V Bombers - Vulcan, Victor & Valiant - The Last British Bombers

It took just 11 years to go from the first flight of the Lancaster Bomber in 1941 to the first flight of the VX770, the prototype Vulcan bomber in 1952. Yet the difference between them could hardly be greater, the Vulcan along with the Victor and Valiant were a new generation of the new planes known as the “V” bombers, planes for a new era and a newly, nuclear-armed Britain.

Sponsers: Drew Hendrix, Symon Hamer, Florian Hesse, Lucius Kwok, Hunter Schwisow, Pyloric, Seb Stoodley, Oscar Anderson,
Peter Cote, Cody Belichesky, Mogoreanu Daniel, Douglas Gustafson, Marcus Chiado, Jorn Magnus Karlsen.

Get 10% discount with the code DROID10.

Presented by Paul Shillito

Written and Researched by Andy Munzer

Additional material by Paul Shillito

Images and footage: Avro, Handley-Page, Vickers-Armstrong
Jim Debinham, Pathe.

Music - Machiotil by Seclorance is licensed under an Attribution License.

[TheCloudhopper]

The Handley Page Victor is one of the best looking military planes ever. A truly unique design that even today has a futuristic aura to it.

[teddy.d]

The Vulcan is still one of the most beautiful and bad-ass planes ever from 🇺🇸

[jerrywh]

You Brit’s had one of the best sounding planes in history with the Vulcan. That bleed air makes a hoot of a sound.

[davidgreen]

That Vulcan is one of the most gorgeous aircraft ever to fly.

[rciscon]

I saw a Vulcan years ago at a Chicago Air Show and it did several low speed passes... possibly the most beautiful plane I've ever seen in flight...

[jasonunwin]

A Vulcan bomber accidentally ingested a buzzard over the plains of Colorado in the late 70s and had to make an emergency landing at Pueblo Memorial Airport (KPUB). I got a chance to get up close to it and walk around. The RAF personnel were friendly and professional. It is a beautiful airplane.

[VTXCageSC]

I was a US Air Force brat living in East Anglia from 1964 to 1968. My father was stationed at Alconbury AFB, but we lived just outside the tiny village of Bluntisham near St Ives. There was a Vulcan RAF base nearby and I thought they were the coolest aircraft I'd ever seen. I loved watching them take off, land and circle our airspace almost every day. They also had an interesting unique engine sound as they flew over that was very different from the US aircraft. Good memories! Thanks for the video history.

[nephilimcrt]

God those Victors are so damn good looking.

[Saeth]

I absolutely LOVE the look of the Victor. Gorgeous plane.

[joem]

There is an Avro Vulcan at the SAC museum west of Omaha Nebraska. I had the privilege of climbing up inside of it last time I was there. What an awesome aircraft!!!

[Michaelca]

The Vulcan was awesome. I saw some during airshows in Abbotsford, BC, Canada in the 70's and early 80's. Good memories.

[metanumia]

Thank you so much +Curious Droid for your continuing hard work and excellent content! :) <3 What a beauty these planes are, truly innovative engineering.

[Player_Review]

It cannot be overstated how vital the US and British sharing of technology played, in those days and in modern times.

[waterwarriors]

The Vulcan was an amazing plane. I saw the Vulcan fly at El Toro Marine base in 1982. That plane just almost hovered in mid air as it glided around the air field. Even on it's fast pass, it still was just looking huge and massive and, well, just amazing. One of the most I have ever seen, and i have seen a lot. lol

[firewarrior]

I saw that last vulcan when I was up the mourne mountains. Flew in so low it felt like you could just reach out and touch it. Awe inspiring sight, especially when you didn't know it was coming.

[petermontagnon]

I saw one of the last Valcans in Canada in 84 It was an amazing thing to see !!! They used the Avro Arrow as a wanting design!! In Canada we were on the ready to go help in the Falklands.

[radders]

I've had the privelage of seeing the Vulcan several times. That roar at take off is the most iconic aviation sounds I have ever heard. What a legend!

[festol]

09:09 Actually a Vulcan had an issue with air refueling and requested an emergency landing on Brazil, being intercepted by the Tiger II fighters from that country and escorted to the nearby airport.

[brianfoster]

In June 1971 I was about to pass an RAF base and at the end of the runway was close to the road there were traffic lights 🚦 they changed to red so stopped at the line and waited then I had a front seat and two Vulcans one after the other took off right before my eyes what a sight magnificent and the noise from the engines then came the jet wash the truck I was in was just rocking like gale force winds. It was awesome and something I have never forgotten. True British Engineering at it’s best, at the time I had no idea it was a Vulcan base until that day. Great video and Thanks for showing it.

[josephstevens]

The V Bombers were just simply beautiful, sexy aircraft. My favorite was the Vulcan, however Victor & Valiant are a close second!