Avro Vulcan B2 XM645 of 9 Squadron on a fast low run at Biggin Hill, 18 September 1971.
Photographed by Stuart H Bourne.
© Stuart H Bourne / Quality Aviation Photos International.
Dramatic image of Avro Vulcan B2 XM645 of No. 9 Squadron RAF performing a fast, low-level run at Biggin Hill on 18 September 1971. Captured by aviation photographer Stuart H Bourne, this photograph showcases the raw power of Britain’s delta-winged Cold War bomber at the height of its service career.
XM645 was delivered to the Royal Air Force in March 1964 as part of the second generation of Vulcans, equipped with the more powerful Olympus 201 engines and advanced electronic countermeasures. Assigned to 9 Squadron at RAF Cottesmore and later RAF Waddington, it formed part of the UK’s nuclear deterrent under the V-Force, trained for both high-altitude strategic bombing and low-level penetration missions.
Tragically, XM645 was lost on 14 October 1975 during an emergency landing at RAF Luqa, Malta. After a heavy landing, the aircraft attempted a go-around but suffered catastrophic fuel tank rupture and broke up over the town of Zabbar. Five of the seven crew were killed, along with one civilian on the ground. As a result, XM645 does not survive in preservation, making photographs such as this one especially valuable records of its service life.
For enthusiasts wishing to see surviving Vulcans today, examples are preserved at several UK museums, including the Vulcan Restoration Trust (XH558 and XL426) and the RAF Museum. These aircraft stand as enduring reminders of the type’s technological achievement and Cold War significance.
