Hawker Siddeley Vulcan B.2, with its weapons on display at RAF Waddington

The Vulcan was the second of the Royal Air Force’s ‘V bombers’ and like the Valiant and Victor provided part of Great Britain’s nuclear deterrent force for fifteen years. The Blue Steel nuclear missile, which entered service in 1963, can be seen at the front of this photograph. This image dates from around 1982.

The prototype B1 Vulcan first flew on 30 August 1952; four years later work began on an improved B2 design. The increased performance offered by the Vulcan B2 made it ideal for modification to carry the Blue Steel nuclear stand-off bomb. This weapon allowed the aircraft to launch its attack from outside the immediate missile defences of a target and thereby extended the effectiveness of the Royal Air Force’s airborne deterrent. In 1969, responsibility for the UK's nuclear deterrent passed to the Royal Navy’s Polaris submarines. The Vulcan returned to a strategic bombing role, carrying a variety of conventional munitions such as bombs and missiles.