What was the best looking fighter and bomber of WW2?

[purplenose]

Vulcan

I dont think I have ever seen an aircraft affect people as much as the Vulcan did, not even Concorde or the Spitfire. I have hundreds of Vulcan stories, but wont hijack the thread and bore everyone too much but perhaps one that might raise a smile or two.

This involved a Woodford show late 80s before the RAF withdrew funding and the aircraft went into private ownership, and my own unexpected small part in its return to the skies a over a decade later.

Each year a few of us from my local would go to Woodford for a day of aircraft, Cider, and obviously to get piss wet through. The resident scouser and gobshite would take the piss and chirp about us being a load of anoraks, plane spotters and such like. After a few years of this I had had enough and threw down the challenge that he should come a long and if he had a shit day I would reimburse his beer costs for the day.

So come the glorious day the piss taking scouse was dragged onto Woodford airfield just in time for the first monsoon of the day. Once the down pour passed the sun came out and there was briefly a beautiful clear blue sky, the sun blazed making the waterlogged runway look gold. Just then out taxied the Vulcan to depart for another show before returning to display at Woodford later. At this point I dragged a now bitterly complaining scouse through the mud bath to the fence closest to the runway.

Cleared for take of the Vulcan opened up emitting the customary howl, before roaring down the runway in a huge cloud of golden spray before lifting off and climbing almost vertically into the blue levelling of at about 12000ft and heading off. Needless to say this spectacle involved a huge amount of noise.

Now Ed the scouse who was bald as a coot was standing upto his ankles in mud was for the first time in history having difficulty in speaking, when he finally did manage he said "all the hair on my head that I havent got just stood on end".

After that it would be about January before he started asking when the airshow was.

A truly special aircraft that touched the heart of a nation more than I think anyone involved in the return to flight even realised.

 

[crublue1]

In the 50's, the Vulcan could be seen flying over S. M/cr and Cheshire, presumably on test flights from Woodford.

Slightly related to this but going off topic a bit sorry, my mam and dad used to live in bowden, concorde was a regular sight when I was visiting. I saw it all the time but it never failed to impress me. What a plane that was.

 

[crublue1]

I dont think I have ever seen an aircraft affect people as much as the Vulcan did, not even Concorde or the Spitfire. I have hundreds of Vulcan stories, but wont hijack the thread and bore everyone too much but perhaps one that might raise a smile or two.

This involved a Woodford show late 80s before the RAF withdrew funding and the aircraft went into private ownership, and my own unexpected small part in its return to the skies a over a decade later.

Each year a few of us from my local would go to Woodford for a day of aircraft, Cider, and obviously to get piss wet through. The resident scouser and gobshite would take the piss and chirp about us being a load of anoraks, plane spotters and such like. After a few years of this I had had enough and threw down the challenge that he should come a long and if he had a shit day I would reimburse his beer costs for the day.

So come the glorious day the piss taking scouse was dragged onto Woodford airfield just in time for the first monsoon of the day. Once the down pour passed the sun came out and there was briefly a beautiful clear blue sky, the sun blazed making the waterlogged runway look gold. Just then out taxied the Vulcan to depart for another show before returning to display at Woodford later. At this point I dragged a now bitterly complaining scouse through the mud bath to the fence closest to the runway.

Cleared for take of the Vulcan opened up emitting the customary howl, before roaring down the runway in a huge cloud of golden spray before lifting off and climbing almost vertically into the blue levelling of at about 12000ft and heading off. Needless to say this spectacle involved a huge amount of noise.

Now Ed the scouse who was bald as a coot was standing upto his ankles in mud was for the first time in history having difficulty in speaking, when he finally did manage he said "all the hair on my head that I havent got just stood on end".

After that it would be about January before he started asking when the airshow was.

A truly special aircraft that touched the heart of a nation more than I think anyone involved in the return to flight even realised.

You sir, can hijack the thread all you like for me. Great post thank you

 

[denislawsbackheel]

In the 50's, the Vulcan could be seen flying over S. M/cr and Cheshire, presumably on test flights from Woodford.

I remember seeing Vulcans flying over Wilmslow with Blue Steel stand off bomb bolted underneath.

 

[purplenose]

You sir, can hijack the thread all you like for me. Great post thank you

Thank you for your kind words. Concorde was indeed a beauty. Some older members of this parish may recall the Woodford show in 1971 when the prototype Concorde made its first appearance in the North West. There was of course much publicity and expectation beforehand and a huge crowd gathered. Clearly the show and the manufacturers and all the great and the good wanted and expected the Concorde to be the star of the show.

Somehow the Vulcan crew managed to persuade bully and quite probably bribe the flying display director into letting them have their display spot just prior to Concorde's arrival. Needless to say they thundered round the airfield like a fighter unhindered by todays strict flying display rules leaving the huge crowd suffering a dose of what I think is known as shock and awe these days.

Concorde then duly appeared performed two or three flypasts and buggered off leaving many wondering what all the fuss had been about having just witnessed an extra special Vulcan display.

By all accounts there was hell up about it afterwards and the Concorde crew were very pissed off about it I was told years later.

 

[crublue1]

Thank you for your kind words. Concorde was indeed a beauty. Some older members of this parish may recall the Woodford show in 1971 when the prototype Concorde made its first appearance in the North West. There was of course much publicity and expectation beforehand and a huge crowd gathered. Clearly the show and the manufacturers and all the great and the good wanted and expected the Concorde to be the star of the show.

Somehow the Vulcan crew managed to persuade bully and quite probably bribe the flying display director into letting them have their display spot just prior to Concorde's arrival. Needless to say they thundered round the airfield like a fighter unhindered by todays strict flying display rules leaving the huge crowd suffering a dose of what I think is known as shock and awe these days.

Concorde then duly appeared performed two or three flypasts and buggered off leaving many wondering what all the fuss had been about having just witnessed an extra special Vulcan display.

By all accounts there was hell up about it afterwards and the Concorde crew were very pissed off about it I was told years later.

Wow it's hard to imagine concorde being surpassed by anything, even Vulcan. Great story.
Keep sharing if you have more. It's appreciated

 

[Blue Til Death]

spitfire

Lancaster bomber

No contest ..... Both my top picks

 

[crublue1]

My modern fave is the typhoon. If you've not witnessed this thing at a show you're deffo missing something spectacular.
It's brutal ballet in the sky. This magnificent machine can do things that defy belief.
Fantastic

 

[Bovril]

Such a refreshing thread after being in the Political Covid19 thread, this should be extended maybe favourite modern day Aircraft, Aircraft we have been in, in whatever guise, aircraft seen in awe or indeed Rotary which has came to my rescue on numerous occasions.

 

[purplenose]

My modern fave is the typhoon. If you've not witnessed this thing at a show you're deffo missing something spectacular.
It's brutal ballet in the sky. This magnificent machine can do things that defy belief.
Fantastic

You should get yourself to RIAT if you havent been, sadly not this year of course but I expect a very spectacular show next year as it is the 50th anniversary show.