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Vulcan To The Sky Trust - Mission Statement
XH558 Post RAF History
XH558 was the last Vulcan to leave RAF service, flying on from 1986 to 1993 as the single RAF Display Vulcan, a career of 33 years. Her final flight was on 23rd March 1993 to Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome in Leicestershire, having been sold off by the Ministry of Defence to C Walton Ltd, a family firm who purchased and maintained her, with the thought that one day, she might be returned to fight. In 1997, a small team headed by Dr Robert Pleming started to put together an audacious plan to return her to flight, but it was clear from the start that the project would be technically challenging & enormously expensive. Never deterred, the team set off down the path that led to XH558's return to the air.
Over 1998-2000, the start-up team confirmed the formal support of all the manufacturers needed to help XH558's restoration, and completed a technical review which showed there were no show-stoppers. The real challenge was money first estimates were that over £3.5million would be required to pay for the restoration. Eventually a successful bid was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund, who in December 2003 announced a grant of £2.7million for XH558's restoration, and a large grant for a sister project, the exciting new National Cold War Exhibition at RAF Cosford near Wolverhampton.
On 31st August 2006, XH558 rolled out of the hangar for the first time in 7 years. This had coincided with an critical funding crisis, but in the last 3 weeks of August, the Trust, with the drive, energy & enthusiasm of XH558's supporters in the Vulcan to the Sky Club, managed to raise over £1.3million to save the project.
The Vulcan to the Sky Trust has been pleased to welcome many visitors, but one of the most important was Baroness Thatcher, who was British Prime Minister during the South Atlantic Conflict in 1982. Thatcher visited XH558 in March 2007, as part of the 25th anniversary commemorations of the Conflict. She met for the first time some of the Vulcan aircrew who had flown "Black Buck" missions to the Falklands.
After extensive tests, XH558's Olympus engines were started up for the first time in August 2007. A further two months of testing on the ground followed, to ensure that XH558 was 100% ready for flight.
Finally, 14 years after its last flight & with over £7million spent, Vulcan XH558 roared into the air again on Thursday 18th October 2007, a perfect day for flying. An unforgettable day for the Vulcan to the Sky team. A great British project, owing its success to optimism, determination, teamwork and a little bit of paranoia!
XH558 was finally granted her Permit to Fly on 3rd July 2008, and returned to air displays two days later at a packed RAF Waddington Airshow, her former home. There was not a dry eye on the airfield!
As well as flying Vulcan XH558, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust has some major educational objectives: helping people to understand the history of the Cold War (1946-1991), and inspiring the young in technology.
To keep XH558 flying at air shows & to deliver
our inspirational educational activities, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust has
to raise over £1.6million per year. We are now totally reliant on
donations from the public and on sponsorship.
Click on the image below for a report from the BBC
on the first flight.
The Following link
is a downloadable
"life and times of the Vulcan"
and explains how we got
here.
Life and Times of the Avro Vulcan
"Honouring The Past - Inspiring The Future"