Avro Vulcan: Britain's Famous Delta-Wing V-Bomber

Aerofax

by Phil Butler, Tony Buttler

The Avro Vulcan was one of three aircraft designed to form part of Britain's V-bomber fleet alongside the Valiant and Victor. The Avro Vulcan was perhaps one of the most iconic aircraft designed and built in the UK in the postwar years. Ironically, the type's most famous action did not involve combating the international communism threat, but rather the Argentinean invasion of the Falkland Islands in April 1982. In two of the most carefully planned and audacious aviation raids in history, Vulcans from RAF Waddington attacked the airfield at Port Stanley in early May 1982 in order to prevent Argentinean Air Force fighters from using the airfield. The success of the raids was an essential part of Britain's ultimate victory in the South Atlantic.
By 1982, the Vulcan design was already more than 30 years old and the newest aircraft was almost 20 years old. Between 1952 and 1964, 89 delta-winged aircraft were built and by the time of the Falklands War, the type was rapidly approaching withdrawal. The final examples of this highly regarded aircraft were withdrawn from Squadron service in 1984. It is a tribute to the popularity of the Vulcan among aviation enthusiasts that numerous examples survive in preservation both in Britain and overseas.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2007, 'Avro Vulcan - Britain's Famous Delta-Wing V-Bomber' is a well detailed history of the development and operational history of this truly iconic British aircraft. The text is well supported by over 240 excellent quality and well captioned photos, including many in colour. There are also many useful charts and diagrams. For example, what better way to explain the visual difference between the three main types of wing used by operational Vulcans? Appendices include brief histories for all airframes, as well as Vulcan flying units. A good level of detail is also included concerning the related Avro 707 test aircraft.