About This Aircraft
The Avro Vulcan XM612 is a preserved Cold War strategic bomber with a significant history as one of the four Vulcans deployed during Operation Black Buck in the 1982 Falklands War. This B.2 variant represents an important chapter in both British nuclear deterrent history and the final combat operations of the Vulcan fleet.
XM612 was completed in February 1964 and entered service with No. 9 Squadron at the Coningsby and Cottesmore Wing the following month. During its operational career, the aircraft served with multiple squadrons including a brief stint at the Aircraft & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Boscombe Down in March 1968. The aircraft subsequently moved to RAF Waddington, serving with No. 101 Squadron from 1975 and transferring to No. 44 Squadron in 1981.
At the time of the Falklands conflict in 1982, XM612 was flying with No. 44 Squadron at RAF Waddington and was selected as one of five Vulcans chosen for modification and deployment to Ascension Island for the Black Buck missions. The aircraft was one of only five Vulcans that retained complete Skybolt attachment points and associated cable routing ducts to underwing hardpoints, making it suitable for conversion back to conventional bombing operations.
During Operation Black Buck, XM612 served as a reserve aircraft for multiple missions, though it never actually flew combat sorties against Argentine forces. The aircraft was due to be the lead Vulcan for Black Buck 3 and served as reserve for other missions, including the final Black Buck 7. Although XM612 didn't see direct combat, it played a crucial role in proving the importance and effectiveness of the air-to-air refuelling fleet that was essential to the success of these unprecedented long-range bombing missions.
XM612 has been recently reunited with the underwing pylons it was fitted with for the aborted Black Buck 3 sortie, which have been refurbished and mounted on the aircraft to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War. These pylons serve as a tangible reminder of the aircraft's preparation for combat operations during this historic conflict.
Following the Falklands War, XM612 returned to No. 44 Squadron to serve out its remaining operational life. The aircraft was retired from service in December 1982 and made its final flight on 30th January 1983, when it flew into Norwich Airport after 19 years of dedicated service.
XM612 was acquired by the City of Norwich Aviation Museum and has been preserved there since January 1983. The aircraft initially began to show signs of deterioration by the late 1980s but has undergone several comprehensive restoration programmes over the years. A lengthy repaint in the 1990s addressed corroded areas and sealed them against future damage, whilst the cockpit underwent full restoration with the captain's instrument panel restored to factory-fresh condition.
The museum has worked to maintain some of XM612's electrical systems in operational condition, and three of the four engines were believed to be in good enough condition to run, though this capability has not been exercised. By 2010, the aircraft was showing signs of fading and had lost its exhaust cans to corrosion, but subsequent restoration work has addressed these issues.
Recent preservation efforts have included full repaints, replacement of exhaust cans and corroded panels, and ongoing work to maintain electrical systems. The aircraft's position within the museum compound, whilst limiting some photographic angles, allows visitors to walk underneath and examine the enormous bomb bay. The museum continues to maintain XM612 as one of its star attractions, with dedicated volunteers working to preserve this important piece of Cold War and Falklands War aviation heritage.
Today, XM612 stands as a testament to the Vulcan's role in Britain's final strategic bombing operations and serves as an important memorial to the crews who prepared for and executed the most ambitious long-range bombing missions in aviation history at that time.
