FlyPast 02.2018

OMBER COMMAND 617 SQ UA D RO N

36 FLYPAST February 2018

Immediately after landing, the

bombers were refuelled to 85%

full from the underground supply

system and taxied to dispersal.

Only light snow was forecast during

the night, so the jets were parked

outside rather than in a heated

hangar.

The flight crew and crew chiefs

carried out turnaround inspections,

supplemented by RAF personnel

based at Goose. The VHF radios

were re-crystallised to conform to

North American frequencies.

In the morning, the pneumatic

systems on two of the Vulcans were

replenished having lost pressure

in the cold conditions. All three

aircraft were airborne on time, each

departure being separated by an

hour to meet the requirements of

the Radar Bomb Score (RBS) sites

that were to be ‘attacked’ en route to

Vegas.

As the lead aircraft, XH500,

became airborne from Goose, a flock

of partridge-sized birds rose directly

into its path. Although impacts

were felt on the radome, there was

no indication of any damage to

airframe or engines and the sortie

continued as planned.

The weather forecast indicated

strong headwinds for the first half

of the route; these turned out to be

a head-on component of between

50 and 60 knots for practically

the whole flight. Nevertheless, at

11:00, exactly on schedule, XH500

was cleared for a low pass over the

runway at Nellis Air Force Base

(AFB), after completing a 5½-hour

transit of 2,500 miles (4,023km).

Vulcans XH502 and XH498

followed as planned at hourly

intervals.

After-landing examination of

XH500 showed considerable

evidence of bird impact on either

side of the radome and in the air

intakes. Further inspection revealed

that the inlet guide vanes and at least

four of the first-row turbine blades

were badly bent and cracked on the

No.4 Bristol Siddeley Olympus 104

turbojet and the No.1 had at least

one much-distorted turbine blade.

Yet the engines had never indicated

anything other than normal power

capabilities over the whole range of

settings, a remarkable tribute to the

Olympus.

Aware of the ambitious programme

that was planned, Gus Walker

immediately sent a signal requesting

the supply of two replacement

engines, together with the despatch

of the reserve aircraft and crew from

Scampton.

HOLDING PATTERN

As soon as all the deployment

had arrived at 15:00 the crews

immediately received a comprehensive

briefing. With the exception of the

Boeing B-47 Stratojets and B-52

Stratofortresses, which were to operate

from other Strategic Air Command

bases, all military participation was

based at Nellis, eight miles northeast

of Las Vegas.

The flying display included

a comprehensive firepower

demonstration by the USAF staged

at the Indian Springs Bombing and

Gunnery Range, situated in a valley

in hilly country 43 miles northwest

of Vegas.

Back at Scampton, XH498,

XH500 and XH502, with XH483

as reserve, were prepared for the

tour. A de Havilland Comet C.2

from 216 Squadron, Transport

Command, based at Lyneham,

Wiltshire, would accompany the

detachment carrying 27 servicing

personnel.

The Vulcans and Comet were

originally scheduled to depart on

April 11, to arrive at Las Vegas the

following day. As the deputy force

commander’s awareness grew of

the event’s increasingly complex

programme, a signal was sent from

Washington on April 3 requesting

arrival no later than the 10th. This

was in order to attend a briefing for

participation in a full-scale rehearsal

on the 12th; the date of departure

was advanced 48 hours.

TIMELY ARRIVAL

At 11:00hrs on April 9, XH500

(captained by Sqn Ldr Ray

Davenport with AVM Walker

in the right-hand seat) departed

Scampton. Flt Lt Derek Taylor

in XH502 and Flt Lt Graham

Smeaton in XH498, followed

at 11:30 and 12:50. The trio

maintained VHF contact

throughout the first leg to Goose

Bay, Labrador, where they stopped

overnight after an uneventful trip of

4½ hours.

They arrived on schedule to find

light snow showers prevailing, but

good visibility. Despite high banks

of snow the runways were clear.

With a 20kt-plus wind down the

9,000ft runway, only one aircraft

needed to deploy its braking

parachute.

“As the lead aircraft became airborne from Goose Bay, a fl ock of

partridge-sized birds rose directly into its path. Although impacts

were felt on the radome, there was no indication of any damage to

airframe or engines”

Above

A pair of 617 Vulcans

prior to departure.

Above right

A line-up of Vulcans at

Goose Bay.