Vulcan Production List

This page lists all the Vulcans ever built and gives a brief description of their operational lives. Sadly most are no longer in one piece. However, I have noted complete air frames and cockpit sections which still survive.

In order to move around this page more efficiently I have included a number of jump boxes. If you wish to jump to a particular Vulcan variant (B1 or B2), or a specific Vulcan reference letter (XA, XH, XJ, XL, XM) just press the selection of your choice within the multi-coloured lines. You will find jump boxes at the top, middle and bottom of this page.

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Vulcan Prototypes

VX770
 Delivered: August 1952
Notes: Suffered Mid-air explosion 20/9/58. Destroyed.

VX777
 Delivered: September 1953
Notes: trials aircraft. Used for both flying and runway testing.
 Last flight 4/60. Broken up Farnborough 1963.

Vulcan B1

XA889
 Delivered: February 1955
Notes: Olympus 104 engines. Scrapped at Boscombe Down 1971.

XA890
Delivered: 1955
Notes: Used for radio, radar and blind landing trials. Scrapped Bedford 1971

XA891
 Delivered: 1955
Notes: Used for manufactures trials. 
Crashed during test flight near Hull in 1959. Electrical failure.

XA892
 Delivered: 1955
Notes: Used for manufactures trials. 
Delivered to Halton for ground instruction. Scrapped 1972.

XA893
 Delivered: 1956
Notes: Electrical trials with Olympus 104 engines. Scrapped 1962.
  Nose section taken to 71 Maintenance Unit, Bicester.

XA894
 Delivered: 1957
Notes: Used for engine development trials (TSR-2). 
Destroyed by ground fire 1962.

XA895
 Delivered: 1956
Notes: Olympus 104 engines. 
Used by Bomber Command development unit for ECM trials.
 Scrapped 1968.

XA896
 Delivered: March 1957
Notes: Bristol Siddeley test bed for vectored-thrusted engines. 
Scrapped 1966 at Patchway.

XA897
 Delivered: July 1956
Notes: Olympus 104 engines. Crashed at Heathrow October 1956.
 Aircraft destroyed.

XA898
 Delivered: January 1957
Notes: Used as an instructional airframe. Scrapped 1971.

XA899
Delivered: February 1957
Notes: Used for blind landing and auto pilot experiments. 
Nose section remains at Cosford Museum.

XA900
 Delivered: March 1957
Notes: Sent to Cosford as instructional airframe. Later given to Cosford Museum. Last intact Vulcan B1. Scrapped 1986.

XA901
 Delivered: April 1957
Notes: Delivered to Cranwell as an instructional airframe. Scrapped 1972.

XA902
 Delivered: May 1957
Notes: Damaged during landing Feb 1958. Scrapped 1963.

XA903
 Delivered: May 1957
Notes: Olympus 101 engines. Used for Blue Steel trials. Also used by
 Rolls Royce as test bed for Concorde and Tornado engines. 
Also fitted with prototype 27mm cannon. 
Last B1 to fly (Farnborough Feb 79). Scrapped 1980.

XA904
 Delivered: July 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard 1960.
 Damaged during landing at Waddington 1961. Later scrapped.

XA905
 Delivered: July 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard 1960. 
Taken to Newton as an instructional airframe. Scrapped 1974

XA906
 Delivered: August 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. 
Stored at St. Athan, later scrapped 1968.

XA907
 Delivered: August 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Withdrawn 1966. Scrapped 1968.

XA908
 Delivered: September 1957
Notes: Olympus 104 engines. Crashed at Michigan USA October 1958.

XA909
 Delivered: October 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962.
 Engine explosion over Anglesey resulted in crash 1964. Aircraft destroyed.

XA910
 Delivered: October 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard 1962. 
Became instructional airframe before being scrapped.

XA911
 Delivered: November 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. 
Delivered to St. Athan in 1967. Scrapped November 1968.

XA912
 Delivered: December 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Olympus 104 engines. 
Used by 101 sqn.

XA913
 Delivered: December 1957
Notes: Converted to B1A standard 1961. 
Stored at St. Athan before being scrapped in May 1968.

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XH475
Delivered: February 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Later used as instructional airframe before being scrapped in June 1969.

XH476
Delivered: February 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Olympus 104 engines.
 Sold as scrap 1969.

XH477
Delivered: February 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Olympus 104 engines. 
Crashed in Scotland June 1963.

XH478
Delivered: March 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Used in mid-air refuelling experiments. Sent to Akrotiri as instructional airframe. 
Scrapped March 1969.

XH479
Delivered: March 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Olympus 104 engines. 
Used as instructional airframe at Halton. Scrapped in 1973.

XH480
Delivered: April 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. 
Sent to St Athan in 1966 before being scrapped in September 1968.

XH481
Delivered: April 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Sent to Cottismore fire dump in January 1968. Scrapped nine years later.

XH482
Delivered: May 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Delivered to St. Athan October 1966. Scrapped two years later.

XH483
Delivered: May 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Sent to Manston fire dump before being scrapped in 1977.

XH497
Delivered: May 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Olympus 104 engines. taken out of service 1966. Later scrapped 1969.

XH498
Delivered: June 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. 
Became instructional airframe before being scrapped.

XH499
Delivered: May 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Withdrawn from service in November 1965 before being scrapped at Bitteswell.

XH500
Delivered: August 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1959. Used as instructional airframe before being scrapped at Waddington fire dump 1977.

XH501
Delivered: September 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Olympus 104 engines. 
Delivered to St. Athan in November 1966. Scrapped two years later.

XH502
Delivered: November 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Sent to Waddington fire dump. Nose section salvaged for instructional uses.

XH503
Delivered: December 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1963. Olympus 104 engines. Withdrawn and sent to St Athan December 1966. Scrapped 1968.

XH504
Delivered: December 1958
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1961. Olympus 104 engines.
 Scrapped at Cottismore fire dump 1968.

XH505
Delivered: March 1959
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Delivered to Finningley fire dump January 1968, scrapped shortly afterwards.

XH506
Delivered: April 1959
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1960. Olympus 104 engines. 
Sent to Waddington after being withdrawn in 1968.
 Finally scrapped in November of that year.

XH532
Delivered: March 1959
Notes: Converted to B1A standard in 1962. Last production B1 Vulcan.
 Sent to St. Athan 1966. Scrapped two & half years later.

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Vulcan B2

XH533
Delivered: August 1958
Notes: Olympus 200 engines. Sold as scrap to Bradbury & Co 1970.

XH534
Delivered: July 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for manufacturers trials. 
Converted for MRR. Scrapped February 1982.

XH535
Delivered: May 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Crashed near Andover May 1964.

XH536
Delivered: July 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for terrain following radar (TFR) trials. Crashed in Wales February 1966.

XH537
Delivered: August 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for manufacturers trials before going to Abingdon in 1983 to be used as instructional airframe.

XH538
Delivered: September 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for trials before going to Scampton, then onto Waddington. Finally sent to St. Athan and scrapped August 1981.

XH539
Delivered: September 1959.
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for manufacturers trials. Later sent to Waddington fire dump before being scrapped in 1972.

XH554
Delivered: October 1959
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. 
Twenty two years after beginning service this aircraft was sent 
to the fire fighting school at Catterick.

XH555
Delivered: June 1961
Notes: Used by manufacturers for fatigue tests. 
Sent to St. Athan for structural tests. Scrapped 1971.

XH556
Delivered: September 1961
Notes: Withdrawn after undercarriage collapsed in April 1966.
 Sent to Finningley fire dump.

XH557
Delivered: May 1960
Notes: First Vulcan to be fitted with Olympus 301 engines. Although she was orignally delivered with the 201 units, and subsequently re-engined. 
Also first to have enlarged air intakes. Scrapped December 1982.

XH558
Delivered: June 1960
Notes: Last Vulcan in RAF service. Struck off charge in March 1993. 
Aircraft now being restored at Bruntingthorpe.

XH559
Delivered: July 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Sold as scrap early in 1982.

XH560
Delivered: September 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Converted to MRR, then later to K2 tanker unit. Scrapped November 1984.

XH561
Delivered: October 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. 
Sent to fire fighting school in Catterick in 1984.

XH562
Delivered: November 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. 
Sent to fire fighting school in Catterick during August 1982.

XH563
Delivered: December 1960
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified to MRR. 
Sent to Scampton for preservation in 1982. Later scrapped.

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XJ780
Delivered: January 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified to MRR in 1976. 
Used for spares before being scrapped in 1982.

XJ781
Delivered: February 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Damaged during landing in Iran. 
Struck off charge 1973.

XJ782
Delivered: February 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Sent to Finningley for preservation,
 but later dumped in 1982.

XJ783
Delivered: March 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Used for spares recovery until 
sold as scrap in November 1982.

XJ784
Delivered: March 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Later fitted with the more powerful 301 units.
Sold as scrap in 1982 after being used for spares recovery.

XJ823
Delivered: April 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. 
Sold to Solway Aviation society in Carlisle January 1983.

XJ824
Delivered: May 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Aircraft sent to Duxford in March 1982.

XJ825
Delivered: July 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified to MRR in 1976. Used for battle damage repair duties before being scrapped in 1992.

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XL317
Delivered: July 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel missile. 
Sent to Akrotiri before being scrapped.

XL318
Delivered: August 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel. Used for last sortie by a Vulcan in 617 Sqn. Aircraft sent to RAF Hendon in 1982.

XL319
Delivered: October 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel. Sold to North Eastern Aircraft Museum in 1983. Aircraft intact.

XL320
Delivered: November 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel missile. 
Sent to St. Athan before being scrapped in 1981.

XL321
Delivered: January 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel missile. Highest number of operational flying hours for a Vulcan. Over 6,952 hrs. 
Later scrapped.

XL359
Delivered: January 1961
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Modified for Blue Steel. Allocated as gate guardian for Scampton before being scrapped in November 1982.

XL360
Delivered: February 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
Sold to Midland Air museum in 1983. Aircraft intact.

XL361
Delivered: March 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Accident at Happy Valley, Canada. Aircraft placed on display at Goose Bay.

XL384
Delivered: March 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. Damaged after heavy landing in 1971. 
Used for crash rescue training. Struck off charge 1985.

XL385
Delivered: April 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. Ground fire at Scampton April 1967. 
Struck off charge the following day.

XL386
Delivered: May 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines.  Blue Steel modifications. Delivered to Central Training Establishment, Manston (Kent) August 1982. Later scrapped.

XL387
Delivered: May 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines.  Blue Steel modifications. Sent to St Athan for crash rescue training January 1982. Sold as scrap in June 1983.

XL388
Delivered: June 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines.  Blue Steel modifications. 
Sent to Honnington fire dump August 1982.

XL389
Delivered: July 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines. . Blue Steel modifications. 
Delivered to St Athan  April 1981. Scrapped August the same year.

XL390
Delivered: July 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Conversion to Blue Steel role included fitting of 301 engines.  Blue Steel modifications. 
Crashed during air display, Glenview NAS USA August 1978.

XL391
Delivered: May 1963
Notes: First Vulcan to have Olympus 301 engines fitted during the production phase. Blue Steel modifications. 
Selected for Black Buck modifications but not used operationally. 
Delivered to Blackpool February 1983. 
Aircraft intact.

XL392
Delivered: July 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
Sent to Valley for crash rescue training March 1982, later scrapped.

XL425
Delivered: August 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
Grounded January 1982. Scrapped April the same year.

XL426
Delivered: September 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Sold to Roy Jacobson and delivered to Southend Airport December 1986. Registered as G-Vjet in July 1987. Aircraft now maintained by Vulcan Restoration Trust. Performs fast taxi runs.

XL427
Delivered: September 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Used for crash rescue training at Macrihanish from August 1982. Scrapped 1986.

XL443
Delivered: October 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.  Allocated to RAF museum in 1982 before being sold to Bird Group as scrap in 
April the same year.

XL444
Delivered: October 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
 Grounded September 1982.

XL445
Delivered: November 1962.
Notes: Olympus 201 engines.
 Blue Steel modifications. 
Last used for crash rescue training at Lyneham. Scrapped April 1984

XL446
Delivered: November 1962
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications.  Grounded in March 1982. Sold to Bird group for scrap in the November of the same year. 

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XM569
Delivered: January 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
Sold to Wales Aircraft museum. Sent to Cardiff February 1983.

XM570
Delivered: February 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
Sold as scrap January 1982.

XM571
Delivered: February 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
Delivered to Gibraltar for preservation, later scrapped.

XM572
Delivered: February 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
Grounded September 1982. Scrapped two months later.

XM573
Delivered: March 1963
Notes: Olympus 201 engines. Blue Steel modifications. 
Sent to Offutt AFB USA in 1982. Presented to USAF. Aircraft preserved at 
SAC Museum, Ashland, Nebraska.

XM574
Delivered: June 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. This Vulcan, plus all subsequent aircraft, were fitted with 301 engines. 
Scrapped January 1982.

XM575
Delivered: May 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Sold to Leicstershire Air Museum in January 1983, delivered to Bruntingthorpe. 
Ferried to Castle Donnington, East Midlands Aeropark. 
Aircraft preserved.

XM576
Delivered:  June 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications.  
Crash landed at Scampton May 1965. Struck off charge.

XM594
Delivered: July 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications.  Sold to Newark Air Museum January 1983. Sent to Winthrope a month later. Aircraft preserved.

XM595
Delivered: August 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications.  
Grounded March 1982. Scrapped November the same year.

XM596
Delivered: Aircraft never completed
Notes: Based at Woodford and used for static fatigue testing. 
Scrapped 1972.

XM597
Delivered: August 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Blue Steel modifications. Modified for Black Buck Operations in July 1982. Sent to Royal Scottish Museum of Flight in East Fortune April 1984. Aircraft preserved.

XM598
Delivered: August 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.  Modified for Black Buck Operations in July 1982. Delivered to Cosford Air Museum in January 1983. Aircraft preserved.

XM599
Delivered: September 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Sold to H John & Co for scrap in January 1982.

XM600
Delivered: September 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Engine Bay fire caused crash near  Spilsby 17th January 1977.

XM601
Delivered: October 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Destroyed in crash on approach to Coningsby October 1964.

XM602
Delivered: November 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Delivered to St Athan Historic Aircraft Museum in January 1982. 
Aircraft preserved.

XM603
Delivered: November 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Sold to British Aerospace for preservation. Delivered to Woodford March 1982. Used as mock up for K2 tanker conversion. Aircraft preserved.

XM604
Delivered: November 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
January 1968, Overshot runway at Cottesmore and crashed.  

XM605
Delivered: December 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Preserved at Castle AFB USA. 
Presented to USAF September 1981. Aircraft preserved.

XM606
Delivered: December 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Delivered to Barksdale USAF Base, USA 
June 1982. Presented to USAF a year later.  Aircraft  preserved.

XM607
Delivered: December 1963
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Modified for Black Buck mission. Static display at Waddington from January 1983. Aircraft  preserved.

XM608
Delivered: January 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Scrapped by Bird Group in December 1982.

XM609
Delivered: January 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
 Delivered to St Athan March 1981. 
Scrapped five months later.

XM610
Delivered: February 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Crashed near Wingate January 1971 following fire in an engine bay.

XM611
Delivered: February 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Scrapped in June 1983.

XM612
Delivered: February 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Modified for Black Buck operations. Sold to Norwich Aviation Museum in January 1983. 
 Aircraft can be viewed  at Norwich Airport.

XM645
Delivered: March 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Onboard explosion caused crash 
 in Zabbar, Malta, October 1975.

XM646
Delivered: April 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Sold to T Bradbury as scrap June 1983.

XM647
Delivered: April 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Used for ground instruction training at Laarbruch in September 1982. Scrapped  March 1985.

XM648
Delivered: May 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.  
Grounded September 1982. Scrapped three months later.

XM649
Delivered: May 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines.
 Sent to St. Athan before being scrapped in December 1982.

XM650
Delivered: May 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Sent to St. Athan before being dismantled in 1984.

XM651
Delivered: June 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Grounded September 1982 before being scrapped eight weeks later.

XM652
Delivered: August 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Dismantled and sent to Sheffield. 
Nose section intact.

XM653
Delivered: August 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Moved to St. Athan before being scrapped in 1981.

XM654
Delivered: October 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. 
Grounded October 1982, scrapped a month later.

XM655
Delivered: November 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Sent to Mountford in Feb 1984. Registered G-VULC, later re-registered N655AV. Aircraft intact.

XM656
Delivered: December 1964
Notes: Olympus 301 engines. Given to Cottesmore for display. 
Sold as scrap 1983.

XM657
Delivered: January 1965
Notes: Last production Vulcan. Delivered to Manston in January 1982. 
Later scrapped.

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