The Missing Vulcan - Falklands 1982
The extraordinary story of the Vulcan that never returned from Operation Black Buck 6 during the Falklands conflict. Find out where this aircraft went and how the British got it back.
Special thanks to The City of Norwich Aviation Museum - please visit cnam.org.uk
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I like how the alarm sounds like somebody is practicing with a recorder.
It really does. They need to learn how to play Hot Cross Buns.
Nice one...
Some minister obviously thought people being vaporized by Soviet atomic weapons wasn't bad enough on its own 😦
I want to hear a shity recorder version of that
Every airman with a kid is predisposed to react to those tones with "I'll be at the pup, love". Only replace pup with flightline and love with sir
I was the last person to put fuel into XM597 at RAF Waddington prior to its departure to East Fortune museum in 1984.
Couple of Anecdotes, I was told by my dad (Nav Radar- Black Buck 1). The crew of Vulcan which landed in Rio were wined and dined by the Brazilian Air Force after the initial hullabaloo. The embassy in Brazil also sent a letter to the RAF requesting that crews of aircraft should carry an overnight bag just in case as the guys had no change of clothes....
First saw the Vulcan in the James Bond movie “Thunderball”, which had an accurate enough model that they got into trouble with a British air defense ministry. Oddly enough that movie was on TV a month or so before the Falklands war started! Been almost 40 years ago but still seems like yesterday.
Life goes so fast ! 🙁
Likewise my first introduction to the Vulcan bomber, although I saw the movie some years before the Falklands. And many years later I had the pleasure of sitting in the cockpit of one of the retired Vulcan bombers.
And hey, the year 2022 is coming up in a couple years; the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War! Anyone else feel old now?
I remember when the news came out that Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. I told my friends Argentina just bit off a hell of a lot more than it can chew. I grew up with a mother that was born in England. The tenacity of the English people when their backs are against the wall is really surprising. Just ask Hitler. My biggest concern for the British was the absence of large aircraft carrier. Yeah they got the job done with their baby carriers. But the cost in lives was much higher then it needed to be. The Harrier is a sweet air support fighter with a limited air-to-air capability at the time. The biggest problem with the Harrier in this role is the range or if you prefer the radius of action. That is why I worried about the carrier situation. If the Ark Royal had still been in commission they would have been flying f-4s off of that deck. The F4 was originally designed specifically as a fleet defense fighter. It had the radius of action to protect the British surface units. It also had the performance to take on anything Argentina can throw at the Royal Navy. I for one was not surprised by the end results. And I also ardently supported the United Kingdom recovering their territory.
I didn't realize that, thanks for the reminder. Yeah, starting to feel my age.
@@JohnRodriguesPhotographer Yes, I suppose it's their territory for having criminally stolen it from the natives years back. Gotta cling to those last tattered remains of an empire, right? A far superior turn of events would have been dead Paras, sunken ships, and a roundly trounced Brit military sadly skulking back home, never to return... What is satisfying though, is that this battle marks the absolute last time England will ever be able to project military power, for the remainder of human history. English pathetic power play politics are well past their prime. Certainly no longer a force to be reckoned with on the world stage...
@@neighbor-j-4737 a truly magnificent feat of British military force and the defeat and downfall of fascist dictatorship. Rejoice in the fact that the worlds toughest troops chased these cowards off the Falklands, which as you should know was a sovereign British territory before the state of Argentina even existed. I would also encourage you to look into Her Majesties Royal Navies two new super carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth II and HMS Prince Charles currently being commissioned. Rule Britannia 👍
@@neighbor-j-4737 Someone sounds a bit triggered LOL.
I had just concluded viewing Military Aviation History's episode about the Vulcan when this arrived. Back-to-back coverage and both very enjoyable. The diversion of the Vulcan to Brazil is new information. Thanks very much.
i watched that a few days ago, youtube is finally doing some good with recommendations
It was parked at the side of the airport next to a major road which resulted in traffic jams when thousands of locals turned up to see the Vulcan.
I did not know about the diversion either. Great bomber. Unique the Vs are...
The Vulcan was a truly beautiful airplane.
Both the Vulcan and Victor look like they came out of a 60's Sci-fi magazine, I love them.
As were all the V Bombers I think
Keith Allver The screams of the Vulcans engines are something else
Still is...
My grandfather served 5 years during ww2 in the Luftwaffe, I can remember when he saw the argentine invasion he said that the Argentines are incredibly dumb, that they don't have any chance.. When the war ended he opened a bottle of champagne and saluted to the 'tommys' for their victory.. We kids played war and all of us wanted to be the brits... Probably since waterloo 1815 so many Germans celebrated a British military victory :)
Many German (Hessian)Generals and advisors helped the Flegling colonies beat Back the British, to become the USA
Hmmm... tell your grandfather you were lucky that the Argentines were incredibly dumb. Had the Argentines been just dumb, your Navy fleet would have probably been sunk completely! Truth is the Argentines taught the whole military world a good lesson, especially those who are deemed a super power. You thought you were in for a walk in the park, and you were proven awfully wrong. We Aussies didn't know that so much could be achieved with our own Mirages and Scooters as the Argentines showed us. Respects to them all.
Graham Kyle Vulcan could you tell us what the argies were meant to have taught you, because all they did was to subjugate an island and in the process ignore the will of the people, then got smashed because they underestimated the country they took the island from.
Yes, as if any country would ever "underestimate" the third most powerful Navy in the world just like that. I speak up for all the brave man who went to fight that war in spite of that. And they have taught the world that they could fight a formidable enemy with aircraft so obsolete that I don't think your country's airmen would have dared. That's what the Argentines taught me. And by God they fought bravely.
@@RagingBulCorp faltan 13 años para cumplir 200 años de ocupación ilegal de nuestras islas.
A fascinating aircraft.All the 'V's were ahead of their times.
Bashir Muhammad to a point. Unfortunate how due to ICBMs and surface to air missiles this plane began to lose traction.
About 12 years between the Lanc and the Vulcan. Avro were among a number of genius level British aircraft manufacturers
The Avro Arrow as well.
Too bad the ICBM fuck us over
Yeah, the V1, V2...😂🤣
i feel privileged to have met Martin Withers during my time at the R.J Mitchell AMA in Doncaster whilst there as an apprentice for BAE Systems. The history of it all has given me so much motivation to try and go as far as possible in aviation.
I never knew there were so many Black Buck missions.
Yeah,only XM607 received alot of interest,there's even an hr.long documentary on it but too bad nothing on the others,til now of course! Mark did it again.👍
God that is one beautiful aircraft. Respect to the British aerospace industry from America.
@Gar kzhead.info/sun/gpyrhtugpZx4pWw/bejne.html
By coincidence I lived in a Pub called "The Vulcan "....in Huddersfield.
You lucky Sod!!
I liked the pub at Stevenage: "Edward The Confessor", locally known as "Ted The Grass" ...
@@vk2ig I've been there, years ago. It wasn't too bad, really.
I heard 'Smells like Teen Spirit' for the first time in the Vulcan pub in Blackburn. Was like being hit by twenty 1000lb bombs, lol.
My favourite factoid about the black buck missions is the bomb release mechanisms. The Vulcan wasn't designed to carry a load of smaller bombs and the mechanisms they had to retro-fit were actually Lancaster systems. I like to think because they were from the same stable, there were common fittings :) It's amazing to think that we're as far now from the Falklands war as the Falklands war was from WW2
I saw one video about the black Buck raids discussing the difficulties finding the parts they needed. One of the parts they can find was sitting in the ready room you being used as an ashtray! Yeah they scooped it up cleaned it up and put it in the plane.
Just finished reading Vulcan 607 by Rowland White. I highly recommend it, as mentions the incident about the part being used as an ashtray.
I was stationed at Castle AFB, California which proudly had a Vulcan on display at their recently opened museum. A team of specialists was dispatched from the UK to remove and retrieve the refueling probe from the display Vulcan. We were more than happy to be of assistance.
This is a ledendary story for us here in Brazil that like millitary history. Glad that this beauty paid us a visit. Greetings from the other side of the pond.
Putting Huddersfield on the map at last 😎
"Like a bat out of Huddersfield" - quote from the Northern comedian Mike Harding many years ago. Strangely appropriate here :-)
The logistics skill and sheer balls of this raid are 1st class, well done the RAF.
The fact that it was a useless and highly inefficient operation that caused problems for the already stretched Sea Harriers is probably less important.
@Faravahar You know nothing my friend
@Faravahar Yes, it was a close run thing and an outstanding military operation just to attempt it.
The commander of that ship was even warned of the peril they were in,
If the Argentinian Air force had fused their bombs right they would of gave the Brits a good run .. You Brits need to understand this .. You Brits yes would of won but at a way bigger cost .
Interesting to think that the British Vulcan and the US B-52, both went on line in the 50's for a nearly identical role, delivering nuclear payloads deep into the Soviet Union. The Vulcan is long gone, but, the B-52 is still very much in service with the US Air Force and probably will be, for several more decades.
My father heard the news when the plane landed, he was so excited about that V-jet that he wanted to go to Rio de Janeiro just to snap some fotos (we are from São Paulo)
Saw and heard the Vulcan in one of tis final displays over Eastbourne at Airbourne - what a sight and what a sound!
The howl
I saw one a few years ago when it flew over Belfast. Too far away to get the sound of it (kicking myself for not being to the hills over Belfast) I did get a good look and it was such an ominous looking thing.
I attended an open day at RAF Waddington in the late 1970s, and they conducted a simulated scramble of four Vulcans taking off simultaneously. It had to be heard and felt to be believed...
Got to view one at Goose Bay, Labrador airport. It was left by RAF for static display. Dam big bird. No problem to see on google earth.
In the early 1970s, I lived in a place called Nettleham, couple of miles from RAF Scampton. One morning I counted 15 or 16 Vulcans circling overhead joining up with a bunch of them from RAF Waddington. What an awesome sight.
My father trained as a navigator in Vulcans that flew out of northern Canada during the cold war. Sadly he died when I was too young to ask him about his experience. It is a frightening thought that had the cold war turned hot, my father would have been crossing the Arctic to drop nukes on Russia.
One of the most beautiful aricraft that were build
I saw an RAF Vulcan parked in the Tangiers airport, circa 1985. Beautiful plane, immediately recognized it...
For anyone in the North of the UK who's interested. XM597 is actually still around! It's preserved at the National Museum of Flight, in East Fortune, about 25 miles from Edinburgh :) I used to work there!
I love the howl they make off those engines
Saw the Vulcan at an Air Show outside of Washington DC. It was impressive, but it was IMPRESSIVE when it came by the stands 90 degrees to the runway with Bombay door wide open. That was IMPRESSIVE!
They’ve got a Vulcan at the Washington Land, Sea and Air Museum. You have to see it in person to appreciate the scale of it.
As a veteran, I would like to thank you for your outstanding work in preserving in military history. Great job as usual
It was made only a decade after ww2. We were in a bloody renaissance of creativity in that decade. It was a total quantum leap.
Miles ahead of nearly everyone else .. Just no money to fund anything
James Walsh I thought a quantum leap is the smallest leap that can be made, across two electron shells. Agree with your point of course.
And at the same time the decision was being taken to develop Concorde. It was an astonishing time for sheer engineering innovation.
It's amazing how much aircraft development advanced in 20 years from the 30's to the 50's.
I've heard a rumour that in June 1982 a USAF Hercules landed at Rio at some ungodly hour, disgorging a team of technicians who scurried back on with a 'firework' and promptly left.
Beautiful aircraft. I was lucky enough to see it flying at Fairford 5 years ago.
Now back to subject, this is very, VERY beautiful plane, love sounds of jet engines
I love your videos Mark, they’re so informative and interesting. Keep up the great work
Such a beautiful aircraft, shame we won't get to see her fly again. A few years back a Vulcan flew right over are heads when we were on Margate sands at the time, such a awesome sight and sound too.
Despite being a short engagement the Malvinas/Falklands war has a lot of stories of daring airmen to be told. Great video once again. Respect from Argentina
Great work Mark! A story I know well and good but refreshing to hear again in a shorter and more concise format than I've seen to date. Thank you. Rich.
The pauses to allow us to hear the jet noise are much appreciated.
I was assigned to the American embassy in Singapore in the 1960's and remember Vulcans being there when the Brits still had military installations on the island.
When I was in the RAF (1961-1975) I was stationed at RAF Digby Lincolnshire, and for a while I was housed at an old airfield at Birchwood in married Quarters in the early 1970's, and used to travel from there to RAF Digby along the A15 which passes by RAF Waddington, where I could see some Vulcans, and I think and Victors parked up near the runways, close to the A15. Later on new Married Quarters were built at RAF Digby so we then moved permanently to those Quarters on the base. Of course this is many years ago and the memory a bit vague, but I certainly saw Vulcans.....:) Also stationed in RAF Akrotiri (1965-1967) my signals unit building was down near the airfield, and when on shift there it was wonderful watching a pair of Lightning Interceptors taking off at 06:00hrs and 18:00hrs taking off on their patrols with full reheat on straight up into the sky, what a noise they made........:) Sorry, I digress....
Stunningly beautiful bird. So sad they are gone forever. Along with British aerospace. Great post, as usual.
These Falkland episodes are my absolute favorites. The American Granada and Panama conflicts would be welcome future content.
Never clicked so fast, more falklands and cold war please! i love these!
Informative video of a part of the Falkland War I was completely unaware of. Thanks.
Mark, could you do a full day to day series on the falklands? That would be incredible
Such a beautiful aircraft they have one of these on display here in Louisiana at barksdale airforce base
I love all your videos, thanks for going so deep into the falklands conflict. This is a topic rarely discussed in the US.
Another brilliantly researched and largely little known piece of our nation's history.
I was in Rio when the event took place. The city was shaken by the sonic booms of the F5s.
I was in NYC to see the Broadway Show "Evita" on the Day Argentina invaded the Falklands, I was the only one in the group I was with that said that that Brit would fight. I didn't know about the Shrikes till now. None of the Documentaries ever mentioned it, not even the one about the Vulcan Strike on Stanley. The Brits could have used a U.S. Navy Carrier Battle Group. F-14 for air superiority, Hawkeyes for early warning, the Burke Destroyers for Picket duty A-6's to Attack the Angintine airbases. Nope we were natural, yeah right, we would have never let the United Kindom t loose the war or it's sovereign territory , I was so young back then, I turn 65 on Feb 1.
11:22 …”he had less than 2000 lbs or 910 kg of fuel remaining, sufficient not even for one circuit of the airport”… Impressive!
The airfield at Ascension Island, Wideawake Field was built by the Americans during WW2. The runway was extended for support of the missile tracking station, made jet worthy. During the Falklands War British support came from USAF facilities, including billeting, mess and round the clock ramp and refueling operations. This was carried out by USAF civilian contract personnel, which at the time were Pan American World Airways World Services Division.
*UK fighting a war* America: "Here have some weapons."
America: we're neutral Everyone with a brain: no bitch, you were never neutral in anything from WW2 onwards.
It's the neighborly thing to do.
I almost feel like you're... Oversimplifying
@@Schmidty1 neither were the Swiss then
@@keeperofthecheese Business is business, if the UK agrees to buy/"buy" some fancy missiles, then theres no reason to not carry out a perfectly legitimate/"legitimate" transaction...
Mr.Felton, Great video and a great story teller. Greetings from San Antonio Texas.
I don’t know how he does it.I was well aware of the black buck mission but had no idea of the following ones especially the Brazilian one. Once again Mr Felton that is outstanding
Me too. I knew there was more than one raid & an aircraft had to land in South America when the probe snapped. I had no idea there were so many though. Outstanding work Mr. Felton!
I think it's somewhere in the Bahamas, under the water and under some camouflage netting, and Sean Connery is swimming around it (or maybe that's his great grandson).
Some of your best work yet Mark! Loved this episode, hats off for the quality of this production.
Again, just as two channels I follow just highlighted the Kettenkrad within weeks of each other, today two channels highlight the Avro Vulcan B2!
@ItHz2p military aviation history released a vid on Vulcan today
Please copy links to anyother military aviation history and post on comments.
@ItHz2p Military History not Visualized did a vid on the Kett
I remember this very well, just re-enlisted in the army infantry!
I saw a Vulcan at Offut AFB in Nebraska in the early 70s. Will never forget the thing coming over low and slow (seemingly) till the pilot turned it on its tail almost straight up and it disappeared into the clouds.
As always a great job. Thankyou for your time and efforts. NYC😎
If you're in California, you've got to visit Castle Air Museum at Atwater, a few hours from San Francisco. We have an amazing Vulcan here on display, and twice a year visitors can climb into the cramped cockpit through a ladder. It's an unforgettable experience, I shot a brief video of it myself. It's incredible that they took the refueling probe off of a museum piece, only to use it in a real war situation.
I did not know the story about the stuck US missile and the very British aircrew but now I do. Thank you very much Mr. Felton. I wish you and your KZhead channel well. KZhead? Start employing / contracting these influencers at higher rates. Good on ya, Mark!
I am a simple man, I see a Vulcan, I COME AT FTL SPEEDS
yes you are very simple
Yes I am
I too am simple, I see halo I like no matter the comment
That´s what she s......oh sorry, wrong context.
I grew up on a SAC base in the 1970s. We had a whole lot of B52s stationed there at Andersen AFB on Guam. We had a visit from a RAAF Vulcan on time, and I can tell you, that was one IMPRESSIVE, FEARSOME aircraft! JA
Amazing that these Vulcan were still in use in the Falklands conflict. I was amazed at it's longevity but then remembered that the US Air Force still uses the older Boeing B-52.
Really enjoyed that, thank you!
The VULCAN was always my favorite plane.As a kid I glued it together with REVELL.Lol
Vulcan gets second place on my list. B 58 Hustler has the top spot.
Tell the truth.....as a kid you glued your sheets together
@@richardnixon4345 [expletive deleted]
Fantastic work again Mark, I've read plenty of books about the Falklands, but never realised there were multiple missions conducted. You always find something fascinating and original.
Theres an interesting fact. Just some years after that, Brazil developed our fist anti-radiation missile. People say it was reverse-enginnering of precisely that Shrike.
Remember that spectre abducted a Vulcan in Thunderball and stole the atom bombs from it
I was baptised at RAF Finningley in the early ‘70s and stayed relatively close for many years, I went to many an airshow there and recall many Vulcans in the air at the same time and it was thunderous.
👏💙👏💙👏🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 great story... as a kid growing up at that time I remember enormous pride in our military. 🙏
I was reconditioning Victor components taken from scrap kites to get enough serviceable tankers prepped ready for Black Buck One. We were working round the clock, first to get enough Phantoms up and running to catch up with the fleet, then we had to drop that and focus entirely on Victors. It was only on the morning after that we learned of the incredible feat we had been part of.
Although I remember the Falklands war, I was too young to be aware of the details. Thanks for this particular video.
The Vulcan strike on the Falklands, is imo one of histories most impressive long range air attacks. Mostly because it stretched the entire airforce to its limits. Actually even beyond that. The US B52 bombing of Iraq, is of no compare to the Falklands attack. Britain had no fall back whatsoever. Those guys are heroes! I know no other word to describe them. I salute all the personal of those planes, and the ground personal.
I have read one book and viewed several documentaries on the Falklands War and while familiar with the Vulcan bomb run, never heard about the Shrike attack or the whole Brazilian episode. Thanks so much!
I was taking a lunch break south of Hornsea East Yorkshire England with my dog Sam. We were stood on the cliff edge looking out to sea when an almighty roar sounded just above and behind us. Well Sam and I nearly fell off the cliff. (maybe 20 feet high) My heart was in my mouth as this huge Vulcan flew just feet above us. My god , the roar of its engines left me wide mouthed as the aircraft flew out to sea and bombed some targets, them turned and climbed up into the sky. This moment took just a few seconds. I calmed down Sam and went home for some clean underwear. lol. A few days later on the TV news it said a Vulcan bomber had attacked Stanley Airfield. I wouldn't have believed that such an aircraft could get so close without being aware of its presence. An amazing aircraft.
i love this so much thanks for the vid Mark
I was at RAF Lakenheath for seven years in the USAF flying F-111F. During the Black Buck I was seconded to UAFEUR Intelligence due to a chest infection. Covertly we supplied the missions including the anti-radar missiles which were then Secret until the Rio landing. While I as a Yank was not a fan of Ms. Thatchers policy, especially domestic, I think she did exactly what was needed during the Falklands war. Anything else would have meant the end of the UK as a Major Power. Vulcan was the most beautiful Bomber ever built.
I would say the B-58 Hustler was a better looking aircraft.
Ahh Vulcan! Thank you so much for this new video.
Read "Vulcan 607" By Rowland White! Great story. Good stuff again Mark.
Thanks. Very detailed. Always something I didn't know.
I remember seeing the Vulcan at Billy Mitchell Field in Milwaukee during a 1970 or 1971 airshow. It was amazing in the air and on the ground and meeting the crew for an eleven year old was like meeting the Beatles or the Stones in flight suits.
I live along the Dorset coast and I remember seeing, and hearing, the Vulcan beat up Bournemouth beach, my ears ringing like a bell. Lovely aircraft
Absolutely outstanding videos, one right after another! :)
The "short range" of the Vulcan compared to other bombers has to account for it's intended use. It is only about 1600 miles from London to Moscow. It was never intended for use, literally, spanning hemispheres of the globe.
How had I not heard of these other raids?. Great vid Mark.
You must have been born after about 1972 otherwise you'd have heard about it on the news and remembered it.
Thank You for bringing to light the feats of these brave Royal Air Force Crews. Very little of it was on the news back then here in the USA.
Still remember seeing one of these behemouths flying during the Toronto Internation Airshow at the Ex,as a child. What a low level flyby, deafening roar and sight. Just glad, as you said Mark, it never had to fulfill its original objective. Again, Thanks.
When they were putting together the vulcans for the raid on the Falklands, one of them needed a specific part for a radar or some sort of navigation instrument, they couldent find the part anywhere and had none in stock in storage , then miraculously they found the part being used as a cigarette ashtray by some raf personnel at a base . True story search it up .
Soldier Blue It was a part needed at the end of the “in-air refueling boom”. Refueling probe.
Lmao, this would never happen in the US military.
I hope that the person that was using that part got reprimanded for using a valuable piece as a ashtray.
It was part of the refueling probe.
@@Chugwhump thanks for the info mate , an amazing story .
I had a watch partner (US Merchant Marine) that was on a tanker delivering jet fuel to Ascension Island while all this was going on. So yes, the US was involved behind the scenes.
Not surprising when they also provided satellite maps, Sidewinders, Shrikes,Gas, etc.
I drive past that aircraft every morning on the way to work. Beautiful thing to see each morning. Hope you enjoyed our city
Brilliant: I had never heard this story before. Thank you so much.
As always an interesting story full of unknown history. Love your amazing knowledge of military history
Amazing story thanks for sharing 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Yet another brilliant presentation.
You were right Mr Felton, I wasn't disappointed, excellent video!