2013 left me somewhat distracted by the deaths of both of my parents so displays went on the back burner for some of hte time, my first meet up with 558 that year was at Manston in June the last time I saw a take off, a pic of it for the memories...
Vulcan XH558 take off Manston 22-06-2013 2360 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
then the final pass..
Vulcan XH558 departure Manston 22-06-2013 2507 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
then 23rd August it was another Clacton air show, bet that woke up the nursing home residents!...
Vulcan xh558 clacton 23-08-2013 6844 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and 2 days later the annual Lt Gransden show
vulcan xh558 Lt Gransden 25-08-2013 8481 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
vulcan xh558 Lt Gransden 25-08-2013 8486 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and that was it for 2013. 2014 went by all too quickly and it was august before I re-newed my acquaintance with 558, again at clacton (what a show 1 Vulcan and 2 Lancasters- too good to miss)
vulcan xh558 clacton 25-08-2014 1929 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
vulcan xh558 over the barges clacton 25-08-2014 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and a power climb!
vulcan xh558 climb out clacton 25-08-2014 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
then the spectacle of the Vulcan and 2 Lancasters 3 days later sold out Lt Gransden, I had the foresight to order tickets way in advance but there were many moaning because they hadn't done the same, 558 had the poorer weather but was still spectacular..
4520 vulcan lt gransden by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
no I haven't tilted the camera
4603 vulcan lt gransden by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
I really thought it was going right over in a roll but not quite (they saved that for Grantham!), I put together this sequence of the half roll for posterity
Kev Rumens' party piece lt gransden 24-8-14 1200px by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and the last encounter of 2014 at Duxford, 13th September, this time accompanied by a pair of Gnats for part of the display
5883 vulcan & gnats by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
5870 vulcan & gnats by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
5904 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
then the final year had arrived, we knew it would be so no last minute knife edge appeals to keep her going for another year, first view of 2015 was during the spring final tour at Southend on a murky wet day so I didn't take any photos, it was only a fly by anyway.
June was brighter and I decided to have a 2 day tour of the M40 corridor with an overnight stay at Bidford upon Avon and then the Throckmorton show on the Saturday (6th), traffic was horrendous but I made it in time (many didn't) and it was n enjoyable show in lovely weather.
2722 vulcan by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
in July she made her first of 2 appearances at Old Warden, a superb display and it tempted them to book her again for October for what was to be her final public show, 2 from the july show
7294 vulcan by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
7309 vulcan by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
15th August and it was either Headcorn or Eastbourne, I opted for the former as the runway position looked good as did the backdrop
1306 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
1317 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and then 2 weeks later, she was at Clacton once again
2640 Vulcan by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
last chance to see my name on a plaque?
2631 Vulcan by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
558 was due at Lt Gransden on the sunday but unseasonable weather all but wiped out the display including 558 - I thought then I may have seen her flying for the last time

BUT no! Shuttleworth announced that she was booked for the season finale on 4th October. I was in Turkey for my step daughter's wedding when it was announced but throwing my usual caution to the wind I trusted foreign internet and booked tickets for myself and family including my grandson who had been so disappointed at Lt Gransden. It sold out within days but I was in with the family (my membership would have secured one for me but not them!). I had booked tickets for a flypast at Gaydon the same day but passed them onto another club member who made a donation to the cause.
Three from Old Warden..
7962 vulcan by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and they say every picture tells a story..... I had the airband scanner on and heard 558 call up while she was still out of view but 'circling to the west' told me where to look, my grandson was all excited at hearing the pilot and I showed him where to look for 558, he saw it and shouted, excited to the core - everyone nearby looked round ans it spread like wildfire, so that nobody was watching the display of the aircraft actually displaying (circled) - poor pilot.
0634 vulcan effect circled by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and then as she rolled away for the last time in public and with tears in my eyes I uttered those words to my wife that I have never forgotten ' now tell me she's just a f***ing aeroplane!'
8103 vulcan - the last photo by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
a day or two later a final final final tour was announced, in hindsight Grantham was the place to be (if you had powerful binoculars) but I ventured to North Weald on sunday 11th October where they only had 2 or 3 days to arrange parking , marshalling and crowd control. They did well - crowded but not chaotic.
The police were out in force - monitoring it from the air!!!! well planned i thought!
here she was passing through onto the next waypoint somewhere east of London
9021 Vulcan XH558 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
By then I and a few others had got whisper of the penultimate flight to Sywell on the 13th for a display to the raffle winners who would then fly alongside with the blades and one very lucky person in a Spitfire. After the display she did a flypast with the spitfire and blades before spending an hour or two doing circuits over Pitsford reservoir as the second and third batches of blades flights took off before she really did disappear for the last time (for me at least).
best view in the house (or on it)
9196 best view on the airfield - vulcan stops work by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and this really was the last time I was able to see my name on the bomb door plaque!
9272 Vulcan XH558 Sywell 13-10-2015 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
wheels going up and that final power climb about to start...
9248 Vulcan XH558 Sywell 13-10-2015 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and the flypast with the spitfire and blades
9590 vulcan & blades, Sywell 13-10-2015 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and finally off she went into the distance, farewell and thank you
9854 - goodbye and thank you, Sywell 13-10-2015 by
Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
a coupe of weeks later she took to the air one last time but sadly I wasn't there to see it. After the flying at Sywell we did spend time in the bar with a number of club members and also Guy Martin who was keen to know all about the club, a nice catch up for all concerned.
so there we are , a bit of a long story but some wonderful memories and some wonderful friends as a result of the journey.
thanks for looking and thanks to all the new friends I made during this epic adventure.