Vulcan ..A very hard act to follow...BUT

[Agent K]

Talking about fast jets in general..not Vulcan.

Understand, yes, I too remember Lightnings and such visiting Leeming as a kid, similar departures and much fun!

[HP88]

I wonder if that 'Roger' could have been the legend of Mildenhall that was Roger Hoefling

Not only a superb commentator, able to speak to all age groups and levels of interest, but a positive mine of info for the masses assembled

Cheers

Paddyboy

Yes, a fantastic commentator, did a lot of the other American shows as well.

What happened to him?
The last time I heard a commentary from him must have been 2007 Plymouth Navy Days.
Standing on the flight deck of the Admiral Chabanenko, next to officers with very big hats on, and we were all listening to Roger and watching the RAF Harrier do it's stuff while breathing in a very heavy smell or rubber, or should that be RAM
Great Stuff

[C24]

Hello Rich,
Thank you for your comments.
By "we", I did not refer to your group but I mean "The UK Plc". I happened bye Coventry one weekend months ago and was very impressed by what I saw. The fact that your group & many others accomplish so much is highly commendable Because there is so little help available.
I suppose that I am just too hopeful that a "UK wide restore old aircraft coordination organisation" (( UWROACO ))could be created. Wishful thinking on my part
Best wishes to your group
Charlie

[NAM Updater]

C24, there are a couple already covering various groups / projects:
http://www.bapc.org.uk/
http://www.haa-uk.aero/

[H.A.Bucken]

Weren't the "Bricks" the only aircraft reputed to have flown below sea-level at Red Flag? Two lasting memories are: the one that arrived for Airfete from Germany with a totally locked up wheel- 'um, quite a lot of tyre-smoke' before the bang! MLD runway blacked for the rest of the day while lifts and jacks were brought in. The Canadian CF-104s had to divert to Manston so we didn't see their arrival. The other was a day like today in the Lakes, cloudbase down at 500' when a "Brick" appeared, leading three or four MRCAs into the hills as their terrain following kit wasn't quite sorted.
R.P.

[wildy]

Torrey Canyon......... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPbufQhJLsY

[Mike]

It was called the "Torrey Canyon".

More information here :- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Torrey_Canyon

[richw_82]

Hello Rich,
Thank you for your comments.
By "we", I did not refer to your group but I mean "The UK Plc". I happened bye Coventry one weekend months ago and was very impressed by what I saw. The fact that your group & many others accomplish so much is highly commendable Because there is so little help available.
I suppose that I am just too hopeful that a "UK wide restore old aircraft coordination organisation" (( UWROACO ))could be created. Wishful thinking on my part
Best wishes to your group
Charlie

Hi Charlie,

No offence taken, I understand most of what you're saying. Your comment about neither in a hangar, and "a project for?" just hit a bit of a raw nerve, as there's been a few suggestions that we down tools and hand our aircraft over to VTTS. Sorry if I over-reacted, but our team has put a lot of hard work in and we're not going to stop now, so I couldn't really let it go.

I'll try and give you a slightly more balanced answer.

There are certain groups out there that cover UK aviation preservation as a whole (such as the BAPC), and funding nationally is starting to drip feed through from various sources, just not to the same extent as for buildings and monuments etc. A lot of funding sources won't touch any aircraft that is active in any way either - so its not much good for a flying restoration. Thankfully HLF are starting to see the light, in that they seem more open now to supporting a flying project; and the credit for that has to be given to VTTS.

So - most groups build their own little support structures and help each other out, which has a lot better results than you might think. We've had help from Newark Air Museum, Midland, Gatwick and a host of other places and private individuals. Likewise, we've helped where we can with other projects - the most recent two being the supply of tools and parts to Newquay to move their Shackleton, and two inner tubes to Elvington for their Halifax.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is unofficially what you want to see actually exists!

Kind regards,

Rich

[teeonefixer]

Back to the original subject......

The success of the Vulcan is that it was big and recognisable. To the general public another old fast jet just wouldn't raise even a small part of the enthusiasm.
That's not to belittle all the fantastic work done by various groups etc.
And as an ex-Bucc man myself, I'd love to see one in the air again !

(remembering the RAFG squadrons being disbanded and their aircraft doing a flyby at Brough - hopping over the hedge at the end and flashing well below the RTOs office !)

[richw_82]

It was only big and recognisable, and generating significant interest in the public once it started to fly. Or have we forgotten how desperate things became for XH558 during the restoration when the money ran out?

VTTS have learned over the years how to do their PR very well.

[Blue Diamond]

I wonder if that 'Roger' could have been the legend of Mildenhall that was Roger Hoefling

Not only a superb commentator, able to speak to all age groups and levels of interest, but a positive mine of info for the masses assembled

Cheers

Paddyboy

One and the same. IMO the best commentator around and an all round nice guy. At Shuttleworth he would come round and talk to us on the fund raising stall and then give us a plug over the Tannoy.

[aircharter]

My preference would be XS235 Canopus, if they got the Vulcan flying this surely would be a similar challenge and just as stunning to watch
I look forward to your views

[Sparts99]

Potential heresy, and I know I'll be pilloried, but if Canopus was restored to flying condition I think it'd be great in a 60's BOAC or BEA scheme.

[Arthur Tee]

Potential heresy, and I know I'll be pilloried, but if Canopus was restored to flying condition I think it'd be great in a 60's BOAC or BEA scheme.

My preference would be XS235 Canopus, if they got the Vulcan flying this surely would be a similar challenge and just as stunning to watch
I look forward to your views

Were you two sat behind me in the pub on Wednesday evening? That's exactly the aircraft I suggested to friends that would be worthy of restoration to airworthy staus!

[aircharter]

No I wasn't in the pub the other night but I could have been in a Sentinel

[Bushpilot]

What about a Victor that we already know can fly?

[PR9]

Would love to see the Comet back in the air but would need BAE's blessing.