Were there any plans to do a martime recon version of the vulcan?
On 1 November 1973 the first of nine B.2 (MRR) aircraft was delivered to No. 27 Sqn at RAF Scampton, reformed for its main role of maritime radar reconnaissance. The main external visual difference was gloss paint and the lack of the Terrain Following Radar (TFR) "thimble" below the air-to-air refuelling probe. The gloss finish, with a light grey undersurface, was due to the secondary role of air sampling. As both roles were high altitude, the TFR system was removed.
Only five of the B.2(MRR)s were capable of air sampling, and these aircraft were distinguished by the additional hardpoints outside the Skybolt points. Some additional points carried modified Sea Vixen drop tanks with the nose section replaced by a larger-diameter nose. Another external, but much smaller, piece of equipment was carried just outboard of the port undercarriage main door.
During the late 1970s some of the non-air sampling aircraft were exchanged with other squadrons whose aircraft had a high fatigue usage.
All B2(MRR) aircraft were equipped with Olympus 201 ECUs. Three of the aircraft had the small Mk 1 style of engine air intake. The B2(MRR) was withdrawn from service on 31 March 1982, some of the aircraft going on to be converted for use as tankers.
I can think of Israel and Singapore as alternate Vulcan users in the event that the Middle East and/or Southeast Asia gets too hot. But it would be more useful for Israel since they have nukes.
the Argentines were approaching the British about acquiring a strategic bombing capability ...
Weren’t the Poms trying to sell Harriers to the Argentines only a few years earlier?
Then there's my personal favourite idea for a dream air force: the Canadian all-delta wing RCAF. 10 squadrons of Arrows, 2 squadrons of search Vulcans, 1 squadron of bombers.
basically take the Vulcan and put it where the Indian Bears are, with a few tweaks, of course.
So we've got possible Argentine and Canadian Vulcans, though I admit that the Argentine ones are the most likely.
I know this is probably crazy unrealistic, but for a long time the South African Air Force had a bomber arm with it's Canberras. Perhaps in some alternate timeline where the apartheid government (as well as the USSR) is still around they might end up getting ahold of four or five Vulcans to replace the Canberra force.
Then there's India. They seem like the kind of country that would put money down for that kind of ability, especially if they were planning ahead and knew they'd have nuclear weapons to put on it down the road: basically take the Vulcan and put it where the Indian Bears are, with a few tweaks, of course.
Toss in 3-4 squadrons of Mirage IIIs for attack duties (and to make the French happy) and we're good. Oh, what could have been......![]()
We could have had French Arrows, actually, as the plane generated some interest in France. If Avro and Dassault had started working together, Canada might have produced the Armée de l'Air's interceptor, and Dassault the RCAF's attack planes indeed.
I figured you guys might like to see some pictures of the Royal New Zealand Air Force's Vulcan bomber force...
(PICTURE)
I figured the rest of you gearwhores would get a kick out of that. Hell of a way to start the discussion, huh?![]()