Vulcan RAF’s Atomic Avenger

132 Pages·2014·102.755 MB·English

by  Collective

SPECIAL
VULCAN
RAF’S ATOMIC AVENGER
Icons No 13
£7.95
ICONS
THE VULCAN
EXPERIENCE
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V-fORCE aIRCRaft
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VULCAN
AVRO’S MIGHTY DELTA
It is perhaps surprising that the “Swinging Destruction was a persuasive notion of The Vulcan was one of three aircraft
Sixties” are now half a century away. Five deadly proportions and it was one that both types that were built to carry Britain’s
decades ago, Britain was a country full of East and West embraced wholeheartedly. atomic bombs, but it is undoubtedly the
optimism and opportunity, freed from Britain’s belief in nuclear deterrence had most famous of the trio. The Vulcan’s
years of austerity created by the long, dark emerged from World War Two, when impressive size, combined with its
years of the Second World War. It was an era development of atomic power led to the menacing bat-like wings and ear-splitting
when permissiveness and prosperity fi nal and most destructive acts of the jet engines, ensured that wherever the
seemed to be the nation’s future, but it was confl ict. The capability to build weapons Vulcan fl ew, people had to take notice. Built
also a time when Britain faced the that could obliterate entire countries was a as a Weapon of Mass Destruction, the
possibility of no future at all. During one temptation that was too hard to resist, and Vulcan became a familiar part of Britain’s
fearful weekend early in the 1960s, it after the war, Britain’s politicians concluded contemporary history through the 1960s
seemed likely that the United Kingdom was that atomic weaponry would become the and beyond, but despite being
about to face utter destruction, and only means of ensuring the country’s manufactured solely for the ugly business
preparations were made to initiate what security. But designing and building atomic of genocide, the Vulcan has now become a
would have been the Third World War, even bombs (and the thermonuclear weapons truly classic aircraft that is admired and
though most of Britain’s people went about that followed) was a complicated, laborious loved by enthusiasts around the world. Just
their daily lives almost oblivious to the and hideously expensive business, not least one fl ying example of the mighty Vulcan
horror that was unfolding inside the military because an atomic weapon requires a survives, and it literally steals the show
and political corridors of power. The Cuban reliable means of delivering it to its target. wherever it goes. Every airshow spectator is
Missile Crisis was a critical event when the Building the atomic bomb was a huge fascinated by the sheer charisma of Avro’s
prospect of nuclear war seemed to be undertaking for a country of Britain’s size classic creation but few people pause to
almost inevitable, but history records that and wealth, but building a delivery system consider the long and complicated story of
even though the unthinkable briefl y for it was a completely separate issue that how the Vulcan came into being, and what
became almost a certainty, the prospect of required just as much scientifi c knowledge, the Vulcan really is all about.
an all-out nuclear exchange between the manpower and resources. It was this
East and West was a step that neither of the requirement that led to the creation of the
protagonists were ultimately prepared to RAF’s V-Force, and Avro’s magnifi cent Vulcan Tim McLelland
take. The concept of Mutually Assured bomber. Series Editor
For more than a century of aviation history and
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KELSEY media Published by Kelsey Media. Printed at William Gibbons & Sons Ltd on behalf of Kelsey Publishing Ltd, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry's Hill, Cudham, Kent
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CCoonntteennttss
Chapter 1 Chapter 3
6 ATOMIC ACCESSION
30 DESIGNS AND DIMINUTIVES
The story of Britain’s Bomb, and the
Designing the Avro 698 – and the Avro 707 series
development of atomic warfare.
Chapter 4
Chapter Two
46 HEATHROW HORROR
14 GERMAN GENISIS The London Airport Tragedy – and the
The creation of the RAF’s nuclear V-Force introduction of the Vulcan B.Mk.1
SPECIAL
VULCAN
RAF’S ATOMIC AVENGER
Ico£n7s .N9o5 13
ICONS
001 Vulcan Cover.indd 1 07/05/2014 08:25
Cover Photo:Vulcan XH558
pictured in fl ight during 2013.
(Photo: Tom Houquet) Colour artwork by Tim McLelland and Jennings Heiling (www.fundekals.com)
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VVUULLCCAANN

Chapter 5 Chapter 7
62 DELTA DEVELOPMENTS 96 RETIRED AND RETAINED
Development of the bigger and better Vulcan Mk.2 Tanker operations, the Vulcan’s retirement
and beyond.
Chapter 6
80 FALKLANDS FINALE Chapter 8
Confl ict over the South Atlantic– 112 VULCAN IN DETAIL
and the Vulcan’s swansong The Avro Vulcan described
XH558 landing at its former
service base at RAF Waddington
in Lincolnshire.
(Photo: Tim McLelland)
VULCAN | 5
Atomic Accession
Although the Vulcan has become only to ensure security in what would soon
With knowledge gleaned
famous as an iconic example of British become the Cold War era, but also to ensure
aerospace design and engineering, it from the Manhattan Project, that Britain would remain truly independent
is interesting to note that it was not unique. Britain decides to build its both politically and militarily. Cabinet-level
The Vulcan was only one of three approval of plans for atomic weapons
own atomic bomb.
contemporary designs that the Royal Air ultimately led to the issue of an Air Staff
Force ultimately acquired, all of which were Requirement OR1001, which emerged on 9
created to perform the very same task – of success when the story first began. August 1946, calling for the development of
delivering an atomic bomb into the heart of The world’s first functional atomic device a “bomb employing the principle of nuclear
the Soviet Union. The Royal Air Force’s urgent was detonated at 05:29 on 16 July 1945 – fission.” Although the precise size and
need to demonstrate an ability to strike hard the result of scientific and political co- weight of the proposed weapon was
with nuclear weapons was so great that the operation between Britain and the USA. obviously unclear at this stage, experience
British Government was willing to pour an However, despite having worked together with the Manhattan Project enabled
almost limitless amount of money and on the famous Manhattan Project, hopes scientists to make a fair estimate, and when
resources into this requirement, sanctioning that further development of atomic power the OR was re-issued a couple of years later,
the manufacture of three aircraft types in the could be shared were soon dashed. After it stated that the bomb should not exceed
hope that at least one of them would be World War Two, America became 290 inches in length and a diameter of 60in.
assured of success. In time it became clear increasingly reluctant to share scientific Weight limit was set at 10,000lb and it was
that all three (the Valiant, Victor and Vulcan) knowledge with Britain and after years of specified that the weapon should be
would be capable of the task, but in an era political wrangling, the British Government capable of release from heights between
when high-performance jet aircraft design concluded that development of its own 20,000ft and 50,000ft, at speeds between
was still in its infancy, nobody could be sure atomic weapons would be necessary, not 150kt and 500kt. It was envisaged that
Vulcans from no.35 squadron pictured on their
dispersals on a gloomy morning at RAF scampton.
XJ783 had previously served with the Akrotiri strike
Wing before joining no.35 squadron. it was scrapped
in 1982. (Photo: Fred Martin)
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VULCAN
flip-out fins would be used so that the overall
dimensions of the bomb bay would not need The RAF’s Specification B.35/46 eventually
to be even larger than those dictated by resulted in two advanced bombers – the
bomb’s carcass. Despite the issue of OR1001, Vulcan and Victor, together with an
official governmental approval for the “interim” or “insurance” design in the
development of atomic weapons wasn’t shape of the Valiant (designed under a
forthcoming until early in 1947 and it wasn’t separate specification). Together they
until 3 October 1952 that the first British became the famous trio of V-Bombers that
atomic test device was finally detonated. equipped Bomber Command through the
Work immediately began on translating the 1960s. (Photo: Tim McLelland collection)
experimental test package into a viable
atomic bomb. The projected size, weight and
complexity of the atomic bomb seemed to be
totally unsuitable for carriage by even the
biggest aeroplane. Even Sir Arthur Harris (the
legendary leader of Bomber Command)
speculated that an “an atomic exploder could
be brought into an enemy country piece by
piece, to be assembled and detonated in
almost any location where suitable cover
could be found.” But even though the
possibility of using ships or even missiles was
seriously considered, it was anticipated that
with more research and developmental work,
a bomb could be created that would be
suitable for delivery by air. Britain’s Air Staff
accepted that a completely new aircraft
would be needed for the task. It was accepted
that the bomber would inevitably have to be
†
VULCAN | 7
Photographs of the “physics package” that formed the
basis of Britain’s first atomic bomb are very rare. The
warhead’s fissionable core was surrounded by explosive
lenses and detonators (as illustrated), and this dictated
the overall size of the weapon.
(Photo: AWRE)
ˆ
The first British atomic bomb was Blue Danube, a
huge weapon with overall proportions dictated by the size
of the physics package that it contained. It was the size
and weight of this bomb that determined the size of the
Vulcan. Blue Danube delivered a yield of some 12
kilotons. (Photo: AWRE)
jet-powered, and eventually Operational larger than the Lancaster. The
Requirement OR.230 was drawn-up, calling draft requirement was
for “a landplane capable of carrying one considered in detail but by
10,000lb bomb to a target 2,000nm from a December it had been
base situated anywhere in the world.” abandoned, on the basis that
Because it would undoubtedly have to the performance requirements
encounter enemy radar and defences, it were unrealistically ambitious
would need to be capable of flying at high and that the aircraft would be
altitude (between 35,000ft and 50,000ft) and incapable of operating from
also be able to fly at high speed (some any of the RAF’s airfields
500kt). Although it would be expected to without a major programme of
carry warning devices and defensive reconstruction.
equipment, it would not be armed with any Even if a suitable aircraft
self-defence guns, as this would add greatly could somehow have been
to the all-up weight of the aircraft and developed, its cost would
therefore inhibit the aircraft’s speed and probably have been so high
altitude. Even without defensive armament that the RAF would have been
the aircraft was expected to be heavy and In 1952, British strategists were unsure as to how an obliged to accept only a handful of
cumbersome and with an all-up weight not atomic weapon could be successfully delivered to its operational aircraft that would have had little
target. It was assumed that the heavy and cumbersome
exceeding 200,000lb it was unlikely to be practical value. A less ambitious approach
device would have to be secretly brought into enemy
capable of operating from existing RAF was necessary, and after further
territory on board a ship, and in order to test the
runways, most of which were only 6,000ft in effectiveness of this kind of delivery the first British consideration the Air Staff concluded that
length or even shorter. Consideration also device was detonated on board a former Navy frigate, the main requirement was to manufacture a
had to be given to hangar facilities, as even HMS Plym. Development of smaller and lighter atomic bomber that could deliver one atomic bomb
the largest hangars were capable of devices soon indicated that a far more practical solution to Moscow – and any additional capability
accommodating aircraft that were hardly any would be to create a bomb that could be carried by air. beyond this requirement would be a bonus
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VULCAN
Britain’s first nuclear “bomb” was detonated
on 3 October 1952 as part of Operation
Hurricane. The device was based on
knowledge gained during the famous
Manhattan Project, although it was not
identical to the type of “physics package”
used in the bombs dropped on Japan in 1945.
(Photo: Tim McLelland collection)
rather than a necessity. Operational alternative it was also specified that
Requirement OR.229 was therefore issued jettisonable seats could be fitted if necessary.
and with it, Specification B.35/46. The Air Chief Ministry of Supply representative
Staff’s new criteria still specified that the (Stuart Scott-Hall) commented; “the
bomber would have to be capable of conclusion had been reached that the long
carrying the same bomb load (the 10,000lb range bomber, the all-up weight of which
“special weapon”) but range would now be would be in the region of 200,000lb,
set at a more modest 1,500nm with the same represented too great an advance in design
operational ceiling and an all-up weight now to be entertained at the present juncture.
not exceeding 100,000lb. As with the original Considerable research and development
requirement, the bomber would be capable would be necessary - including, in all
of carrying conventional weapons if probability, the construction of half-scale
necessary but fundamentally it would be flying models. Consideration should be given
designed in order to carry just one atomic to the medium-range aircraft, holding the
bomb, the dimensions of which were still long-range requirements in abeyance for a
unclear but estimated to be roughly time.” He proposed that there should be an
equivalent to the wartime “Grand Slam” high Insurance Design which would be a relatively
explosive weapon carried by Lancasters. As simple aircraft created purely as a direct
with OR230, the aircraft would not carry replacement for the Avro Lincoln that was
defensive armament and (in a shift from currently equipping Bomber Command’s
Immediately following the development of an atomic
accepted practise) the crew of five would not squadrons. Secondly, there would be the
weapon, Britain’s government embarked upon an equally
be spread throughout the aircraft but proposed medium-range jet bomber, and
ambitious programme to create a thermonuclear bomb.
housed together in a pressurised finally the original long-range jet bomber Tests were performed at Christmas Island (as part of
compartment that would be jettisonable in that had been temporarily abandoned but Operation Grapple) and eventually resulted in a weapon
an emergency, and fitted with parachutes for which was still regarded as a long-term that delivered an astonishing yield of some 3 megatons.
retardation during descent. As a cheaper project. (Photo: AWRE) †
VULCAN | 9
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