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Vulcan Ejection
I am interested in finding out about incidents involving the Vulcan and its ejector system. The crew was usually 5 but there were only 2 ejector seats ( I think the otheres were supposed to get out of the Bomb Compartment )
Are there any sources of information about these accidents?
Are there any sources of information about these accidents?
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http://www.neam.co.uk/wingate.html
http://www.thisislongford.com/heathrow.htm#Vul can%20Bomber
Although the Vulcan had a crew of up to seven, only the pilot and co-pilot were provided with ejector seats. This feature of the Vulcan had been the basis of significant criticism; there have been instances of the pilot and co-pilot ejecting in an emergency leaving their colleagues to face certain death.
On 14 October 1975 Vulcan B.2 XM645 of No.9 Squadron RAF Waddington lost its right undercarriage when it attempted to land at Luqa airport in Malta. The pilot decided to do a circuit to crash land on runway 24 after it was covered with fire prevention foam. As the aircraft was turning inbound for the landing, it exploded in mid-air over Zabbar village, killing 5 of its 7 crew members. Large pieces of the aircraft fell on the village, but with very low casualties�one woman (Vincenza Zammit, 48), who was shopping in a street was hit by an electric cable and was killed instantly, and some 20 others were injured slightly. Only the pilot and co-pilot escaped, using their ejector seats.
http://www.thisislongford.com/heathrow.htm#Vul can%20Bomber
Although the Vulcan had a crew of up to seven, only the pilot and co-pilot were provided with ejector seats. This feature of the Vulcan had been the basis of significant criticism; there have been instances of the pilot and co-pilot ejecting in an emergency leaving their colleagues to face certain death.
On 14 October 1975 Vulcan B.2 XM645 of No.9 Squadron RAF Waddington lost its right undercarriage when it attempted to land at Luqa airport in Malta. The pilot decided to do a circuit to crash land on runway 24 after it was covered with fire prevention foam. As the aircraft was turning inbound for the landing, it exploded in mid-air over Zabbar village, killing 5 of its 7 crew members. Large pieces of the aircraft fell on the village, but with very low casualties�one woman (Vincenza Zammit, 48), who was shopping in a street was hit by an electric cable and was killed instantly, and some 20 others were injured slightly. Only the pilot and co-pilot escaped, using their ejector seats.
http://www.spxtraining.com/niactest/crew1.htm
Gives a description of the positions of each crew member with pics. Crew was 5: Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator Plotter, Navigator Radar and Air Electronics Officer (two extra seats could be fitted for Crew Chiefs if required, for a total of 7 crew). From another website....
"Even when they converted to the low level role, the rear crew were supposed to bail out through the bottom hatch, with the very real possibility of the 'seat inflators' trapping them in the process. We regularly used to practise 'Escape Trainer' drills, the rear crew (Nav Plotter, Nav Radar and AEO) had a complicated drill to go through which involved the right person blowing open the hatch, the seats being moved, cushions inflating to assist seat egress and abandonment taking place in the correct sequence. Of the various Vulcan abandonments, rarely was this fully successful, even at altitude.... With the undercarriage down, the noseleg was immediately behind the lower hatch and the rear crew were supposed to grab a lower hatch jack and roll themselves away from the noseleg. Even a racing-snake PTI in a wind tunnel found that pretty difficult, the chances of the average cuddly rear crew person in goon suit and LSJ being able to do it were infinitessimal. We used to fly the Vulcan in the circuit with the undercarriage down all the time, so the natural enthusiasm for the rear crew to enjoy protracted periods of pilot playtime was even less in the Vulcan than it was in most aircraft!"
In the Malta crash mentioned above, apparently the pilots both recovered, though the captain didn't fly again. This was the second Vulcan ejection for him, though on the first occasion the rear crew also got out. This time, the damaged nose gear had apparently jammed the escape hatch.
11:33 Thu 31st Aug 2006
Gives a description of the positions of each crew member with pics. Crew was 5: Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator Plotter, Navigator Radar and Air Electronics Officer (two extra seats could be fitted for Crew Chiefs if required, for a total of 7 crew). From another website....
"Even when they converted to the low level role, the rear crew were supposed to bail out through the bottom hatch, with the very real possibility of the 'seat inflators' trapping them in the process. We regularly used to practise 'Escape Trainer' drills, the rear crew (Nav Plotter, Nav Radar and AEO) had a complicated drill to go through which involved the right person blowing open the hatch, the seats being moved, cushions inflating to assist seat egress and abandonment taking place in the correct sequence. Of the various Vulcan abandonments, rarely was this fully successful, even at altitude.... With the undercarriage down, the noseleg was immediately behind the lower hatch and the rear crew were supposed to grab a lower hatch jack and roll themselves away from the noseleg. Even a racing-snake PTI in a wind tunnel found that pretty difficult, the chances of the average cuddly rear crew person in goon suit and LSJ being able to do it were infinitessimal. We used to fly the Vulcan in the circuit with the undercarriage down all the time, so the natural enthusiasm for the rear crew to enjoy protracted periods of pilot playtime was even less in the Vulcan than it was in most aircraft!"
In the Malta crash mentioned above, apparently the pilots both recovered, though the captain didn't fly again. This was the second Vulcan ejection for him, though on the first occasion the rear crew also got out. This time, the damaged nose gear had apparently jammed the escape hatch.
11:33 Thu 31st Aug 2006
I was an RAF Air Traffic Controller at Luqa(Malta) in 1975 but was posted back to the UK shortly before this happened.
However, just onto the book market(you can get it in your local library)is a book by Rowland White entitled 'Vulcan 607'. The main thrust of the book is about a remarkable refuelling task to get a Vulcan to drop bombs on the runway at Stanley in the Falklands. However the intro deals with Bob ******* earlier ejection from a Vulcan while flying over Durham for which he was awarded the Air Force Cross. Incidentally, Jim Vinale the Nav plotter in this incident was also heavily involved the bombing of the Falklands.
Hope you find this of interest.
However, just onto the book market(you can get it in your local library)is a book by Rowland White entitled 'Vulcan 607'. The main thrust of the book is about a remarkable refuelling task to get a Vulcan to drop bombs on the runway at Stanley in the Falklands. However the intro deals with Bob ******* earlier ejection from a Vulcan while flying over Durham for which he was awarded the Air Force Cross. Incidentally, Jim Vinale the Nav plotter in this incident was also heavily involved the bombing of the Falklands.
Hope you find this of interest.
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