Marking the final flying season of the Vulcan XH558, the U.K.’s Royal Air Force Aerobatics Team, the Red Arrows, took its final flight with the mighty Cold War bomber on Saturday, September 19 at the Southport Air Show. With only three scheduled displays left, the Vulcan will be grounded for good in October.
The Red Arrow’s nine British-built Hawks formed a V-shape in front of the Vulcan as they flew near the north-western British coast for airshow crowds. The last airworthy member of the U.K.’s V-Force fleet, the Vulcan first flew in 1960, playing a key role in bombing, air-to-air refueling and reconnaissance missions for the Royal Air Force during the Cold War.
