Avro Vulcan

The Avro Vulcan entered service in the 1950s as part of the United Kingdom’s strategic bomber force. Featuring a distinctive delta wing, it was designed for high-altitude nuclear strike missions. The aircraft later adapted to conventional roles.

Avro Vulcan B2 ‘XH558’ © Alan Wilson

Overview

Avro United Kingdom 1956–1965 $990,000 (1956)

Avro Vulcan — delta-wing strategic bomberThe Vulcan first flew in 1952 and entered service in 1956. Its large delta wing provided both lift and stability at high altitude. The design was advanced for its era.Four turbojet engines, each producing over 10,000 pounds of thrust (44 kN), powered the aircraft. Cruise speed approached 480 knots (889 km/h). Maximum takeoff weight exceeded 200,000 pounds (90,718 kg).The Vulcan formed part of Britain’s nuclear deterrent during the Cold War. It later saw combat in the Falklands conflict. The aircraft remains an iconic symbol of British aviation.

Specifications

Units
Engine
4 × Bristol Olympus Mk.101 / Mk.102 / Mk.104
Engine type
Jet
Thrust
4 × 11,000 lbf · 49 kN
Avionics
VHF transmitter/receivers, l HF transmitter-receiver, H2S Mk9 radar etc.
Wing tips
No winglets
Seats
5
Crew
—
Cabin width
—
Cabin height
—
Cabin length
—
Exterior length
99 ft 11 in  ·  30.45 m
Tail height
27 ft 2 in  ·  8.28 m
Fuselage diameter
8 ft 6 in  ·  2.60 m
Wing span
111 ft 0 in  ·  33.83 m
Baggage volume
—
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
170,000 lb  ·  77,000 kg
Max landing weight
—
Max payload
22,000 lb  ·  10,000 kg
Fuel capacity
11,150 gal · 42,200 L · 33,700 kg (Jet A)
Max cruise speed
561 kt  ·  646 mph  ·  1,039 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
170 kt  ·  196 mph  ·  315 km/h
Range
2,265 nm  ·  2,610 mi  ·  4,190 km
Fuel burn
—
Ceiling
55,000 ft  ·  16,800 m
Rate of climb
16,000 ft/min  ·  81 m/s
Takeoff distance
—
Landing distance
—
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Avro Vulcan

Operational Context

The B.1 is the initial production version of the Avro Vulcan. The B.1A featured an Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) system, the B.2 had larger and thinner wings and powered by Olympus 201-202 engines. Nine B.2 were also converted to MRR (Maritime Radar Reconnaissance) versions while six were converted for air-to-air refueling.

It can accommodate five crew members including a pilot, co-pilot, AEO, Navigator Radar, and Navigator Plotter. Two extra seats could also be fitted for crew chiefs if required. It has an external length of 29.59 meters, an external height of 6 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 2.6 meters. The tail height is 8.08 meters and the wheelbase is 9 meters. It has a wingspan of 30.30 meters and a wing area of 330.2 square meters. It has an empty weight of 37,908 kg if equipped and crewed, a maximum takeoff weight of 77,111 kg, a maximum payload of 10,000 kg, and a fuel tank capacity of 11,140 US gal.

Four Bristol Olympus Mk.101/ Mk.102/ Mk.104 power the Vulcan. It is an axial-flow two-spool turbojet engine with a six-stage LP and eight-stage HP axial compressor, ten flame tubes cannular combustors, and a single-stage HP single-stage LP turbine. Each engine produces a maximum takeoff thrust of 11,000 lbf. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 561 knots at altitude and a cruise speed of 493 knots at 45,000 feet. The travel range is 2,265 nautical miles. It can fly up to 55,000 feet and can climb at a rate of 16,000 feet per minute.

Armaments included twenty-one 454 kg of unguided bombs, a Blue Danube nuclear gravity bomb, a Violet Club 400 kt nuclear gravity bomb, a U.S. Mark 5 nuclear gravity bomb supplied under Project E, a Yellow Sun Mk. 1 400 kt nuclear gravity bomb, a Yellow Sun Mk.2 1.1 Mt thermonuclear gravity bomb, a Red Beard nuclear gravity bomb, and a WE.177B parachute-retarded nuclear gravity bomb.