Work starts on new £4 million Doncaster home for town's iconic Vulcan bomber

Pre-commencement works have started for The Vulcan Experience, a new state of the art hangar which will house XH558, which was the world’s last flying Vulcan, at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

But support is still needed to get the project off the ground.

Contractors have started pre-commencement works for the new hangar, laying the foundations that will form the main visitor centre, taking the legacy of former CEO, Dr Robert Pleming, who died in February this year, a step closer to reality.

John Sharman, chair of trustees at The Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST) said: “We are extremely pleased to have made the first holes in the ground for the new hangar and while it is a great step forward, we are still quite a way off our fundraising total to make this project a reality.

“This is a £4m rescue mission to secure the future of one of the last icons of British military history and we are continuing our negotiation for a mortgage of up to £2.4 million to enable us to build this hangar, the support of the public via a fundraising appeal is needed to meet the total costs of the build.

“The new hangar will result in XH558 being brought under cover, protected from the elements and once again available to the public.

“The charity has always had two guiding principles, to honour those who served us in the past and to inspire future generations to make meaningful change in the world. The Vulcan Experience will embody those guiding principles in a memorable and unique centre, making the airport a destination in its own right.”

VTST’s vision for The Vulcan Experience is that it will be a major attraction, housing the iconic Avro Vulcan XH558, where visitors will be able to hear and see the story of her history, her restoration to flight in 2007 and the part played by the RAF’s V-Force aircraft in preserving the peace during the Cold War. XH558 is still very much a live aircraft and she will continue to thrill her supporters for years to come.

John continued: “We know that the past 12 months have been hard for everyone and that charities have found fundraising difficult. We are now calling on people from across the country with an interest in heritage, aviation and green technology to get behind this project and help us to create a venue that will inspire people for decades to come.

“Part of the drive behind the new hangar is to inspire youngsters to pursue careers in aerospace and engineering. The innovative 1950s technology of the Vulcan is relatively easy to understand and her awesome power and beauty generates a huge following. We need to inspire youngsters to become the engineers who will devise the required technical solutions to the global climate challenge. As we develop The Vulcan Experience, they will be able to start their journey in the exciting Green Technology Hub – a major new initiative central to the Vulcan Experience.

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