The Vulcan force was a much more constrained unit of course, because it was a strategic bomber and part of the deterrent force, therefore somewhat more restrictive. We took part in two of the NATO photographic competitions. If we wanted to go and photograph something we would probably be given permission to do so. My pilot and I seemed to very good at it, which allowed us a certain amount of freedom to fly almost anywhere in Europe. Unfortunately, I’d been on a Canberra squadron in Germany which was a low level photographic operation. The first English Electric Canberra B.2 prototype, VX165Ī lot of volunteers have a fascination and fondness for the Vulcan. They had two very hard seats in the well, just above the entry/escape door. On overseas trips up to two crew chiefs were also on board.

I was the navigator/plotter, so I was always in a middle seat of the three of us at the back with the air electronics officer on my right and the navigator radar on my left. I won’t say cramped, but when my wife experienced the compartment, she felt very claustrophobic because it is an enclosed space. What was it like to in the crew compartment? The pilots looked after the aircraft and the backroom boys directed it to its destination (target). You had to ‘fit’ and work as a team, especially the rear crew. Individuals meet and find others that seem to fit to become a ‘crew’. Royal Air Force crews form at the Operational Conversion Units. What was it like to be a part of the Vulcan crew? The pair of us navigated the aircraft to the target and beyond. One in fact was a straight navigator who directed a plane to where it needed to go, the other was a navigator radar who used the radar bombing system as a navigational aid and bombing system.

At the “signing on” interview a question was, air crew or ground crew? Naturally air crew, then of course pilot/navigator. It all goes back to national service or conscription back in 1952 and signing on. Why did you become interested in flying and what made you want to become a navigator?

Canberra bomber crew positions