Vulcan

[Rod Farquhar]

Is this Vulcan XH539 and if so where is it??
I don't recognise the background and I am pretty sure it is not Edinburgh.
Rod

Attached Image

[Dave Masterson]

Rod...looks like it might be XH-498. Ohakea NZ 1959. here is the video url

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...e&v=Y-tkSvP_Bng

This post has been edited by Dave Masterson on Jul 9 2013, 01:22 PM

[Martin Edwards]

Great detective work Dave!

[Rod Farquhar]

Thanks Dave, yes that the one alright. I was a bit worried about the last digit as it is not really very clear and it looked more like an eight than a nine, the scenery reminds me of NZ.
Rod

[Brendan Cowan]

Hi guys,

The scenery does remind me of New Zealand too - but at two different locations.

The proximity of sea and mountains looks very much like Wellington to me in some of the YouTube shots.

Ohakea is several kilometres inland in flatter country - and the final shots look like flatlands with the curved pan and hangars of Ohakea in the background.

Did she try landing/low pass for visual inspection at Wellington before departing a little further north to Ohakea for the actual touchdown?

I could be wrong on all of this - this is an entirely unresearched response based only on photographic interpretation!

But I would like to put the real info about XH539's mishap onto Our Vulcan Page !

:D

BC



(IMG:http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/albums/Avro-Vulcan/Vulcan_XH539_carrying_Blue_Steel_Photo_BAE_Systems.jpg)

[Martin Edwards]

Brendan that is pretty much exactly what happened!

http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/other_photogr..._wellington.htm

Avro Vulcan B1 XH498 of No 617 Squadron in October 1959 at Wellington Airport. During the display, 498 touched down short, damaged its undercarriage and subsequently crash landed at RNZAF Ohakea.

Note though that it was XH498 not XH593

The Vulcan was taking part in a airshow being held to mark the official opening of Wellington International Airport, formerly known as Rongotai Airport.

After demonstrating a ' touch-and-go ' on Runway 34 the Vulcan came around again to make a full stop landing.

Turbulence and wind shear caused the jet bomber to land short of the runway threshold clipping the embankment at the Moa Point or southern end with its port undercarriage leg which was severely damaged and unable to support the aircraft. The port wing tip nearly scraped the runway surface before the pilot was able to lift off again.

Wellington airport has always been known for its dangerous wind conditions. The pilots' skill prevented a possible disaster as spectators were present on the western apron not far from the runway.

The Vulcan returned to RNZAF Ohakea where a safe emergency landing was carried out on just the nose and starboard landing gear with little further damage to the aircraft.

A repair team was sent from the UK to return the Vulcan to airworthiness and it left NZ on the 4th of January 1960, and remained in service until 19th October 1967
http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=59726

Video of "near crash landing"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...d&v=R3iMw7Q7H68

Damaged port u/c can been seen in this still from the video

Attached Image

[Brendan Cowan]

Thanks Martin!

You've come up trumps again!

No update for our page then, but quite a fascinating story.

Cheers


BC

P.S. Here's another Vuclan pic teaser ........


(IMG:http://www.vulcantothesky.org/uploads/images/Bottom.jpg)

For more info see Vulcan's down under from Vulcan to the Sky