The iconic V-bomber
My first introduction to the Avro Vulcan was many years ago, when my brother was in the Royal Air Force stationed at RAF Scampton. At that time the Vulcan was one of three V-bombers and part of the UK’s airborne nuclear deterrent, forming the first line of defence in what was called ‘The Cold War’.
As a ‘comparatively’ young man, it was an awe-inspiring sight to see two Vulcans scramble and roar into the sky, trailing the inevitable tails of smoke that typified jet aircraft engines of that era. As my wife and I watched from the crash gate near the end of Runway 04, the ground literally shook as they passed just feet over our heads - simply awesome is an understatement! Unfortunately, I was not able to take any photographs. Carrying a camera in or around a nuclear airbase was not a particularly wise thing to do in those times, even for relatives of RAF personnel.
