Aviation News. 05.2018

N

o.617 Sqn re-formed at

its wartime home of RAF

Scampton, Lincolnshire, on May

1, 1958 with Vulcan B.1s, armed

with nuclear and conventional weapons.

For success it relied on speed from four

Bristol Olympus 101 engines, altitude and

the combined skills of its pilot, co-pilot,

navigator-plotter, navigator-radar and an air

electronics operator.

Retired Wg Cdr, then Sqn Ldr Darrell

Hamley was already an experienced bomber

captain before  ying the big delta. “As soon

as I saw the Vulcan prototype for the  rst time

in 1952, [I thought] it was a gorgeous aircraft.

I thought ‘I love that airplane’. Afterwards,

whenever asked what I wanted to  y next,

I just kept saying, Vulcan, Vulcan, Vulcan.

Eventually someone gave in and they posted

me to the Operational Conversion Unit.”

He joined 617 Sqn as a  ight commander

in June 1959. “It was a lovely aeroplane,

totally delightful, with a vast amount of

power. The easiest aeroplane to land you

could wish for.” Darrell  ew all three versions

of the Vulcan: B.1 during conversion, B.1

and B.1A with 617 Sqn and later the B.2.

He was clearly impressed with its  ying

dynamics: “The B.1 handled like a dream. At

40,000ft it could do steep turns very happily.

When the rear fuselage ECM [electronic

countermeasures] bulge was added it

became the B.1A and slightly changed the

handling qualities. On the B.1 you just gave

her a boot of rudder and she went round. On

the B.1A you had to try a bit harder, but it was

still OK.”

ROUND THE WORLD

As part of the UK’s nuclear deterrent 617 Sqn

soon began to regularly  y training missions

across the world. There were single aircraft

‘Ranger’  ights to the Middle East, Africa

and elsewhere. On October 14, 1959, 617

Sqn undertook the  rst of many ‘round the

world tours’ taking a trio of Vulcans to New

N

o.617 Sqn re-formed at navigator-plotter, navigator-radar and an air whenever asked what I wanted to  y next,

In 1958 the arrival of the Avro Vulcan placed 617 Sqn fi rmly back

in the long-range strategic bomber role. Dr Kevin Wright talks

with former crew members about their experiences on the unit.

DAMBUSTERS

DELTAS

42 Aviation News incorporating Jets May 2018

DAMBUSTERS SPECIAL

Scramble! The crew of a 617 Sqn Vulcan running to board their aircraft during an exercise

at Scampton in 1960. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, V-Force units were placed on Quick

Reaction Alert (instant readiness) duties. Key Collection

42-47_dambusters_617_vulcansDC.mfDCDC.mfDC.indd 42 09/04/2018 12:20