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Issue:- 04 September 2013

Will the Southport Air Show have the Vulcan this year?
Photograph by Patrick Trollope.

ARE you heading to this year’s Southport Air Show? If not, why? This is a fantastic event that has been running now for 22 years! Southport Air Show has been bringing to spectators historical and military aircraft, from fast jets to propeller and even unpowered fight! The aircraft taking part in the 2013 event, over Saturday, 14 September and Sunday, 15 September, will be a similar fantastic blend of military and civilian craft. The flying times might change, along with running orders, due to conditions over the weekend, but they can now be found on the show’s Facebook Page. The flying programme includes 2 amazing headliners, or should we say skyliners?.. On Saturday only, the RAF's one and only Red Arrows will be shooting across the skies above Southport's beach and on Sunday only, if all goes to plan, the amazing Vulcan will be taking part. On 1 September 2013, the 53 year old aircraft experienced its first technical cancellation of the entire 2013 season, at Shoreham Air Show. This was down to a fuel leak in the No.7 wing tank on the starboard side. As with any leak, it resulted in there being no possibility of flight by the aircraft. The’ Vulcan to the Sky team’ is now trying to fix the problem and it is hoped it will be ready by the time it is due to fly in Southport's show! If it does make it and if you have never seen this amazing plane, this might be a once in a life time chance! The X558 Avro Vulcan bomber, a jet powered delta wing strategic bomber, is a classic, of revolutionary design for its time and all British built. It is based at Robin Hood Doncaster-Sheffield Airport, where it was grounded from 1993 after being retired until it was restored and took to the skies again back in October 2007. The Vulcan was operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984 and this aircraft is the only 1 of these long-range bombers, first designed and built for the Cold War, to survive.  Sadly, although the technology exists for it to remain flying in our skies and buzzing spectators at air shows until 2015, the charity that flies it still needs to raise £400,000 by October 2013, to enable it to remain in the air throughout 2014 and 2015. If that £400,000 is not found, this really might be your last chance to see and hear it, as it throttles up with a deafening roar above you. If the team do not get the Vulcan’s heart pounding again and it does not make it, the weekend flying programme has other compensations, which include The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight ‎ (Lancaster, Hurricane, Spitfire); Typhoon (Eurofighter); Miss Demeanour  (an ex-RAF Hawker Hunter F58A jet); Tutor, Tucano, Black Cats, Merlin, Sea King, Lynx AH7, Spitfire, RV8tors, The Blades, Swordfish - RNHF, Strikemaster, Sabre, Autogyro, Sbach 300  .... Plus on the ground a good range of static aircraft will be available as well as lots of stores and entertainment! To get tickets for this years event go to:- VisitSouthport.com. Also, if you want to see what last year’s was like click on here  to see our coverage of the 2012 show. If you are an avionics enthusiast or just a plain aviation nut and want to keep a bit of British aviation history in the sky, please do support the team behind the Vulcan XH558 by click here to donate and to find out more about how you can help...

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