Avro Vulcan XH477

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BELOW: RAF Avro Vulcan bomber on display at Air Fete '84.

RAF Avro Vulcan bomber on display at Air Fete '84

Photo: 1984-2008 TSGT Jose Lopez Jr. Released by the author to the public domain. Original source: US Department of Defense.

Aircraft Type and Background

RAF Avro 698 B.1A Vulcan / XH477

Aircraft Type Nickname: "The Tin Triangle".

The Avro Type 698 Vulcan was designed as a high-altitude atomic bomber. It was the first four-engine bomber to designed with delta wings. Originally conceived of as a flying wing, the design was modified during development to incorporate the nose and fuselage section seen on the production Vulcans.

The prototype flew in August 1952, piloted by Wing Commander Roly Falk. After further modifications to the wing, etc. the Vulcan B.1 entered service with the RAF in 1957. The aircraft were assigned to No. 83 Squadron at RAF Waddington.

As it the B.1 version became increasingly vulnerable to Soviet air defences, a modified version—the B.2—was proposed and built. The B.2 was equipped with more powerful Rolls-Royce Olympus 301 turbojet engines, together with an electronic warfare (ECM) suite in the tailcone. Certain of the Vulcan B.1s—such as the one featured here—were upgraded with some of the B.2 modifications. These modified B.1s were re-designated 'B.1As'

Ultimately, however, the Vulcan bomber was becoming increasingly vulnerable to missile attack at high altitude. Therefore, it's role was changed to that of a low-level attack bomber. The role of atomic weapon platform was then assumed by the Royal Navy's Polaris missile fleet.

The Vulcan was never used in combat as a nuclear bomber. However, it was used extensively as a conventional bomber during the Falklands Campaign in 1982.

Ultimately, the Vulcan bomber was replaced by the Tornado multi-role aircraft.

Several Avro Vulcans have been preserved at various locations. At least one has been restored and is now flying again with Vulcan to the Sky Trust.

Aircraft Accident Details

In keeping with its revised role as a low-level bomber, Vulcan XH477 was on exercise over the Scottish Highlands. The aircraft had departed earlier from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, England, where it was based, and was carrying out a night low-level exercise.

However, during the exercise, the Vulcan failed to clear a hill in Glen Tanar, and crashed with some force close to Hill of St Colm. Sadly, all crew were killed on impact.

Aircraft Crew Casualties

Those who died in this accident were:

Pilots:

Flt Lt David Allen Blackmore
F/O Derek George Faulke

Navigators:

Flt Lt Arthur David Roper
Flt Lt Gerrold Bartley Ross

Air Electronics Officer (AEO):

Flt Lt John Rodney Chapman.

Crash Site Photos

BELOW: Looking NE along one of the furrows where the remaining Vulcan wreckage is scattered.

looking north-east to crash site along furrows

BELOW: Another furrow with some small pieces of wreckage from the Vulcan, close to the main impact point. Hill of Cat (2,435 ft) can be seen in the distance, to the South.

another furrow with some small pieces of wreckage from the Vulcan

Photo Gallery

For additional, larger, photos, please select

VULCAN-HILL-OF-ST-COLM

from the drop down Album Menu in the Photo Gallery.

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Crash Date / Site

Accident Date: 12 Jun 1963

Accident Site:

Hill of St Colm

(700m / 2,296ft) (Glen Tanar)

Region: Aberdeenshire (Southern Grampians)

Nearest town or village:

Aboyne or Ballater

(near Aberdeen)

Nearest large town:

Banchory (E)

OS Grid Ref. N/A

GPS Ref: N/A

Present Condition: Small pieces and fragments only remain onsite. Some pieces now with Grampian Transport Museum (see Crash Site Photos below and in Photo Gallery). Most of the wreckage was removed by RAF recovery teams.