Performing the first non-stop flight from England to Australia was a highlight of No 617 Squadron’s Vulcan years
When the RAF’s ‘V-force’ held the responsibility of providing Britain’s nuclear deterrent, power projection was an important part of its task.
Demonstrating the capability of the ‘V-bombers’ to deploy and exercise worldwide sent out a potent message about the force’s preparedness. The background to some of it, of course, was sobering. While the regular ‘Lone Ranger’ flights — single-aircraft deployments to far-flung overseas locations — were much enjoyed by Bomber Command crews, they had a definite purpose: to train for the eventuality of aircraft being forced to land away at distant airfields should their bases fall victim to Soviet nuclear attack. But linked with this was a ‘flag-waving’ element, showcasing British military might both at home and abroad.
In one of its most notable exploits as part of the ‘V-force’, No 617 Squadron — then flying the Avro Vulcan B1 and B1A from Scampton — conducted a sortie that brought together all these aims. It proved a deployment capability that would considerably enhance future operational effectiveness, and did so publicly. It also set a new record: t…
