Vulcan XH558

Vulcan bomber leaves RAF Waddington for the last time

12 July 2014

It was the last chance for people in Lincolnshire to see the Vulcan bomber in action on Friday.

Crowds gathered at RAF Waddington to watch the Vulcan XH558, which was delivered to the base in 1960, take off and perform a special flypast.

The Vulcan's engines will reach the end of their life next year and Waddington's runway will also be out of service for repairs in 2015.



JULY 2009

XH558—presently carrying civil registration G-VLCN— is an Avro Vulcan B2 originally built in 1960. Between then and 1992 it served variously in bomber, maritime reconnaissance and air-to-air refueling roles.

XH558 is notable for being the only remaining airworthy example of the Avro Vulcan. It is presently operated by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust as a display aircraft, funded entirely by charitable donations and the UK Lottery's Heritage Fund.

XH558 was the twelfth Vulcan B2 built and first flew in 1960 and was delivered to No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit RAF at RAF Waddington on 1 July 1960. Almost immediately the aircraft moved with 230 OCU to RAF Finningley where the aircraft spent some 8 years before returning to Lincolnshire in 1968. The aircraft was converted to a B2 Maritime Radar Reconnaissance in 1973 and subsequently to the air-to-air refueling variant K2 in 1982. It was returned to standard B2 configuration in 1985 and was the last Vulcan in service. From 1986 to 1992, it was the RAF's display aircraft.

After service with the Royal Air Force, the aircraft was sold to C.Walton Limited and delivered by air to Bruntingthorpe on the 23 March 1993. The aircraft was kept in a serviceable condition and would undertake fast taxi runs along Bruntingthorpe's main runway.

Other name(s) Avro 698
Type Avro Vulcan B.2
Manufacturer Avro
Construction number Set 12
Registration G-VLCN
Serial XH558
First flight May 1960
In service Military: 1960-1993
Civilian: 1993-present
Preserved at returned to flight 18/10/07, returned to Airshow Cct 5/7/08 at RAF Waddington, housed and maintained at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome (formerly RAF Bruntingthorpe), Leicestershire Currently stationed at RAF Brize Norton for the 2009 airshow season