The Longest Bombing Mission Ever

[Calilasseia]

'Zilla might like to watch this, among others ... how, in 1982, the RAF put together a truly Pythonesque mission, to bomb Port Stanley airfield with a Vulcan Bomber ... total journey distance, 16,000 miles ...



The officers described the navigation and bomb aiming computer as being held together with bits of string and operated by bicycle chain, supplemented it with a £5 pocket calculator bought from a local market, and re-learned, in under 3 weeks, the lost art of refuelling a Vulcan in flight, 20 years after the RAF decided it was too dangerous during the aircraft's career as a nuclear deterrent. The aircrew are about as typically "Monty Python" RAF as you could wish for.

[macdoc]

Cool - will watch that.
Anyone that is plane buff.
Here is link to the Smithsonian Aerospace Museum pics at 4500x3000 so suitable for desktop etc.
A place anyone loving anything to do with flight should see. Ran the damn camera out of battery .

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m269 ... Aerospace/

here's one



There is a cool story about the SR71 stopping the 6 day war....a marathon flight to Israel all in secret.

[FBM]

That was interesting. Thanks, Cali.

[JimC]

What they'll do in the next Argie invasion, I have no idea...

[pErvinalia]

Just fill a Qantas jet full of fuel and explosives and try and land it over there. Being Qantas, there's a good chance it will catch on fire or similar and blow up.

[Cormac]

Just fill a Qantas jet full of fuel and explosives and try and land it over there. Being Qantas, there's a good chance it will catch on fire or similar and blow up.

That is funny. When I was younger Qantas had the reputation for being the safest airline in the world.

What happened?

[pErvinalia]

You're not going to like my answer... Neoliberalism. Off-shoring maintenance work to the developing world, and also sacking thousands of maintenance and safety workers.

[JimC]

You're not going to like my answer... Neoliberalism. Off-shoring maintenance work to the developing world, and also sacking thousands of maintenance and safety workers.

Well, hundreds maybe...

And no major disasters have ensued yet...

But, it was ill-advised and short-sighted, and will bite us on the bum in the future, I quite agree...

[pErvinalia]

It was actually millions.

I haven't heard of any incidents for about a year now. But a couple of years ago they seemed to be happening every few months. I even experienced one when something caught on fire and the cabin started filling with smoke. We hadn't taken off yet, so they just opened the doors to let the smoke out and kicked the tyres a bit and off we went.

[JimC]

It was actually millions.

I haven't heard of any incidents for about a year now. But a couple of years ago they seemed to be happening every few months. I even experienced one when something caught on fire and the cabin started filling with smoke. We hadn't taken off yet, so they just opened the doors to let the smoke out and kicked the tyres a bit and off we went.

Well shit, mate, that's the Aussie way! What are yah, a poofter?

[pErvinalia]

[klr]

You've seen the video, now read the book:



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vulcan-607-Rowl ... 0552152293

It's a cracking good read IMHO.

BTW, the US Air Force has since stage longer bombing missions - some much longer. But it's cheated by operating the tankers from forward bases. That's just not cricket.

[JimC]

Australia bombing Ireland would break the record, I reckon...

Now to think of a reason...

[klr]

Australia bombing Ireland would break the record, I reckon...

Now to think of a reason...

Two words "Compromise Rules".

Mind you, that could work both ways. Now, if only we had a proper air force.

[JimC]

Australia bombing Ireland would break the record, I reckon...

Now to think of a reason...

Two words "Compromise Rules".

Mind you, that could work both ways. Now, if only we had a proper air force.

You are so right!

It is an abomination!

(and our airforce is required close to home, to forestall an Indonesian invasion...)