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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Avro 698 Vulcan
    Latest Model:Vulcan B.2
    Last Military Serial:XL318 RAF
    Compressed ID:Avro Vulcan B.2 sn XL318 RAF
    Latest Owner or Location:RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London, England

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a Vulcan B.2.
    The date provided is the delivery date.

    28 January 1961

    Transferred to Scampton Wing of Bomber Command.
    Returned to Scampton.

    11 August 1961

    First flight.
    First flew from Woodford.

    29 August 1961

    Testing complete and awaiting collection by the RAF.

    31 August 1961

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n XL318.
    Collected from Woodford.

    3 September 1961

    Transferred to No. 617 Squadron.

    17 September 1961

    Acceptance checks completed.

    17 June 1963

    Inspected for cracking of the centre wall between engine pairs.

    17 June 1963

    Declared Cat 3R (taken out of service for repairs).

    20 June 1963

    Transferred to No. 617 Squadron.
    Returned to service after repairs.

    Transferred to Scampton Wing of Bomber Command.

    10 August 1965

    Transferred to No. 60 MU.
    Declared Cat 3R and transferred for repairs.

    2 November 1965

    Transferred to Scampton Wing of Bomber Command.
    Returned to Scampton after repairs.

    9 November 1965

    Transferred to Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Bitteswell, Leics.
    Sent to Hawker Siddeley for modifications.

    1966

    Role changed to low level penetration bomber using terain following radar. Overall while paint scheme repaced with a camouflage.

    13 March 1967

    Declared Cat 3R.

    15 March 1967

    Repaired.
    Repaired by No. 60 MU.

    31 March 1967

    Transferred to Scampton Wing of Bomber Command.
    Returned to Scampton after repairs.

    18 April 1967

    Transferred to Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Bitteswell.
    Sent to Hawker Siddeley for modifications.

    5 June 1967

    Transferred to Scampton Wing of Bomber Command.
    Returned to Scampton after repairs.

    23 November 1967

    Declared Cat 3R.

    28 November 1967

    Repaired.
    Repaired on site by Contractors Working Party.

    28 June 1968

    Transferred to Scampton Wing of Bomber Command.
    Returned to Scampton after repairs.

    3 January 1969

    Transferred to RAF Saint Athan.
    Sent to Saint Athan for major overhaul including engine modifications.

    7 March 1969

    Transferred to No. 617 Squadron, RAF Scampton.
    Returned to Scampton after overhaul.

    8 September 1969

    Transferred to Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Bitteswell.
    Sent to Hawker Siddeley for conversion from Blue Steel to free fall bomb configuration.

    18 November 1969

    Transferred to No. 617 Squadron, RAF Scampton.

    22 May 1972

    Transferred to No. 230 OCU, RAF Scampton.

    2 August 1972

    Transferred to RAF Saint Athan.
    Sent to Saint Athan for major servicing.

    17 October 1972

    Transferred to Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Bitteswell.
    Sent to Hawker Siddeley for modifications.

    3 April 1973

    Transferred to No. 230 OCU, RAF Scampton.
    Returned after servicing and modifications.

    31 January 1974

    Transferred to No. 27 Squadron.

    1 February 1974

    Transferred to No. 230 OCU, RAF Scampton.

    5 March 1974

    Transferred to No 617 Squadron, RAF Scampton.

    6 March 1974

    Transferred to No. 230 OCU, RAF Sampton.

    18 June 1975

    Transferred to RAF Waddington, Wing.

    5 August 1975

    Transferred to No. 230 OCU, RAF Sampton.

    7 November 1979

    Transferred to RAF Waddington Wing.

    21 February 1980

    Transferred to No. 230 OCU, RAF Sampton.

    From 17 July 1980 to 7 October 1980

    Transferred to RAF Saint Athan.
    Overhauled at Saint Athan.

    9 October 1980

    Transferred to No. 230 OCU, RAF Sampton.

    1 July 1981

    Transferred to No. 617 Squadron, RAF Scampton.

    11 December 1981

    Last flight.
    This was the final flight of XL318 and the last flight of No. 617 Squadron as a Vulcan Squadron prior to disbandment.

    17 December 1981

    Declared a non-effective aircraft, Cat. 5.

    17 December 1981

    New serial number assigned: 8733M RAF

    4 January 1982

    Allocated to the Royal Air Force Museum.

    January 1982

    Dismantling underway.

    From 11 February 1982 to 9 March 1982

    To RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London, England.
    Transported in sections to Hendon and stored in the parking lot.
    View the Location Dossier

    Reassembled within the new structure of the Bommer Command Museum at Hendon.

    2009


    Photographer: Andy West

    11 December 2011


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: Vulcan B.2 is displayed in the Bomber Hanger Collection of the RAF Museum at Hendon

    11 December 2011


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: Vulcan B.2 is displayed in the Bomber Hanger Collection of the RAF Museum at Hendon
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Internet Sources
     Royal Air Force Museum
    Scramble of the Dutch Aviation Society
    UK Serials Resource Centre by Wolverhampton Aviation Group
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