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In
1947, the British Air Ministry issued a request in the form of
Specification B.35/46 for an advanced jet bomber capable of carrying a
nuclear bomb. Short and Vickers responded with SA.4 Sperrin and T.660
Valiant. The Short Sperrin was set as the program backup while Valiant
was awarded the production order. Handley-Page and Avro came up with
advanced designs for competition which would become the Victor and
Vulcan. Due to the aggression in Europe from USSR , both the Victor and
Vulcan were also awarded a production contract. The first T.698 Vulcan
prototype made its first flight in 1952, and the first production
aircraft B.Mk.1 flew in 1955. After improvements with more powerful
engines, wing design changes and many other modifications, the B.Mk.2
entered service in 1965. The Vulcan was initially armed with the UK ¡¦s
first nuclear (Blue Danube) bomb, and was intended to be equipped with
American Skybolt missile also. The Vulcan was scheduled to be retired by
June 1982. However, in April of that year, it was called into combat for
the first and last time in Falkland ¡¦s war. In 1984, the last Vulcan
squadron was disbanded.
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