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| Vulcan XH558 to make final public display flight at Shuttleworth | Vulcan XH558 to make final public display flight at Shuttleworth |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The UK's last flying Vulcan is making its final public display flight on Sunday. | The UK's last flying Vulcan is making its final public display flight on Sunday. |
| The XH558 bomber, which saw action during the Falklands War but was withdrawn in 1984, is to appear at Shuttleworth, Bedfordshire. | The XH558 bomber, which saw action during the Falklands War but was withdrawn in 1984, is to appear at Shuttleworth, Bedfordshire. |
| Dawn Sunrise, who lives near Bedford, said she grew up with the plane, which was piloted by her father for the RAF. | Dawn Sunrise, who lives near Bedford, said she grew up with the plane, which was piloted by her father for the RAF. |
| "I'll be saying goodbye to a childhood friend," she said. "It's going to be very emotional." | "I'll be saying goodbye to a childhood friend," she said. "It's going to be very emotional." |
| After the flight, the XH558, will make two tours over the UK before it is grounded and reserved for exhibitions. | |
| Ms Sunrise said she had a 50-year relationship with the plane due to her father, Sqn Ldr Peter Thomas. | Ms Sunrise said she had a 50-year relationship with the plane due to her father, Sqn Ldr Peter Thomas. |
| "Dad was assigned 558 as his plane," said Ms Sunrise, who at the time was based at Finningley, South Yorkshire. "It wasn't uncommon to see two or three in the air. | "Dad was assigned 558 as his plane," said Ms Sunrise, who at the time was based at Finningley, South Yorkshire. "It wasn't uncommon to see two or three in the air. |
| "During class, if a Vulcan was flying over we used to have to put our pens down and fold our arms until it had gone - it was so loud, you couldn't continue with the class." | "During class, if a Vulcan was flying over we used to have to put our pens down and fold our arms until it had gone - it was so loud, you couldn't continue with the class." |
| Mr Thomas, who is now 89, is unable to make the event but did watch the plane in flight recently in Coventry, alongside his daughter. | Mr Thomas, who is now 89, is unable to make the event but did watch the plane in flight recently in Coventry, alongside his daughter. |
| "When I saw her fly into the distance I had tears," Ms Sunrise said. "I was with dad, which was quite rare - I used to be on the ground watching him fly it, so to be standing next to him was quite a moment." | "When I saw her fly into the distance I had tears," Ms Sunrise said. "I was with dad, which was quite rare - I used to be on the ground watching him fly it, so to be standing next to him was quite a moment." |
| Richard Clarke, of the Leicestershire-based Vulcan to the Sky Trust, said a lot of people shared Ms Sunrise's affinity with the "iconic" plane. | |
| "It's got a very, very strong emotional connection to the British public, which is manifested by the fact they turn out in their millions to see her," he said. | "It's got a very, very strong emotional connection to the British public, which is manifested by the fact they turn out in their millions to see her," he said. |
| "It's the shape, the power, the grace, and also that it's a British built, British flown aircraft and there aren't many things around like that in this day in age." | "It's the shape, the power, the grace, and also that it's a British built, British flown aircraft and there aren't many things around like that in this day in age." |
| Vulcan factfile | Vulcan factfile |