# Avro Vulcan test bed at Farnborough airshow



## Royzee617 (Mar 3, 2007)

Avro Vulcan test bed at Farnborough airshow in sixties (?) with underlsung test engine for either Tornado or Concorde program. 
LiveVideo.com: Airshow Action - Avro Vulcan test bed
Anyone help identifying this?

Spectacular flypasts more... and climbs - especially when they ignite the afterburner (rare for a non-reheat Vulcan) long spike of flame comes out the back! Shame that the commentary is irrelevant. I had earlier posted this on YT but they suspended me.... their loss and LV's gain.


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## Royzee617 (Mar 3, 2007)

I might post the clip on here so you can d/l it should there be enough interest.


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## Matt308 (Mar 5, 2007)

Dual (split) intake with afterburner. Hmmmm...


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## Matt308 (Mar 5, 2007)

From good ole Wikipedia while looking under TSR.2. Apparently same engine core shared between TSR and Concorde.

"In June 1966 a complete Olympus 593 engine and variable geometry exhaust assembly was first run at Melun-Villaroche, Île-de-France, France. At Bristol, flight tests began using a RAF Vulcan bomber with the engine attached to its underside. Due to the Vulcan's aerodynamic limitations the tests were limited to a speed of Mach 0.98 (1,200 km/h). During these tests the 593 achieved 35,190 lbf (157 kN) thrust, which exceeded the requirements of the engine.

In April 1967 the Olympus 593 ran for the first time in a high altitude chamber, at Saclay Île-de-France, France. In January 1968 the Vulcan flying test bed logged 100 flight hours, and the variable geometry exhaust assembly for the Olympus 593 engine was cleared at Melun-Villaroche for flight in the Concorde prototypes."


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## CRASHGATE3 (Mar 16, 2007)

There were two Vulcan engine testbeds XA894 and XA903
XA894 was used to test the Olympus 22R for the TSR2 (the unrepresentative bifurcated intake to accomadate the Vulcan nosewheel)
The 22R-1 engine was later tested with re-heat (see video)
XA894 was destroyed in an engine explosion on the ground in 1962 (crew OK)
XA903 tested the Olympus 593 engine for Concorde and then went on to test the RB199 engine for the Tornado


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## Matt308 (Mar 16, 2007)

What are the dual spoilers on the upper surface? Why are they both deployed simultaneously and in what appears in the most aggressive (vertical to direction of flight) mode? In modern large airplanes without weight on wheels the spoilers are typically applied only on one side to assist roll or simultaneously for rapid descent during throttle back.

Any insight?


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## CRASHGATE3 (Mar 17, 2007)

Just good old fashioned air brakes...there's one on each wing underneath as well


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## CRASHGATE3 (Mar 17, 2007)

This pic may help


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## Matt308 (Mar 21, 2007)

Wow. That's a lift killer as well as speed.


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## Royzee617 (Apr 1, 2007)

Been a while since I returned - nice surprise to see so many comments. Always much appreciated.

Nice photo of the Vulcan - I notice the Blue Steel underneath. Where was this taken? Duxford? But it doesn't look familiar.

I have posted some clips on LV (and Veoh and YT) so mosey on over for a gander chaps if you please. BTW got some great vids off Veoh, some guy is posting lots of old F1 Speed Channel progs from the early to mid 90s. They feature that guy Matchett who used to be at Benneton and wrote several books. Great reading, great bloke. Also got a movie - Aviator, that one about Howard Hughes and several long ones of airshows. You can download them to play on your computer later etc. Fantastic.


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## CRASHGATE3 (Apr 16, 2007)

[QUOTE.

Nice photo of the Vulcan - I notice the Blue Steel underneath. Where was this taken? Duxford? But it doesn't look familiar..[/QUOTE]
Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier......
Its Vulcan B2 XM594 taken at Newark Air Museum.....at weekends for something stupid like 50p,you can climb in the cockpit.Although you cant sit in the seats,the "expert talking head" in there lets you photograph anything.Newark has a Cockpit Fest once a year if you can get there...its well worth it !!


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## Royzee617 (Apr 23, 2007)

I don't think I have ever sat in a Vulcan cockpit - might be worth the trip!

FYI I have posted a clip of Blue Steel tests on LV:
V-Force Blue Steel - LiveVideo.com
impressive beastie that fortunately was never used for real.


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