Avro Vulcan XM655

Avro Vulcan XM655 is one of three remaining taxiable Avro Vulcan strategic bombers, the other two being XH558 and XL426. XM655 is currently owned by Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield and has been maintained by the 655 Maintenance & Preservation Society since 1998,[1]: 205  who keep the aircraft in a taxiable condition.

Avro Vulcan XM655
Avro Vulcan XM655 preserved at Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield in 2008
Type Avro Vulcan B.2
Manufacturer Avro
Registration G-VULC
N655AV
(Both expired)
Serial XM655
First flight 1964
Last flight 11 February 1984
Total hours 5,744
Status Preserved in taxiable condition
Preserved at Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, England

History

XM655 was completed on 19 November 1964[2][3]: 208  and was the antepenultimate Vulcan to be built.[4] It is the youngest surviving example[4] and the only operable Avro Vulcan with the more powerful Bristol Olympus 301 engines. Commissioned at Cottesmore in 1964, XM655 initially flew with Nos. 9, 12 and 35 Squadrons[5] before moving to the Waddington Wing in 1967 to join Nos. 44, 50 and 101 Squadrons.[6]

After service

In 1984, XM655 was sold off to businessman Roy Jacobsen of Croydon,[7] who intended to keep it airworthy, but the costs proved prohibitive, and the runway was too short for it to take off, so XM655 was left to deteriorate.[4] Title of XM655 then passed to Radarmoor Ltd, the operating company of Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, and the aircraft was registered in their name in January 1993.[8]

After restoration work, XM655 made its first public taxi run at Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield on 16 February 1997, with another two runs later that year. Since then, XM655 made more or less annual public taxi runs, usually in June, as part of the Wellesbourne Wings and Wheels show, until 2016. At various of these events, the display of XM655 has been accompanied by flypasts by the BBMF, the Red Arrows and Avro Vulcan XH558. Events in 2017 and subsequent years were prevented by airfield development issues, and an event planned for 21 June 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]

XM655 was also used by the crews of XH558 as required for currency and ground training.

Media appearances

XM655 has appeared in several video documentaries about the Vulcan, Falklands operations and the Royal Air Force. Usually it has been used as a stand-in for the activities that cannot be filmed at the sites or on the aircraft featured.

Programme Company
Falklands War: Last Raid of the Nuclear Vulcans BBC Military and War Documentary
Falklands' Most Daring Raid Darlow Smithson Productions - Channel 4
Guy Martin: The Last Flight of the Vulcan Bomber North One Television - Channel 4
RAF at 100 with Ewan and Colin McGregor Lion Television - BBC
The Vulcan - RAF's 100 top Warplanes Forces TV
Portillo's Hidden History of Britain - Countdown to WW3 Transparent Television, Argonon, for Channel 5 Television

Operators
 United Kingdom[10]

Accidents and incidents

On Friday 16 September 2022, XM655 suffered a runway excursion at Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield when performing a ground run as practice for the following Sunday's public show. This was due to a faulty air speed indicator, which resulted in the aircraft remaining at full power for approximately 2 seconds longer than intended. This resulted in excessive speed and less distance in which to stop, and the aircraft passed beyond the end of the runway - stopping just before the airfield perimeter in mud which borders the B4086. The air speed indicator had been tested and found satisfactory six days before the incident, which had started to work normally before the end of the run. The aircraft's brakes worked properly, but were unable to bring the aircraft to a stop with the reduced distance available.[11][12]

See also

References
  1. Blackman, Tony (19 July 2015). Vulcan Boys: From the Cold War to the Falklands: True Tales of the Iconic Delta V Bomber. Grub Street Publishing. ISBN 978-1-909808-08-9.
  2. Bulman & Ranshaw 2014, p. 4.
  3. Dancey, Peter G. (24 January 2017). The Avro Vulcan: A History. Fonthill Media.
  4. "The History of XM655 | XM655 Maintenance and Preservation Society". Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  5. RAF Cottesmore Operations Record Books | The National Archives. Air Ministry and Ministry of Defence: Operations Record Books, Royal Air Force Stations. The National Archives. AIR 28/...
  6. RAF Waddington Operations Record Books | The National Archives. Air Ministry and Ministry of Defence: Operations Record Books, Royal Air Force Stations. The National Archives. AIR 28/...
  7. "Anniversary celebrations | News | Yellow Advertiser". Yellow Advertiser. 12 January 2012. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  8. "G-INFO search | Civil Aviation Authority". siteapps.caa.co.uk. Use the search term "VULC". Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  9. "Coming Events | XM655 Maintenance and Preservation Society". Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  10. "XM655 History". Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  11. Sutherland, Gill (16 September 2022). "Wellesbourne's famous Vulcan bomber nearly hits Stratford Road after slipping off airfield runway". Stratford Herald. Stratford News and Media Limited. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  12. "XM655 Maintenance and Preservation Society". XM655.com. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  • Bulman, Craig; Ranshaw, Eric (2014). The Service History of Avro Vulcan B.Mk2 XM655. Wellesbourne, UK: XM655 Maintenance and Preservation Society.
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