On October 21st 1983 we produced our postal cover LA6 which was issued to commemorate the disbanding of 44 (Rhodesia ) Squadron, the last Vulcan Bomber Squadron.
The Vulcan was made by the Avro Company who had designed and manufactured the Lancaster. No44 (Rhodesia) Squadron was the first Squadron to be equipped with the Lancaster and here they were 49 years later taking Avro’s Vulcan Bomber out of service as a bomber, though Vulcan’s did continue to fly in the tanker roll.
We managed to get the covers flown on the very last Vulcan practice bombing mission and they were flown in Vulcan XM607 (the one that dropped the bomb on the runway at Port Stanley) on the Squadrons’ last flight.
I managed to find 83 covers with the signature of Sqn Ldr “Monty” Montgomery who commanded the Vulcan detachment on Ascension Island during the Falklands War.
I have now updated the 83 and numbered them and managed to obtain the signatures of Wing Commander Simon Baldwin who was the last Officer Commanding the Squadron and Group Captain John Laycock who was Station Commander of RAF Waddington at the time. I have been given a colour photograph or the four Vulcan’s flying over their home Alpha dispersal at RAF Waddington on their disbanding flight. In total there are eight insert cards in each envelope including one signed by Eddie Craig who flew the last Vulcan practice bombing mission.
These 83 covers are unique in that they were flown in the most famous Vulcan which is grounded, never to fly again. It can be seen near the Sentry Post Viewing area on the A15 at Waddington.