Vulcan's but where ?

That was it.....tone down the new concrete

I don't think there was any requirement to hide the ORPs/dispersals, we knew that the Soviets knew where everything was (inc the dispersed airfields).
Also the Vulcans would normally be parked on the pads during readiness to scramble, and they would also be dispersed all around the country at 30 odd airfields, at the time to attack.
Don't forget at that time airfield buildings (inc the all important tower) were painted magnolia, and stood out like a sore thumb. Those were days of all out nuclear war. The Vulcan crews, if they got through Soviet defences, were faced with the improbable chance of making it to a friendly base at the end of their deadly mission, and if they did, not much left to come home to.
The tone down didn't come until the mid to late '70s when tactical attacks became a perceived threat.

Picture 2 & 3 are the same area, 1 is another location (dispersa) seen the field border ?

Unfortunately no plave or date mentioned...

By the way, what about hangars for maintenance or storage as I have never seen a Vulcan inside a building ?

olympusman wrote:

Picture 2 & 3 are the same area, 1 is another location (dispersa) seen the field border ?

Unfortunately no plave or date mentioned..

As PB said earlier, all the Vulcans in the photo's are on the dispersal complex to the south of Waddington airfield. Have a look at Google Earth, it shows them quite well but they have changed a bit in shape. The field border still easy to pick out.
I would date them late 70's early 80's going on the markings on the Vulcans.

After the RAF lost the nuclear "first strike" role and the QRA, was the dispersal plan still in operation? I know that the Marham Victors were to disperse to Scampton and Finningley.

Yes picture 1 is the maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl...001538,0.004828&z=18

what about hangars for maintenance or storage as I have never seen a Vulcan inside a building ?

The Gaydon Hangar such as the one at RAF Coningsby, Wittering, Gaydon, Valley was built for this purpose.

Did a Vulcan fit in to a Type J hangar? many had the 'tail door' modification made to them like in the below picture, is this what it could have been for?



Stevo

I had never observed the tail door modification...

Actually I think they might fit in without that modification, the Type J doors seems to be around 9m high and the Vulcan is 8.3m high.

Here for Olympusman are some shots of Vulcans in a hangar. In fact, the shots are both of XJ823 of 35 Sqn in a hangar at Scampton during February 1982. This must have been one of the last servicings carried out at Scampton. Note also the assortment of ground equipment, including jacks and trestles as well as the bottle trolleys.

Thanks all !