Look what I saw flying today!

[Viking]

I’m with Tree on this one.

The Vulcan is an impressing piece of machinery but the overall conclusion should be: Thank heaven that we don’t live in a world that needs these weapons anymore!

Happy to say

Viking

[brando]

We were lucky enough to see the Vulcan in company with the Red Arrows at our local airshow a couple of years ago. Although the weather was less than ideal, the RAF managed to put on an excellent low level display. The sight and sound of the big V banking around at 2,000 feet, with the scarlet Hawks echeloned either side in a perfect arrow head, was a sublime, not-to-be forgotten experience.

Airshows generate good revenue down here on the holiday coast of south-west England. I enjoy my annual fix of Merlin sound when the Memorial Flight comes to town! But I'm with Tree and Viking here, in that I would regret to return to the age when the V-bombers were on perpetual stand-by with their nuclear payloads.

B

[zapatista]

nice plane, thx for posting it

it looks huge, never knew they were that big for some reason i had expected it to be more in the ballpark of an f-111

the modern day fighter standing between the the 2 old long range bombers looks tiny in comparison

[Igo kyu]

Originally Posted by zapatista

it looks huge, never knew they were that big for some reason i had expected it to be more in the ballpark of an f-111

The F111 is huge for an aircract with an 'F' designation, it can actually carry more weight of bombs than a Lancaster, and is almost as long if not longer (back in the 1970s I had models of both, the wingspan of the Lancaster was wider, but then it's wings weren't swept). The Vulcan was an earlier design than the F111, and it's bomb load was also lighter, though probably heavier than the Lancaster's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Lancaster

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Vulcan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General...F-111_Aardvark

[bf-110]

I would dare to say RAF is getting every day more like the USAF.
I believe there aren´t more than 2 british made aircrraft types being used by RAF.

[Hunden]

Originally Posted by Viking

I’m with Tree on this one.

The Vulcan is an impressing piece of machinery but the overall conclusion should be: Thank heaven that we don’t live in a world that needs these weapons anymore!

Happy to say

Viking

LOL I'm sure someone said something close to that just before Hitler came to power. But we will never know for sure because they all died shortly after.

[Flying Pencil]

Originally Posted by Viking

I’m with Tree on this one.

The Vulcan is an impressing piece of machinery but the overall conclusion should be: Thank heaven that we don’t live in a world that needs these weapons anymore!

Happy to say

Viking

I would differ on you here.

World conflicts are ever increasing since the fear of global nuclear war is gone.

Sure armed UAV's can pick off small groups of enemy, but when it comes to taking out armies, you cannot beat a large aircraft.

Unfortunately, the world is full of fanatics, and every once in a while a fanatic becomes too powerful and we all suffer.

[Viking]

Honestly, I would rather refrain from answering but since Im here now: How have you “suffered” in the last deccade? Say in the last Iraque War that have killed aprox 1 million Iraques? Or how mutch did you "suffer" in the Vietnam War that killed aprox 3 million? We can go back or forward in time, or south and east, north and south to add to the total by millions but I will rest my case here.

Viking

[Flying Pencil]

Originally Posted by Viking

Honestly, I would rather refrain from answering but since Im here now: How have you “suffered” in the last deccade? Say in the last Iraque War that have killed aprox 1 million Iraques? Or how mutch did you "suffer" in the Vietnam War that killed aprox 3 million? We can go back or forward in time, or south and east, north and south to add to the total by millions but I will rest my case here.

Viking

Ah, I understand. The nightmare to those who survived, and yes, I agree that it is mean to open old wounds...

Unfortunately it is the nature of man to do incredibly cruel things to each other for all manner of reasons (and not just intentional! We build houses in the path of destruction). Evil will happen, people will be hurt (physically and emotionally), but we have to move on and live. The only hope we have is to tell the future to avoid their mistakes.

The Vulcan is the perfect messenger. It is a beautiful and awesome aircraft, but that angel also trumpets a message of destruction to those who dare to hurt peaceful people, and is a VISUAL reminder not to allow the mistakes of the past repeats themselves.

Just a side note:
Did the Vulcan ever directly kill someone? Best I recall it was only a tanker during the Falklands war.

[Viking]

I see that you, very conveniently, have put yourself on the “peaceful” side. A view not necessary shared by all.

But now back on topic: During the Malvinas conflict the Vulcan's bombed the Argentinian airfield, if anyone died I don't know but I guess that was the intention. The tankers you refer to where the Victor bombers/tankers.

Viking