Vulcan Delivery Diary 07
Getting there – 16 January 1983
By Howard Heeley
Nearly forty years ago on 7 February 1983, Vulcan XM594 landed at Winthorpe Airfield in eastern Nottinghamshire. When it safely touched down it became the only Vulcan to be flown into a non-licensed airfield in the UK.
This is the third part of an abridged version of an article, which describes the acquisition process, that was originally published in an edition of Aviation News that year.
We were getting there ……
Sunday 16 January 1983
The sweeper was collected by tractor and brought to the Airfield in the morning. The radio appeals for help had been a great success with over 100 volunteers and members turning out with brushes to help sweep the runway.
On Saturday the road sweeper had uncovered several holes in important parts of the runway so a team of members and volunteers started mixing concrete and filling in these critical positions.
Various newspapers and radio stations covered the 'Sweep-In' and the whole day was a great success with an estimated twenty tons of gravel being moved off the runway.
At the end of the day it was thought that the Vulcan could now land safely and everyone headed for home, many with aching backs and covered in dust.