Vulcan Open Day

This weekend we took the boys to Southend Airport for the first Vulcan Bomber open day of 2013.The XL426 is a B2 Vulcan and was the 44th of the 88 Vulcan B2s built. Its maiden flight was made in 1962 and its final flight to Southend airport was completed in 1986 where it has resided ever since. The Vulcan Restoration Team are hopefully to get the Vulcan to taxi a runway at full speed by the end of this year, however unfortunately this plane will never get airborne again. The open day was the ideal opportunity to let the boys learn about this amazing piece of British engineering at its best and to experience what it is like in the cockpit.

 

The incredible XL426 Vulcan Bomber at Southend Airport.

Tina and the boys pose for a picture with the Vulcan.

You can just about see me and the boys in front of the Vulcan's front wheel.

 The Vulcan is painted with the insignia of No. 1 Group (A black panther's head).

Earlier this week both Joshua and Brandon were telling us how they wanted to be pilots when they grew up. So it was great to give them the opportunity to sit in an actual pilots chair from a Vulcan Bomber.

Captain Brandon on deck.

And Captain Joshua taking his turn.

The open bomb doors. Can you spot the small inflatable Vulcan toy which incidentally the boys both have hanging up in their bedrooms?

The tail of the Vulcan XL 426.

Joshua standing behind the rear wheels of the Vulcan.

Whilst we were waiting for our time slot to go into the cockpit the boys were both more than happy to kill time by watching all the other planes landing and taking off at the airport. We were even treated to a little drive by of some airport fire engines. 

This little blue helicopter gave us a very close fly by whilst we waited for a cockpit viewing time.

Me, B and the Vulcan.

 

Me and B checking out some of the bombs from the Vulcan.

Finally we got to have our turn in the cockpit. It was quite an adventure for the two boys to climb up the ladder and into the very confined cockpit. For such a big plane it is amazingly cramping and almost unbelievable that 5 pilots can work for up to to 16 hours in such a confined space. We even got to see the special urine tube that the pilots had to use, although nowhere knew what the protocol was for doing a number 2!

The cockpit of the Vulcan.

Joshua and Brandon inside the Vulcan.

Controls and dials everywhere.

Brandon sitting up high by the pilots chairs.

And up Joshua goes into the Vulcan cockpit.

I give Brandon a helping hand up the first stage of the ladder to get into the Vulcan cockpit.

Joshua was fine getting in and out on his own. But Brandon still needed a helping hand with his little legs.

The woman from the VRT team said Joshua looked like a natural the way he got into and out of the Vulcan.

Another great day out and hopefully the boys learnt a lot and have plenty to write about during story time at school tomorrow. It is such a shame the boys will never get to experience this amazing aircraft fly. Still at least they have managed to see it up close and personal and even go inside which is more than most people ever get to see.