Avro Vulcan Xm655 Official Site

Why not spend a bit of the first Saturday of 2019 in the company of XM655 this weekend? We will be open as normal this Saturday.

First of all, we would like to wish all our members, visitors and supporters a very happy New Year! The last couple of weekends have been quiet visit wise but this has given us chance to focus on the number one tanks. A fair amount has now been achieved with this and all being well the finish line is in sight! We found an easier way to refit the vent pipes (as this had caused a bit of a headache!) and despite a small issue with the fixing points on the aft of the tank and cav...ity, these are now in place. Both tanks now have the vent pipes, capacitance strips, wiring and float switches in place and all that is left to do is tighten the retaining nuts to the correct tension. With this now having been done, it gave some of the volunteers who hadn't been involved in the refitting to poke their heads up into the port tank (as this is easier to access!) to see what it looks like (the overall opinion seemed to be "dark!!") Some work was also carried out on the umbilical for the Nav Plotter position and we were treated to a nice visit from P51 "Tall in the Saddle".
One of our volunteers has refurbished the tachometer from the Palouste as this had suffered from water ingress and had stuck. This was refitted to the Palouste, it was fired up and tested and the results were nearly perfect.
Pictures are by Matt, Isi, James and Tim
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XM655 will be open for visits for the last time in 2018 this weekend...

XM655 and all her volunteers would like to wish a very Merry Christmas to all our members, supporters and visitors.. Thank you for all your support

And just for fun..... Did someone mention seal?!

Here's a video showing how we enter the number one tanks...

Well last Saturday was cold, wet, windy, cold, windy and wet... That didn't stop us getting on with a few jobs though... Tank work continued but was unfortunately hampered by the cold.. It made the tanks less flexible... The weather also kept away visitors... But despite the awful conditions, spirits were high (ours, not the alcoholic variety) and in the afternoon we were able to run the aapp which hadn't had a run in a while... Fired first time! Pictures are from Isi and James

"All I want for Christmas, Is to see a Vulcan...." If this is you, pop in and say hello on Saturday.. Be good to see you :-)

XM655 will be open for visitors this Saturday. Be sure to swing by and say hello if you're passing!

A lot more tank work on Saturday as we concentrate on trying to complete the job soon. The port tank is now being furnished with work starting on fitting the vent pipes. Being the first of the month, all our ground equipment, bar the Sentinel which is undergoing maintenance, was run. This also included the opportunities for a couple of our volunteers to try their hand at something different! Our regular AEO got to try out operating the Palouste and another volunteer got to t...ake the Coleman for a spin. One of the team has been busy away from the pan manufacturing a coupler to connect the air con unit directly to the aircraft. This gives us the benefit of not having to run the hose by the side of the cockpit entrance ladder. Work also carried on with the AiResearch unit and one of the jacks which had lost its top cover, had it replaced. Pictures are courtesy of Helen, Isi and James
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Last Saturday, a number of our volunteers were at the pan but despite a couple of walk in visitors, thoughts were on the Christmas meal...
A lovely time was had by all, a toast was raised to our dear friend John Lyons and we tucked into our meals...
A massive thank you to the Charlecote Pheasant for their amazing hospitality...and to Anne-Marie (655MaPS Secretary) for all the organising for the event..
... We even had our own Oscar presentations for the volunteers who stood in for the photoshoot..
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XM655 will be open for visitors this Saturday so why not drop by for a festive visit!

It is with deep regret and sadness that we announce the passing of one of our volunteers.. John Lyons, a much loved and respected member of the team, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on the 10th November 2018. Despite being a fairly new member of the team, he was much liked and loved by fellow volunteers and visitors alike... John was involved with the Victor tankers on Ascension during the Falklands conflict and played a pivotal role in making sure they were serviceable for operations.. Always full of joviality and stories, he will be sorely missed at the pan. A number of our volunteers attended his funeral yesterday and we are all honoured to have known him. Rest in Peace and blue skies John

Another busy weekend with tank work! We have managed to get more fixings and fittings in place which included clearing space over the number two tanks... This was to allow checking of the fixings for the float switches and vent pipes... There really isn't a lot of space up there but after moving some equipment, access was gained... Each week the tanks are looking more and more complete so a few more Saturdays and we should be there.... We were also able to free the 450s from ...the mounting plate that we removed from 319... Hopefully these spares will be serviceable... Work was also carried out by Matt in making templates for the gaskets for the numerous fixings in the fuel tanks... Pics can be seen in the collection... We also had a visit from the PCB (Planes Camera and Banter) Facebook group who were treated to a systems demo.. We were also visited by a couple who attended our Members Day and they were kind enough to send some pics which we have included in this update.. In the morning, we were able to test some headsets that had been playing up... After being cleaned, we now have a few more spares! Pics are courtesy of Matt, Isi, James and our friends Carl and Tina Tipping
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Early warning! Please note that XM655 will be closed next Saturday as our volunteers will be attending the XM655 MaPS Christmas Lunch.

A bit of a "double header" this week as we not only had our normal Saturday, but some volunteers went on a field trip to visit XL319 in Sunderland... More on that later...
Most of Saturday was spent again on tank work and with both now in the cavities, final checks were made on their fitting. After checking the fixings, it was then time to look at the components which started with the capacitance belts. There are four of these in each tank, two forward and two aft, and thes...e help to measure the fuel levels. The belts are held in place inside the tank by "pockets" and remembering how difficult the ones in the old tank were to remove, we prepared for a struggle! Ideas were using Vaseline or a plastic sleeve allowing free movement of the belts in the pockets. In the end though, after an initial struggle, the belts were fed through the pockets fairly easily. The belts are not smooth and have electrical connections on them which makes the job harder. All four belts were successfully fitted into the port tank with only the rubber retaining studs to sort out.
Some work was also carried out on the Sentinel Tug to try and rectify the overheating issues she has been suffering with and preparations were made for the away day. These included familiarising ourselves with where we would be looking on the aircraft, what to look for and loading tools and equipment, to prepare ourselves for the trip to Sunderland and XL319.
Tuesday arrived and the volunteers who were forming the "away" team met at the pan ready to depart at 6am. After a long drive, we arrived at NELSAM (North East Land, Sea and Air Museum) and parked up by 319. The equipment was unloaded and work commenced on our task - to remove the panels on the wings to allow access to the Fire Extinguishers for their removal. After a few hours (bearing in mind these panels probably hadn't been removed in well over 30 years!) we finally gained access but only to find that some bottles had been removed and the remaining ones had been fired. Cue disappointment in the team.... All was not lost however as we were able to access the Power Bay and liberate a couple of 450 units to bring back with us (our only spare had been installed on XM655 during the number 4 alternator fault finding).
So a massive thank you has to be extended to the wonderful team of volunteers at NELSAM for them allowing us access to XL319, for letting us obtain the spares and for their hospitality. It's a cracking little museum and well worth a visit if you are in the area. It looks like 319 is getting a bit of TLC with scaffolding in place on her starboard side for a repaint. We wish the team at NELSAM all the best with this undertaking.
Pictures are courtesy of Helen, Isi, James and Steve.
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XM655 will be open for visitors on Saturday but please bear in mind that we have a large group visit in the morning which may restrict access.. We look forward to seeing you.

Another glorious sunrise, mixed weather and a beautiful sunset on Saturday formed the backdrop to our work. With this also being the weekend of Remembrance Day, a flag was hung from the TFR on the nose of XM655 as a mark of respect and thanks. A small group of our volunteers were to travel to Woodford on Tuesday to fit a collar onto the nose wheel of XM603 to improve her stance. This was trialled at the pan to ensure it would run smoothly. The majority of the day however was... spent trying to get to the bottom of the number 4 alternator issue. Following the work from previous weeks, attention turned to the 450 in the power bay. The decision was made to remove the unit for inspection and cleaning. Removing the unit however was not as straightforward as deciding to do it as some awkward mounting bolts proved! Once out though, the cover was removed.. We think you'll agree that the work that went into assembling this unit is impressive. Whilst this was being inspected, we searched our stores for a replacement which we found! This was then connected and a wet cycle was performed later in the day. And..... Success! Voltage was recorded from the alternator. A very positive end to the day. Pictures courtesy of Helen, Isi and James
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XM655 will be open for visitors this weekend so if you would like to pop in and spend some time at the pan, we would be pleased to see you.
Also, please be aware that your aircraft can be seen on Michael Portillo"s Hidden History of Britain, this coming Friday the 16th at 21:00 on Channel 5

fantastic day my 11 yr old son just loved it such an informative tour and such a friendly team willing to answer as many questions we chucked at them and the cockpit tour was just amazing, thank you for such a great day

What an amazing place. So much knowledge about this awsome bit of RAF heritage

What a wonderful place to visit! Great people,all with a love and passion for keeping this great aircraft alive! Don't stop what your doing! Can't wait to come again.

What a great experience. We booked a photo shoot with @Edition Noggy but got so much more. Wonderful team of people who love to share their knowledge. We got a tour of the cockpit, talks about the bomb bay and payloads it was built for as well as an insight into how these planes were used in the Falklands AND a demo of the plane powering up some of it's systems. Highly recommended!

What a fantastic time my son and I had. We arrived and were met my such friendly staff. We were shown around the aircraft by a very knowledgeable gentlemen (Steve?) and his equally knowledgeable son! We were treated to a onboard tour - I can't beleive I've been in a Vulcan! And it was definitely the highlight of my son's day too. We left feeling like VIPs.



So if you are wondering, go, join the membership club (extremely reasonable price) and see an icon of the skies.



I can't wait to go back. Thankyou all.

We visited the day before Cold War Jets at Brunty a few weeks ago. Arrived at the same time as the most severe thunderstorm I have ever seen. We were met with the offer of a cuppa and a smile, and a very informative cockpit tour by Damaris. Sheltered underneath 655, as the storm progressed and chatted with the other volunteers. Everyone was friendly and put so much time and care into XM655 - I wish we lived closer. Thank you and you've not seen the last of us!

We called into Wellesbourne as a family visit to see XM655 on Sat 29th on our way to Stratford. Thanks very much to Damaris for an excellent tour of the cockpit and taking as much time as she did to speak to us before we got the chance to see the Vulcan's elevons, rudder, lights and airbrakes tested using ground power.



Informative and exciting for the children, and as someone who used to see them every summer holiday operating out of RAF St Mawgan in the late 70s and early 80s, a childhood dream to climb inside a Vulcan completed for me! :-)

Took my 4 year old son to visit his favourite plane on spec as to speak today and what a privilege it was to spend time down there with the plane and all of the volunteers involved.



We were greeted by Steve who's enthusiasm, knowledge and helpfulness was amazing right from the moment we arrived and literally nothing was too much trouble. We had an awesome on board visit and tour which blew us away and his depth of knowledge was amazing and kept my lad entertained for the few hours we was there.



The rest of the volunteers were brilliant, friendly and helpful and their enthusiasm and love for what they do pours from them and makes the whole visit and experience one to cherish.



For anybody contemplating a visit just do it and and leave a generous donation which they richly deserve for their enthusiasm alone! The work and pride they put in every weekend is brilliant as well as all the other equipment down there!



The plane is a majestic thing to look at and if you only do it once it will be totally worth it but we shall now become regular visitors - thank you Steve and the crew for today absolute privilege for myself and Jack and one that won't be forgotten about!



Regards Lee.

Today was my very first visit too 655 and there will be many more too come ! I had a very enjoyable time visiting 655 today, the volunteers are excellent and very helpful and friendly, Len gave me a fantastic cockpit tour and Gary was excellent, by allowing me access to the giraffe gantry and taking a picture of me with a dummy 1000 pound bomb near the bomb bay while holding a baby dummy 28 pound bomb. I also bought a part from the shop of 655, which was very well priced and has taken pride and place in my collection, I am glad I have decided too become a member as I will be visiting again and love supporting this wonderful aircraft, which I hope will be here forevermore. And for future years too come. I will see you all again very soon :) This is Warwickshire's number one attraction, or well it should be in my opinion :)

I dropped in 'on spec' last Saturday, 7th October 2017, and was pleased to have the opportunity for a cockpit visit and a great guide who explained the workings of the 'non-flying' crew and there duties and responsibilities.... I have long been an active supporter of XH558, from before 'return to flight', and now she is finally grounded, would love to support your work with XM655. many thanks again for a fascinating visit!

I came down to see you guys this morning and I have to say it was well worth the trip. A massive thanks to you all but especially to the young lady that took the time to show me around the cockpit and the rest of xm655.

Keep up the good work guys.

Great place! Friendly, enthusiastic volunteers and very knowledgeable. AWESOME Airframe and very well looked after. I never fail to be amazed every time I visit 655. Long may she continue to inspire ��

For the third year running, I’ve just taken a group of members from The Classic Corvette Club UK to visit XM655. Once again the volunteer hosts surpassed themselves with their historical knowledge and enthusiasm of the aircraft and it’s contribution to British life. So on behalf of everyone who has attended, thank you once again to all of the team who gave up your free time to give us the tour of XM655 on Saturday. Feedback from my colleagues was, as expected, very positive so thanks again for everything you did for us

For any aviation enthusiast, no matter what level of interest you have this is a great experience. To be up close to such an iconic piece of engineering, listen to the volunteers tell you about the aircraft & some of the tales that go with it is fascinating. All the volunteers welcome you with open arms & a smile. Will be going back for sure.

Fantastic aircraft and very helpful and knowledgeable team

Did a planned tour rather than a drop in visit. The guys there have such passion and enthusiasm and made it so interesting that almost forgot I had my camera with me. Only took 15 shots.......

Came in on the way to an event I was attending, gorgeous example the iconic aircraft, this is the first time I’ve been up close and personal with a complete Vulcan and was taken aback with the size! Was shown inside the bomb bay by a chap who had lots of knowledge and experiences to share, I intended to come back later in the day for a cockpit tour but car broke down and you were due to close before I could come back. I will be back soon for another visit!

Brilliant. Went to the market and decided to pop over . Was surprised we could go on a guided talk. Very informative and enthusiastic . Would i go again? Going very soon :)

Awesome aircraft! Maintained in excellent condition by a great friendly group! Pop in on a saturday for a look around. If thats not enough, go to there wings and wheels event to see the most powerful vulcan in the world fast taxi

fantastic day my 11 yr old son just loved it such an informative tour and such a friendly team willing to answer as many questions we chucked at them and the cockpit tour was just amazing, thank you for such a great day

What an amazing place. So much knowledge about this awsome bit of RAF heritage

What a wonderful place to visit! Great people,all with a love and passion for keeping this great aircraft alive! Don't stop what your doing! Can't wait to come again.

What a great experience. We booked a photo shoot with @Edition Noggy but got so much more. Wonderful team of people who love to share their knowledge. We got a tour of the cockpit, talks about the bomb bay and payloads it was built for as well as an insight into how these planes were used in the Falklands AND a demo of the plane powering up some of it's systems. Highly recommended!

What a fantastic time my son and I had. We arrived and were met my such friendly staff. We were shown around the aircraft by a very knowledgeable gentlemen (Steve?) and his equally knowledgeable son! We were treated to a onboard tour - I can't beleive I've been in a Vulcan! And it was definitely the highlight of my son's day too. We left feeling like VIPs.



So if you are wondering, go, join the membership club (extremely reasonable price) and see an icon of the skies.



I can't wait to go back. Thankyou all.

We visited the day before Cold War Jets at Brunty a few weeks ago. Arrived at the same time as the most severe thunderstorm I have ever seen. We were met with the offer of a cuppa and a smile, and a very informative cockpit tour by Damaris. Sheltered underneath 655, as the storm progressed and chatted with the other volunteers. Everyone was friendly and put so much time and care into XM655 - I wish we lived closer. Thank you and you've not seen the last of us!

We called into Wellesbourne as a family visit to see XM655 on Sat 29th on our way to Stratford. Thanks very much to Damaris for an excellent tour of the cockpit and taking as much time as she did to speak to us before we got the chance to see the Vulcan's elevons, rudder, lights and airbrakes tested using ground power.



Informative and exciting for the children, and as someone who used to see them every summer holiday operating out of RAF St Mawgan in the late 70s and early 80s, a childhood dream to climb inside a Vulcan completed for me! :-)

Took my 4 year old son to visit his favourite plane on spec as to speak today and what a privilege it was to spend time down there with the plane and all of the volunteers involved.



We were greeted by Steve who's enthusiasm, knowledge and helpfulness was amazing right from the moment we arrived and literally nothing was too much trouble. We had an awesome on board visit and tour which blew us away and his depth of knowledge was amazing and kept my lad entertained for the few hours we was there.



The rest of the volunteers were brilliant, friendly and helpful and their enthusiasm and love for what they do pours from them and makes the whole visit and experience one to cherish.



For anybody contemplating a visit just do it and and leave a generous donation which they richly deserve for their enthusiasm alone! The work and pride they put in every weekend is brilliant as well as all the other equipment down there!



The plane is a majestic thing to look at and if you only do it once it will be totally worth it but we shall now become regular visitors - thank you Steve and the crew for today absolute privilege for myself and Jack and one that won't be forgotten about!



Regards Lee.

Today was my very first visit too 655 and there will be many more too come ! I had a very enjoyable time visiting 655 today, the volunteers are excellent and very helpful and friendly, Len gave me a fantastic cockpit tour and Gary was excellent, by allowing me access to the giraffe gantry and taking a picture of me with a dummy 1000 pound bomb near the bomb bay while holding a baby dummy 28 pound bomb. I also bought a part from the shop of 655, which was very well priced and has taken pride and place in my collection, I am glad I have decided too become a member as I will be visiting again and love supporting this wonderful aircraft, which I hope will be here forevermore. And for future years too come. I will see you all again very soon :) This is Warwickshire's number one attraction, or well it should be in my opinion :)

I dropped in 'on spec' last Saturday, 7th October 2017, and was pleased to have the opportunity for a cockpit visit and a great guide who explained the workings of the 'non-flying' crew and there duties and responsibilities.... I have long been an active supporter of XH558, from before 'return to flight', and now she is finally grounded, would love to support your work with XM655. many thanks again for a fascinating visit!

I came down to see you guys this morning and I have to say it was well worth the trip. A massive thanks to you all but especially to the young lady that took the time to show me around the cockpit and the rest of xm655.

Keep up the good work guys.

Great place! Friendly, enthusiastic volunteers and very knowledgeable. AWESOME Airframe and very well looked after. I never fail to be amazed every time I visit 655. Long may she continue to inspire ��

For the third year running, I’ve just taken a group of members from The Classic Corvette Club UK to visit XM655. Once again the volunteer hosts surpassed themselves with their historical knowledge and enthusiasm of the aircraft and it’s contribution to British life. So on behalf of everyone who has attended, thank you once again to all of the team who gave up your free time to give us the tour of XM655 on Saturday. Feedback from my colleagues was, as expected, very positive so thanks again for everything you did for us

For any aviation enthusiast, no matter what level of interest you have this is a great experience. To be up close to such an iconic piece of engineering, listen to the volunteers tell you about the aircraft & some of the tales that go with it is fascinating. All the volunteers welcome you with open arms & a smile. Will be going back for sure.

Fantastic aircraft and very helpful and knowledgeable team

Did a planned tour rather than a drop in visit. The guys there have such passion and enthusiasm and made it so interesting that almost forgot I had my camera with me. Only took 15 shots.......

Came in on the way to an event I was attending, gorgeous example the iconic aircraft, this is the first time I’ve been up close and personal with a complete Vulcan and was taken aback with the size! Was shown inside the bomb bay by a chap who had lots of knowledge and experiences to share, I intended to come back later in the day for a cockpit tour but car broke down and you were due to close before I could come back. I will be back soon for another visit!

Brilliant. Went to the market and decided to pop over . Was surprised we could go on a guided talk. Very informative and enthusiastic . Would i go again? Going very soon :)

Awesome aircraft! Maintained in excellent condition by a great friendly group! Pop in on a saturday for a look around. If thats not enough, go to there wings and wheels event to see the most powerful vulcan in the world fast taxi