Avro Vulcan - Survivor XM612
B.2 XM612 - City of Norwich Aviation Museum, Horsham St. Faith, Norfolk
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Vulcan B.2 XM612 at City of Norwich Aviation Museum, 21st August 2021; Damien Burke
XM612 was retired to the City of Norwich Aviation Museum in January 1983 and was beginning to look rather tatty in the late 1980s but then underwent a lengthy repaint during which a number of corroded areas were repaired and sealed against future damage. The cockpit also underwent a full restoration; the captain's instrument panel looked factory-fresh when I visited in August 1998, thanks to the efforts of a museum volunteer.
XM612 used to be able to have some of her electrical system powered up and three of the four engines were suspected to be in good enough condition to be run - if only they had the chance! Her condition has varied since, and by 2010 she was looking very faded with her exhaust cans missing - these are often the first things on a Vulcan to corrode right through.
Happily since then she's had a full repaint (and another is underway), had her exhaust cans and various other rotten panels replaced and work continues on keeping her in good condition and keeping some of her electrical systems live.
One of the museum's heaviest aircraft, her position within the museum compound and difficulty in moving her has resulted in her being a little hemmed in which limits photographic angles but you can at least walk right underneath her and even see in the enormous bomb bay.
She has recently been reunited with the underwing pylons she was fitted with for the aborted Black Buck 3 sortie during the 1982 Falklands War (XM612 was the reserve aircraft for that mission) and these have been refurbished and may be mounted on the aircraft for the 40th anniversary of the war. You can keep up to date with work on XM612 via the XM612 Facebook page.
XM612 used to be able to have some of her electrical system powered up and three of the four engines were suspected to be in good enough condition to be run - if only they had the chance! Her condition has varied since, and by 2010 she was looking very faded with her exhaust cans missing - these are often the first things on a Vulcan to corrode right through.
Happily since then she's had a full repaint (and another is underway), had her exhaust cans and various other rotten panels replaced and work continues on keeping her in good condition and keeping some of her electrical systems live.
One of the museum's heaviest aircraft, her position within the museum compound and difficulty in moving her has resulted in her being a little hemmed in which limits photographic angles but you can at least walk right underneath her and even see in the enormous bomb bay.
She has recently been reunited with the underwing pylons she was fitted with for the aborted Black Buck 3 sortie during the 1982 Falklands War (XM612 was the reserve aircraft for that mission) and these have been refurbished and may be mounted on the aircraft for the 40th anniversary of the war. You can keep up to date with work on XM612 via the XM612 Facebook page.
Information on this page current as of 09/02/2022, last updated by Damien |
Find other photos of XM612 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net