Vickers Varsitys at dispersal...1974 (ish)

[Canon Bob]

An early 70's flightline of Vickers Varsitys at 6FTS RAF Finningley. The Varsity was a derivative of the Vickers Viking airliner and used to train V-Bomber bomb aimers and navigators/radio operators.
The 12 aircraft in this shot are shod with 24 Bristol Hercules 264 14 cylinder radial engines....that's 336 cylinders or 46,800 hp. The neighbouring villagers had thought that tranquility had returned when the Avro Vulcans departed for pastures anew. Not so.....the momentary roar of the Vulcan's four Bristol Olympus turbojets was nothing when compared to the slow, windowpane rattling progress of a Varsity or two pounding the circuit.

Scanned from an Ilford FP4 b&w negative

 

[superpippo]

Good historical shot and nice to know the background

 

[Pag]

Brings back memories, my first posting out of trade training in 1975 was to 6FTS at Finningley. These were all scrapped or sold off in 1976.

 

[Canon Bob]

Brings back memories, my first posting out of trade training in 1975 was to 6FTS at Finningley. These were all scrapped or sold off in 1976.

Some of the luckier ones survived whilst other were offered to the base firecrews to practice their trade......

Scanned from Ektachrome

 

[GordonM]

Takes me back to my childhood with constant sound of Varsity’s from Oakington trundling across Cambridge.

 

[Nod]

.the momentary roar of the Vulcan's four Bristol Olympus turbojets was nothing when compared to the slow, windowpane rattling progress of a Varsity or two pounding the circuit.

As stirring as the Vulcan's engines were, I much prefer the sound of pistons to jets.

 

[reheat module]

Love that first shot.
I was born and grew up through the first 17yrs of my life near RAF Finningley, and affectionately remember the 'flying pigs' grunting their way home over our house...
They must have caused an impression, alongside the Vulcan, - as I joined the RAF at 17 and spent 38 fabulous years in the Service.
The second shot, as of any aircraft in that condition is sad, but documentary...

 

[Canon Bob]

Takes me back to my childhood with constant sound of Varsity’s from Oakington trundling across Cambridge.

My late father-in-law was an airframe fitter at 5FTS Oakington.....pre Varsity days though, he worked on Vampires. I remember seeing the Varsitys at Oakington in the early 70's.

As stirring as the Vulcan's engines were, I much prefer the sound of pistons to jets.

Me too Nod.....sounds of a bygone era.

Love that first shot.
I was born and grew up through the first 17yrs of my life near RAF Finningley, and affectionately remember the 'flying pigs' grunting their way home over our house...
They must have caused an impression, alongside the Vulcan, - as I joined the RAF at 17 and spent 38 fabulous years in the Service.
The second shot, as of any aircraft in that condition is sad, but documentary...

I bet you can still hear those Hercules radials when you close your eyes Paul.