Best Vulcan Display Seen?

[Nighthawke]

My outstanding Vulcan memory is a practice at Marham in the 80s. I was on Chalke Road by the 24 approach. Most of the routine was flown and aircraft lined up on finals spooled down. Just as it got over me the throttles went forward and I got the full benefit of those engines. Trying to photograph before quickly sticking fingers in ears!

[Leuchars Fan]

Hard to say really, my first introduction to the Vulcan was circa 1962 a Finningley, I was very young and sat on top of FB senior's shoulders. Four anti-flash white B1As in stream down the main runway. Thereafter, the Vulcan Scramble was a must for my young self. But as for individual displays I seem to recall the displays by operational Vulcans in the '60s and '70s being particularly aggressive and noisy, however, the displays by XH558 in the last years seemed to be a tad more aerobatic, even the last displays by the RAF VDF in the late '80s and early '90s seemed rather more agile. But memory recalls the operational and OCU crews getting closer and shovelling more coal on the furnace. One of the best scrambles was Finningley 1978, only two, but once aloft they stayed pretty damned low before returning across the display line then the crowd line in line astern, then pulling up in full everything they could give to make a fast overhead departure in to the clear burning blue and the noise was certainly something else.

LF

[two1938]

I guess the best display I saw was aat Farnboro where on take off the Vulcan wing cut through the corn field and the display included a roll the pilot was I think Roly falk ( no pun intended) later of course I saw them again at Finningly

[Unknown74]

Always enjoyed watching 558 displaying so I've got to say I don't really have a particular favourite as I always enjoyed watching XH558 every time I saw her fly!

[Vulcanone]

Vulcan scrambles in the 1970s...

[seafurysmith]

Over the years I have seen many Vulcan displays but some stand out such as the so called last Vulcan display at RAF Upper Heyford back in the 80's i think? Also i saw the last four ship scramble at Waddington and I remember coming out of 2427 Sqn's huts at RAF Biggin Hill and seeing the Vulcan flying up the valley below me!! Sure surprised the people on the passing bus! Notable as well is a memory as a 6 or 7 year old back in the 60's standing in my mothers friends back garden north of Lincoln and watching at least 12 white triangles climbing away in lose battle formation. The sight and sound was something else!! I have always presumed it was a practice scramble out of RAF Scampton?

[Andyph]

4 ship through the Kirkstone pass - Happy days

[jasonT1981]

Only ever got to see the Vulcan RAF Displays pre-retirement in the 80s. But one I remember having to cut her display short due to Concorde coming in to land earlier than expected at Aldergrove. Back then there was not as much restrictions and we were sitting on the airfield just feet from the runway.

As for XH558 return to flight

Newcastle 2014.

Pairs demo with the Mid Air Squadron Canberra. Followed by a display with what I assume was Kev at the controls, we were sure he was about to roll it!

Newcastle 2013 also had a great display, came through the valley in the mountains as part of the display.

[Alternative 4]

RIAT Saturday 2015.

I'd seen a lot of aircraft by then, F-111's, F-22's, B-1b's and Tornado's (ect), but never the Vulcan.

I couldn't see the aircraft as it started it's takeoff roll (too far down the display line), but boy could I hear it. As the engines spooled up the crowd line was suddenly packed. What was leisurely socially distanced picnic became a fight for position.
If the apocalypse ever comes, that is what it will sound like. A mixture of rabid dogs, Steven King's the Langoliers and Reece Shearsmith's the Silent Singer, there is nothing that sounds like the Vulcan on take-off. Then it was airborne! Is an aircraft that large allowed to take off like that? It rivaled the F-15, outclassed the F-16 and make the Typhoon look pedestrian. The rest of the display was a blur until that final climb, there was something special about looking up the exhaust of an aircraft that large? At the top of it's climb, did it roll? Probably not but it was close enough for me.

[reheat module]

Not so much a single display, but stood by the Blaxton/Finningley crossroads as a youngster early 70s.
Many a day with a lemonade and cheese sandwich...

[PA200]

Wyton 1980 6 Vulcans were deployed from Waddo as they were on exercise. 4 Jets on the ORP and the others out the peri track. During the week you would hear the odd exercise inject over the tannoy. Nothing moved though until Thursday. First tannoy was the "15 minutes and crews to cockpit" The pair on the peri would move closer to the ORP and wait, a short while later came the "Scramble, Scramble, Scramble" tannoy. Then all hell broke loose as the Vulcans launched in a 60 second stream. At this point work stopped and everybody went outside to watch them go. A never to be forgotten sight! Saw that twice during my tour there.

As to a display the Wyton show 82 or 83 the Vulcan gently coasted in from behind the crowd (in the days when you could). Engines were at flight idle so very quiet for a Vulcan, as he got to the centre of the field he piled on the power and just climbed out the noise and smoke was incredible.

[cat1]

got to be Dawlish air display
low slow and loud. just brilliant
link to vid here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfoMu2NNTAg