pics within, only one from the stick actually landed on the runway, the remainder were nearby.  

It was explained that the run was at an oblique angle so as to ensure that there was at least some probability of some landing on target.  If it was a parallel run and they missed, all would be alongside and a perpindicular approach would easily allow a straddle and thus a miss.

[Kevin Wood]

As I recall from reading the book and viewing the pics within, only one from the stick actually landed on the runway, the remainder were nearby.  

The run was at an oblique angle so as to ensure that there was at least some probability of some landing on target.  If it was a parallel run and they missed, all would be alongside and a perpindicular approach would easily allow a straddle and thus a miss.

That's right. There was a reconnaisance photo showing the craters in the book. I still think it was a pretty impressive bit of flying in the days before GPS, laser guided weapons, etc. The route from Ascension to Port Stanley isn't exactly littered with landmarks, after all.

Kevin