Looks good (the ladies seem to like it too), but it is utterly useless
otherwise. Its most useful function was as the carrier of the nuclear
deterrent, but that went when the SA-2 proved effective at its
operational height. It was useful for the Black Buck raid during the
Falklands War, demonstrating the need for long-range offensive
capability coupled with an effective air-to-air refuelling fleet (it
needed something like 16 aircraft: bomber, spare bombers and loads of
tankers to make the 8,000 mile mission work).
For me, the sight of such a massive aircraft carrying out wingovers
(Chandelles) at low level is quite stressful; it looks as if it will
fall out of the sky at any second.
... and the Concorde: it is even prettier, but it is full of obsolete
technology. Each engine will probably use the equivalent of a year's
heating oil for 2 or 3 houses in the UK just for takeoff. I am not
surprised that the cost of maintaining them would have proved
prohibitive for Branson. Air France were probably carrying it out only
while they were subsidised by the French Government, the EU and the
British taxpayer.
Chris
On Wednesday, Oct 15, 2003, at 16:08 Europe/London,
Jez.Cunningham@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Love that Vulcan - the flypasts down Pall Mall for Coronation, Jubilee
etc
stuff were awesome...
jez
<|_:-)_|>
C M I Barker
Cambridgeshire, Great Britain.
+44 (0)7092 251126
ftog at threeshoes.co.uk
http://www.threeshoes.co.uk
http://homepage.mac.com/zuiko
... a nascent photo library.
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