RETURN OF THE VULCAN SOCIETY RETURN OF THE VULCAN

A British aircraft that played a significant role during the has been restored to full working order. Dr Robert Pleming has been instrumental in developing the heritage project that saved the Vulcan . He writes about the Vulcan’s historical importance and the benefits of maintaining an aeronautical icon.

Just after the end of the Second World in August 1952; the production versions and engine test variants. Vulcan XH558 is a War in Europe, Churchill, Stalin and Truman embodied such innovations as first use of B.Mk2 bomber, and first flew in RAF service met at Potsdam to decide on Europe’s twin-spool axial , an AC power in July 1960. XH558 is now the oldest post-war structure. During the meeting, system, cabin pressurisation, electronic Vulcan, as well as the last one able to fly. Truman was told of the successful test of countermeasures, electro-hydraulic-powered From 1957, the Vulcan was the major the atomic ; Stalin’s spies ensured flying control units and anti-lock brakes. delivery vehicle for the British strategic he knew too. By the end of August, the A total of 134 Vulcans were built. The deterrent, until it was superseded by Polaris world had changed yet again. Truman flexibility of its design allowed upgrades in 1969. Afterwards, in service in a tactical had authorised the use of atomic from a free-fall bomber to carry the Blue role, the swan song of the Vulcan was during on Japan; Stalin had become fearful of Steel nuclear cruise missile, maritime the Falklands conflict in 1982, when a lone America’s intentions; Churchill had lost the reconnaissance, an air-to-air refuelling tanker Vulcan, refuelled several times by a fleet of general election to Clement Atlee and on 28 August 1945, Atlee had presented a paper to his Cabinet proposing that, to retain control of its foreign policy, Britain should build its own atomic bomb. The Vulcan, and its fellow four-engined V-, the and the Victor, were developed to carry that bomb to the Soviet bloc, in retaliation for a potential nuclear attack on the West. The concept of deterrence had been born. INNOVATIVE DESIGN The Vulcan was designed in 1946-7 by , Chief Designer of AV Roe & Co of Manchester (who had previously designed the ) to meet the new requirement for a long-range bomber to carry the British atomic weapon. This A Vulcan B2 cut-away schematic compiled from original technical manuals by Josh Hodgson innovative tailless delta design first flew XH558 flying again in September 2009 © John Dibbs

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Having followed the fortunes of XH558 during its final years in the RAF, I looked more deeply into the history of the Vulcan, and was amazed by the leap in aviation technology in the immediate post-WW2 years that the aircraft represents.

Victor tankers, put the Argentine-held Port not easily undertaken by engineers, but we of Cambridge Aerospace. The restoration expensive logistical effort on its own. The Stanley airfield out of action. The last Vulcan had gained the support of Felicity Irwin, a project was to have four phases: a detailed Vulcan has many critical systems powered squadrons were disbanded in 1984, but Avro seasoned fundraiser. After two applications inspection of the aircraft for faults, followed by electricity, including the flying controls, Vulcan XH558 flew on in the RAF’s Vulcan and considerable public support, in June by rectification of those faults. During this so the integrity of the aircraft’s wiring and Display Flight until 1992. Following MoD 2004 the Heritage Lottery Fund confirmed period, hundreds of components were electrical supplies is vital. Rewiring the cost-cutting, the aircraft was sold, and in that they would award £2,734,000 to the overhauled and returned for the recovery of aircraft was a major exercise in itself. March 1993, flown to Bruntingthorpe Airfield Vulcan to the Sky project, with the rest to be the aircraft to the correct configuration for A year after work had started on the in . raised by ourselves. The scope of the grant flight. Tests followed, first on the ground, project, it was clear that the restoration was included not only the restoration of XH558 and then, with ticks in all the boxes, the taking much longer than initially estimated, to flight, but the provision of public access aircraft was released for its first test flight. and labour costs were increasing rapidly. FEASIBILITY STUDY to the Vulcan on the ground, and the setup In preparation for the inspection, virtually Not only were tasks taking longer, because Having followed the fortunes of XH558 of educational activities to tell the story of everything that could be removed from of the learning curve associated with work during its final years in the RAF, I looked the Cold War and to provide lessons for the aircraft was removed, requiring a major on this unique aircraft, but some problems more deeply into the history of the Vulcan, schoolchildren in technology, engineering logistical exercise to track each one of the were more difficult than anticipated. For and was amazed by the leap in aviation and maths based on the aircraft and its components. Every aspect of the aircraft’s instance, significant corrosion was found on technology in the immediate post-war years operation. In August 2005, work started on structure was inspected visually, and various magnesium alloy skins and structure of the that the aircraft represents. Conscious of the restoration with an 18-person technical non-destructive techniques were employed flying control surfaces, requiring rebuild of the massive public support for XH558, and team with various skillsets including airframe to discover any underlying problems, these units. A major campaign conducted aware that the aircraft was retired before design and maintenance, propulsion, electrics including X-ray (over 450 X-ray pictures in August 2006 raised the £1.2 million The restored pilot’s instrument panel – with modern instruments including GPS and . were taken), ultrasound, eddy current and required to complete the project, including FALKLAND MISSION boroscope analyses. Numerous minor, a significant donation of £500,000 from Sir its time, in early 1997 I resolved to explore some additional inspections because of repairable, faults were found, including skin Jack Hayward. the feasibility of returning Vulcan XH558 to the craft’s age and time since last flight. RESTORATION COMMENCES and rib cracks, missing rivets and corrosion, flight. The initial challenge was whether By Spring 2000, the aircraft had Initial planning estimated that the but none significant enough to warrant the civil aviation regulations would allow undergone the technical survey, which restoration project would last for 14 months concern. RECOVERY AND TESTING an ex- as heavy, powerful verified that its airframe and systems and consume about 50,000 hours of work. The aircraft’s hydraulic, pneumatic With aircraft structural rectification nearing and complex as the Vulcan to fly. The key could be restored to full airworthiness at Because of their experience in one-off and oxygen systems were removed for completion in the spring of 2007, attention to a positive response turned out to be reasonable cost. In addition, the availability aircraft projects and their CAA accreditations, inspection and overhaul. All flexible pipes focused on refitting the aircraft’s systems. to gain the support of BAE Systems, who of an almost complete library of original engineering control was passed to Marshall and seals were replaced, a significant and The following components taken off for had inherited design responsibility from AV documentation and design data, and Roe. With the aid of a project plan built by several hundred tons of spares – including, The only time the Vulcan was used in a small, expert team, and the enthusiasm vitally, eight zero-time Rolls-Royce Olympus aggression was during the Falklands of some senior BAE Systems personnel, 202 engines – meant that the conflict in 1982, when Vulcans, each this support was granted in May 1999. restoration to flight was now feasible. supported by 13 Victor air-to-air refuelling Theoretically, the Vulcan could fly again. Well over 100 original equipment tankers, flew seven missions from In September 1999, a three-day manufacturers of all of the thousands to the . project definition workshop, with design of Vulcan systems and components The 1st ‘Black Buck’ sortie, with the representatives from BAE Systems and were painstakingly sought out and Vulcan armed with twenty-one 450kg Engineering Authority, Marshall of contacted – many of these companies had conventional bombs, placed one bomb in Cambridge Aerospace, specified a detailed been taken over. Each manufacturer agreed the centre of the runway at Port Stanley technical survey to determine whether to assess and service their components as airfield, proving its vulnerability and there were any insurmountable technical required. This major commitment meant causing the Argentine forces to change issues with a return to flight. Not the least that, with the appropriate Civil Aviation their plans. These raids captured the world of these was finding a way of extending Authority (CAA) regulatory approvals and the record at the time for the longest-ever the airframe fatigue life – and determining technical support from BAE Systems, work bombing mission: a return journey of the scope of the restoration work needed could start on the return to flight. nearly 12,500km, taking 15 hours and 45 to return XH558 to airworthiness. The It was already clear from project costings latter turned out to be a ‘Major Service’ – that funding of £3.5 million would be On 31 August 2006, XH558 rolled out of the hangar for the first time in seven years. This had coincided with a critical funding crisis, but in the last three weeks minutes. of August, the Vulcan to the Sky Club managed to raise over £1.3million to save the project the most in-depth Vulcan servicing – with required. This was a mammoth task, one

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overhaul were refitted: , ejection With recovery complete in August, it was time to light the seats, canopy, , wheels and brakes, fuel tanks and pumps, fires! One by one, the four new Rolls-Royce Olympus 202 and , powered flying control units and motors, artificial feel units, yaw and engines were started and, on test, performed perfectly – pitch dampers, undercarriage doors and over 25 years since they were last tested. hydraulic rams, air conditioning system, cockpit instruments, the fifth engine in the airborne auxiliary power pack and the engines, each with its the attached constant speed drive and 60kva – the list went on and on. With the exception of modern avionics, the restored XH558 is almost completely authentic, with only a few material substitutions being required because of the unavailability of the originals. The safety case for flying the aircraft is based on the Nose landing gear overhaul being undertaken at Kearsley Airways in-service safety record of the Vulcan fleet; it is therefore vital that XH558’s specification is as near as possible to that of the original would be wrong to imply that there were ground”. After a full 30-minute flight, our the original equipment was deemed regular checks on the engines, landing gear The success of this project was in my view fleet, with each deviation requiring a no problems found – there were – but that test flight crew returned to the airfield for a unreliable and unmaintainable at reasonable and critical structure are driven by flying due to three things: the determination and separate risk assessment. is what testing is all about. A couple of the perfect landing – we had done it. Safely. cost, but also to ensure compliance with hour milestones. Every winter, the aircraft perseverance of the small team that made Ground testing started in early summer faults were spectacular, both of these arising The return of the Vulcan to the air current Air Navigation Order requirements. undergoes a thorough inspection and it happen; the enormous support coming of 2007 with the application of electrical from component failures in the 3000psi prompted national media coverage. It was A new Horizontal Situation Indicator lubrication; critical components which have from the public’s desire to see the Vulcan power – initially the 24v DC vital supply, hydraulics. But all of them were fixed, and a British aviation achievement the like of (also known as a compass!) and Artificial a calendar life, such as the ejection seats, fire fly again; and the assistance from many followed by the 200v 400Hz three-phase by October, XH558 was ready to move for which had not been seen for many years. Horizon were provided for the pilots, with extinguisher bottles and oxygen regulators firms in the British aviation industry. Sincere AC and subsidiary supplies. One by one, the first time since the start of the project additional navigational equipment such are overhauled or replaced. This is not thanks must go to all these constituencies the various systems were put through under its own power. Slow and fast taxi as GPS, transponder and height-encoding cheap; to keep XH558 going costs around from everyone who has experienced the documented procedures to ensure correct tests followed, including deployment of the CHALLENGES altimeter – each requiring new aerials to be £2 million a year, for 40-50 flying hours. feeling of pride upon seeing this marvellous setup and operation. Possibly the most brake parachute. The major challenges in the restoration installed. As I write this (in February 2012), XH558 example of British engineering heritage in time-consuming and messy was the fuel Finally, after 26 months, with over arose during the overhaul of various critical Finally, it is worth noting that the is about halfway through winter service the sky. system, with its 14 fuel tanks (holding about 100,000 hours of work on the project and systems such as the powered flying control enthusiasm shown by the original in a hangar at Robin Hood Airport near The restoration and display of Vulcan 39,000 litres of fuel in total), 29 fuel pumps £7 million spent, Vulcan XH558 was ready units and the chassis-mounted fuel systems manufacturers for the project in 2000 Doncaster, being prepared for a year which XH558 to flight has demonstrably confirmed and associated pipe work. On the Vulcan, to fly again. Thursday 18 October 2007 was for the engines. The companies responsible appears to have been overtaken by more could be the pinnacle of its career. This that engineering heritage, especially a fuel is used to maintain the fore-and-aft a perfect day for flying, and in front of the for these units had fortunately retained the risk-averse corporate governance of today. year the UK celebrates Her Majesty The working one, is able to communicate with centre-of-gravity in the correct position, so it expectant crowd of those who had worked original drawings and testing gear, but not I conclude that the loss of system skills Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, but it is also the the public on several levels: telling the is vital that this system works correctly. on the plane, XH558 roared down the necessarily the skills – several firms found due to the inevitable consequences of old Diamond Jubilee of the first ever flight of a historical story, exemplifying engineering With recovery complete in August, it was runway and soared into the air. There were themselves hiring back retirees just to work age, and a culture of risk-avoidance mean Vulcan; we plan for XH558 to be part of the innovation, inspiring the young and time to light the fires! One by one, the four shouts, cheers and tears of joy – so much on XH558’s systems. that were I looking to start restoring XH558 celebrations! generating pride in successful endeavour. new Rolls-Royce Olympus 202 engines were effort by so many people. I think we all felt One major update was made, to replace to flight today, the project would in all started and, on test, performed perfectly – awed and stunned, but remember thinking the aircraft’s 1950s military flight systems probability not get off the ground. For more information visit: over 25 years since they were last tested. It “I can’t relax until she’s safely back on the with modern equipment, not only because RETIREMENT www.vulcantothesky.org Unlike modern commercial airliners, which AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS are built to a damage-tolerant design Following a series of further test flights policy, the Vulcan was designed to a ‘safe required to iron out minor problems with life’ principle: XH558 has a limit to its fatigue the aircraft’s new avionics suite, XH558 life, beyond which it cannot fly. There is one BIOGRAPHY was finally awarded its ‘Permit to Fly’ in further fatigue life extension modification Robert Pleming FRAeS gained a July 2008. Two days later, it made its first which could be applied to the aircraft’s doctorate in Nuclear Physics at Oxford display flight for an enthusiastic public at structure that would keep it flying for five University. After a successful career RAF Waddington. Since then, XH558 has or six more years, but the life left in the with IBM, he became UK Technical flown more than 150 hours in front of seven available Olympus engines means that Director for Cisco Systems. As an air million people at over 100 events around XH558 may well be taking its final flight in cadet, Robert won a Flying Scholarship, Europe, and has been seen by many more the next couple of years. That flight will be which sparked his passion for aircraft. people in transit. The restored Vulcan has to a museum, where the XH558 will remain In 2000, with Vulcan return-to-fl ight feasibility established, Robert assumed proved to be remarkably trouble-free. as a functional but non-flying exhibit; the full-time role in charge of the Vulcan To keep the aircraft in top condition, probably in the best condition of any large project. Vulcan XH558 returns home to the former RAF , now Robin Hood Airport, near Doncaster, with brake ‘chute deployed, on 29 March 2011 there is a rigorous servicing schedule: British aircraft of its era.

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