Designed in response to the growing menace of the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, the Vulcan was used as Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent in 1956-1984. Capable of climbing rolls and knife-edge turns, the Vulcan could lose 20,000ft in 90 seconds flat. Powered by four Rolls Royce Olympus engines, each with a thrust of 20,000lb, it could reach speeds of up to 645 mph (mach 0.95).

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The Vulcan was nicknamed the 'Tin Triangle' due to its massive delta wing shape, the B2 having a wingspan of 111ft (33.83m). Its joystick-style control column together with the lack of switches and controls on the cockpit ceiling gave the Vulcan a fighter plane-like feel.

As a conventional bomber the five-man Vulcan achieved dramatic success in the 1982 Falklands conflict. At present, there are no Vulcans in service - most are now in museums, or abandoned, at the mercy of the elements on airfields.