Permanent hangar plea for historic Cold War planes

The last Cold War Vulcan bomber to take flight should be given a permanent hangar along with another record-breaking aircraft at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, the charity which looks after them has said.

Vulcan XH558, together with an English Electric Canberra which broke the world altitude record in 1957, are already on site but open to the elements at the airport, which is eventually expected to reopen.

The Vulcan to the Sky Trust has urged Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to act, warning decay would take hold unless the aircraft had their own hangar.

A SYMCA spokesperson said the authority would be happy to discuss the idea "at the appropriate time".

Avro Vulcan bombers, which for a time carried Britain's nuclear deterrent, entered RAF service in 1956.

Their delta-wing design was regarded as radical as it featured no horizontal stabilisers on its tail and its triangular wings meant more fuel and conventional bombs could be carried.

Vulcan XH558, which is stored by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust at the Doncaster Sheffield Airport site, was the very last of its type to retire from service in 1993, but it performed for enthusiasts until 2015.

By then, the plane had been in the hands of the trust for 10 years, and the charity continues to fundraise to preserve the aircraft.

Meanwhile, the trust has described its English Electric Canberra WK163 as "one of Britain's most important jet age aircraft" due to its record-breaking flight in 1957.

Craig Shepherd, chief executive officer of the trust, said it was vital to create a permanent home for the Vulcan and the Canberra at the airport site, and had raised his concerns with SYMCA and Doncaster Council as they prepared for its expected reopening following its closure in 2022.

He said: "I believe very much we're in this together. We have to protect these two iconic aircraft who found a home at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, the former RAF Finningley, once a very active airbase, and we owe it to ourselves to protect this for the future."

It emerged last week that Doncaster Sheffield Airport was set to come under public ownership, with politicians on the cusp of agreeing a deal with landowner Peel Group.

Under the plan, SYMCA would buy the airport subject to the deal going through.

Responding to the trust's call, a SYMCA spokesperson said: "We're aware of the interest from the Sky Trust about the Vulcan.

"It's great to see their enthusiasm for being part of the airport's future and we would be happy to discuss this with them at the appropriate time."

A spokesperson for Fly Doncaster Ltd, set up by Doncaster Council to manage the airport site, said: "We have been engaging on a regular basis with the Vulcan to the Sky Trust as guardians of Vulcan XH558 and Canberra WK163.

"We look forward to working closely with the trust to find a suitable, permanent home."

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