The Falklands War 1982: The Build-up to Operation Black Buck
On 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands. It was the beginning of a ten-week conflict that ended with the Argentines surrendering
On 6 February 1952, while in Kenya with her husband Prince Phillip, Princess Elizabeth was given news of the death of her father King George VI and was proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II. This year sees the 70th year on the throne for Her Majesty, making her the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
2022 is not only the Platinum Jubilee of The Queen’s accession to the throne, it is also 70 years since the Avro Vulcan’s maiden flight on 30 August 1952.
In 2012, when Her Majesty the Queen celebrated 60 years on the throne and the aircraft type shared the Diamond Jubilee with her, Vulcan XH558 toured the UK celebrating Britain’s aviation and engineering achievements during The Queen’s reign as a Salute to Her Majesty.
On 18 June 2012, with approval from the Royal Household, Vulcan XH558 flew a celebration flypast while Her Majesty was visiting the North East of England as part of her Diamond Jubilee Tour. The Queen and Prince Phillip spent the night on a luxury boat, the Leander, in Sunderland docks before undertaking their royal duties the following day around the North East. Just before they were due to step ashore XH558 flew over them at 1,000 feet.
AEO on the day, Barry Masefield, described the event:
“We roared overhead, and Martin carried out a full power spiral climb to let all of Sunderland people know we had arrived. We completed one orbit around the Royal party and then departed southwards. Job done.”
Throughout the tour, XH558 carried a leather-bound book of good wishes inscribed with the names of supporters and their words of support for Her Majesty the Queen.
It was an initiative which Buckingham Palace approved and they were presented the book at Buckingham Palace at the end of the tour.
On 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands. It was the beginning of a ten-week conflict that ended with the Argentines surrendering
The maiden flight was on 2 March 1969. Some seven months later, on 1 October 1969, Concorde prototype 001 made the type’s first supersonic proving
For more than a quarter of a century air show crowds were used to seeing an RAF Vulcan as a star attraction. Towards the end
Barry Masefield was the Air Electronics Officer (AEO) for Vulcan XH558 and had flown in this iconic aircraft for over 30 years, also being a