The Persuaders Avro Vulcan

Description

The Persuaders Avro Vulcan

Approx. overall print size 16½” x 26½ ” / 42 cms x 67 cms
The Persuaders Avro Vulcan
Much loved by its crews, the mighty delta winged ‘Avro Vulcan’ was designed to perform Britain’s nuclear deterrent bomber role during the Cold War.
It carried out this responsibility for more than a decade. The aircraft then served as a low-level nuclear strike and maritime radar reconnaissance platform,
before finally being called to war action in the Falklands conflict where it provided long-range bombing capabilities, attacking surface targets and Stanley Airport.
The Persuaders

Please see below for details of the signatories of this edition.

200 Prints in the Primary Edition £125.00

Signed by three Vulcan pilots.

Air Vice-Marshal N B Baldwin CB CBE FRAeS was a Vulcan Mk 2 pilot for most of his flying career. A Cranwell flight cadet, he joined IX Sqn at RAF Coningsby as a co-pilot in 1963,
became a captain on 35 Sqn at Cottesmore 2 years later, was a flight commander on the same squadron at RAF Akrotiri,
Cyprus in 1970 and commanded 50 Sqn at Waddington towards the end of the aircraft’s operational life in the late ‘70s. He has over 3000 hours on the aircraft.
He was then station commander of RAF Wyton when it was a Canberra, Nimrod R, and Bloodhound base; he retired in 1996 having been the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Overseas) in the Ministry of Defence. Since 1996, he has been the Chairman of the RAF Historical Society and the Chairman of ‘Combat Stress’ – the Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society.

Wing Commander Adrian Sumner joined the RAF in 1966. He first flew the Vulcan as a Co-pilot in Cyprus on IX Squadron in 1970; this was followed by a Captain’s tour on 44 Sqn at RAF Waddington.
After a brief sojourn at Central Flying School where he became a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) on the Bulldog, Adrian returned to RAF Waddington as a Vulcan Squadron Flight Commander and QFI on 50 Squadron, where he displayed the aircraft during the 1980 Season.
Adrian’s final association with the Vulcan was as Officer Commanding the RAF Detachment at Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, Nebraska, USA, where Vulcan’s frequently detached for low level training.
The rest of Adrian’s Service career was mainly associated with Flying Training, both at Support Command Headquarters and as Officer Commanding Operations and Pilot Training Wing at RAF Finningley,
where he flew the Dominie, and was Chief Instructor on the Jetstream. His final tour in the RAF was with NATO at SHAPE Headquarters, Mons, Belgium.
After leaving the RAF in 1997, Adrian flew the BAe146 for 2 airlines, and he now works as a contract pilot and QFI flying Royal Navy Jetstreams at RNAS Culdrose.
He is also a qualified Balloon Pilot. During his flying career Adrian has currently amassed 8500 flying hours, of which 2300 were on the Vulcan.

Air Commodore Alun Morgan was called up for National Service in 1950, and was then selected for RAF College Cranwell, (1951-53).
His first tour was on 81 Sqn in Singapore flying Meteor PR 10s and Pembroke’s. He joined the V-Force in 1960, first as a co-pilot then as a captain on Vulcan 1s and 1As.
From 1967- 67 he was Flt Cdr on 83 Sqn at Scampton flying the Blue Steel Vulcan II. A short tour in 1974 as OC the Vulcan Standardisation Sqn was followed by a tour at Akrotiri,
Cyprus as OC Vulcan Bomber Wing. A desk tour at HQ 1 Group followed as Vulcan Operations, but he still managed two of the USAF Bombing Competitions in the USA,
leading the Vulcan High Noon and Giant Voice detachments in 1975 and 1977. From 1978-81 he was the NATO Targeting Representative at Headquarters SAC at Offutt USA,
and retired in 1986 as the UK National Military Representative at SHAPE, Belgium. He flew his last Vulcan sortie on 18 Nov 1982.

Philip E. West is recognised as one of the world’s finest aviation artists. Collectors of his original oil paintings span the globe,
many waiting patiently for his next breathtaking canvas to appear.
Self taught, Philip has won many accolades for his paintings, not the least of which was the prestigious Duane Whitney Award for Excellence at the 1997 American Society of Aviation Artists Exhibition.

We do hope you will find this biography of interest. We think that by knowing a little about the men behind the signatures, it will help you get the most from your copy of The Persuaders Avro Vulcan