The dying of the light

This year sees the end of an era for flight enthusiasts with the final flights of the venerable Avro Vulcan. Today saw it's final appearance in Scotland at the Scottish Airshow in Ayr and around 120,000 packed along the esplanade on Low Green to see it off.

XH558 did not go gently though. As if fighting to stay in the air just a wee bit longer the 65-year old aircraft refused to deploy it's landing gear fully during the "dirty" configuration flypast. This resulted in a delay to it's landing at Prestwick. The problem resolved itself eventually and the anticipated emergency landing was avoided.

My abiding memory though will be a chance meeting one afternoon a few years ago (alas without the camera) as I was walking in the Pentland Hills. I turned to look over the city just as this very aircraft flew past at eye level over the tree tops on it's way to East Fortune for the airshow there.

"Call me Roy..." was spotted during a lull in the display. No sign of Bruce though!

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
~ Dyan Thomas