For some, there are aircraft that really stand out, and for the British, one of those has to be the Vulcan bomber. Of the three 'V' bombers; Vulcan, Victor, and Valiant, it was the Vulcan that lived on the longest in its intended mission. The Valiant fell afoul of massive fatigue cracks when the mission went to low level while the Victor ended up being used the longest, but as an air refueling tanker.

Probably the largest operational delta winged aircraft to ever fly, the Vulcan was to be part of Britain's nuclear deterrent force. Long range missiles were not needed in the UK as the Soviet borders were so near. For them, air launched weapons would be the way to go. Initially pinning hopes on the Skybolt, when that went away, it was the Blue Steel  and the usual WE 177 unpowered nuclear device.

There were times when nuclear armed Vulcans could be found in the Mediterranean and in the Middle East. All of them on quick reaction status. While the USAF had the assets and bases to keep bombers in the air 24 hours a day, this was not possible with Britain's smaller nuclear force. Eventually, the Vulcan saw its only war use in the Falklands, having to be hastily modified to carry standard iron bombs and stand off anti-radiation missiles. These planes flew the longest operational missions yet on record, requiring multiple air refuelings and complex mission planning to obtain one plane over target. Shortly thereafter the type was withdrawn from service, but long remains a favorite with British aviation enthusiasts.

in Andrew Brookes' book on these units, he tells the full story of the development of the airframe and the sometimes complex political machinations that happen around weapons systems. Each aspect of Vulcan operations from high level to low lever nuclear strike, the overseas operations, the training required and the Falklands war are all covered. Illustrated with many pages of superbly drawn profiles and an excellent choice of photographs, we see the Vulcan in all of its various guises.

This is a must have book for the British aircraft enthusiast and bomber fans alike. Highly recommended.

January 2009

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