Where to see the Vulcan bomber farewell tour

The world's last flying Vulcan bomber, XH558, will this weekend perform fly-pasts around the country giving large crowds a chance to say goodbye to the Cold War bomber.

Hundreds of thousands are expected this weekend to try to catch a farewell glimpse of the world’s last flying Vulcan bomber as the majestic Cold War jet makes fly-pasts around the country in a farewell tour.

The distinctive delta-winged jet will spend hours flying around the country on Saturday and Sunday giving its fans a last chance to see it before it is finally grounded forever later this month.

Saturday’s route will take in Gainsborough, Brough, Menwith Hill, Leeming, Durham Tees Airport, Newcastle Airport, Eshott Airfield, Alnwick, East Fortune, Carlisle Airport, Bowness on Windermere, Warton, Chadderton, Manchester Airport, Woodford, RAF Cosford, East Midlands Airport and Derby.

Sunday’s route will include RAF Waddington, Rutland Water, North Weald Airfield, Gravesend, Herne Bay, Manston, Dover, Ashford, Dunsfold, Farnborough, Middle Wallop, Old Sarum, Bristol Airport, Filton, Cardiff Airport, St Athan, Staverton Glos Airport, RAF Brize Norton, Wellesbourne, Bruntingthorpe and Newark.

Organisers are appealing for plane enthusiasts not to head to the Vulcan’s home airport in Doncaster to see it take off and land, after police warnings that crowds and traffic jams could force them to cancel the event.

Vulcan XH558 had a 33 year flying career with the RAF, before being sold off and rescued by a national fundraising campaign  Photo: REX

Supt Caroline Rollitt, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “Although I understand the passion of the supporters of the Vulcan, over the past few months as we approach its final flights, more and more spectators have turned up at events where the Vulcan has been. This has started to overwhelm local authorities and emergency services.

“Doncaster airport is a small commercial airport that can accommodate its passengers, however the infrastructure around it cannot accommodate a large influx of people hoping to see the Vulcan.”

The Vulcan's final flight will be sometime later in October

The Vulcan’s final flight is expected to be in mid to late October, before it is grounded forever because of its age.

The age of Vulcan XH558’s airframe and its engines mean three expert companies who keep the bomber aloft have decided they must end their support at the end of its 2015 display season.

The bomber was restored and returned to flight in 2007 at a cost of more than £7 million in public donations and lottery money.

Once grounded, the Vulcan will remain on show as part of an exhibition about the Cold War and British engineering.