Introduction

Transport yourself back to the 1950swith the Just Flight Avro Vulcan B Mk.2. This legendary cold warbomber has been recreated by Just Flight for both P3D and FSX, with anumber of enhanced features compared to earlier versions. Just Flightare keen to point out that this newer model comes with quite a fewenhancements, such as authentic liveries, a 3D cockpit, as well as apayload system (to name but a few). The Avro Vulcan is a plane thatholds a lot of bearing and pride for Great Britain, so it is nice tosee such an interactive model.

A Little History

The Avro Vulcan is a much-loved aircraft, and this would explainwhy the British public were so keen to keep a Vulcan flying (XH558)all the way up to 2015. The Vulcan's tenure in the RAF started in1956, where at first it was used as a high-altitude nuclear bomber andfeatured an anti-flash white livery (a role subsequently taken over bynuclear submarines). The only time the aircraft saw action was in 1982during the Falklands conflict.

Installation

When it comes to installing products from Just Flight, I find themto be very similar to Aerosoft products - verification first, and theninstallation. The main difference between the two, is that Aerosoftwill prompt you afterwards asking if you would like certain optionsenabled or disabled, whereas Just Flight's products (from myexperience) will not. As such this is a feature I would like to seeJust Flight add to their products in the future. Apart from this, Ihad no issues with installing the aircraft.

Systems

Something I am very keen to point out straight away, is the vastarray of systems included with this model. Just looking around thecockpit is enough to get a sense of how intimidating it must have beento new pilots. However, after some time (quite a bit actually), Imanaged to familiarise myself with the layout. Features such as theanti-icing and the APU were in fact quite simple to operate, despitethem being labelled and displayed differently to what we are used toin modern day aircraft.

The systems included vast amounts of intricate detail, andextensive testing revealed that the majority of them were operable,and needed to be managed carefully. Depending on your skill, this canvary from a walk in the park...to daunting! This is definitely a studysim aircraft and one which will consume quite a bit of your time.

In other words, you get your moneys worth.

Features

Just Flight have spared no expense when it comes to the vast arrayof features included in this model. One particular feature Iespecially liked, was the ground equipment, as it shows an accurate1950s air start and ground power units. Unlike some add-ons, theseare not just aesthetic, they actually provide electrical and pneumaticpower. I also liked the payload manager as there were numerous optionsfor selecting various types of ordnance: bombs, missiles, and extrafuel tanks. Despite the extensive list, the aircraft was still missingsome ordnance, such as the GAM-87 Skybolt missile. Also, much to mydisappointment I was not able to drop any of my payloads despiteconducting extensive testing.

Performance

Just Flight's Vulcan has to be one of the most challenging aircraftI have flown in regards to speed management. The mighty delta wingbomber has four Rolls-Royce Olympus engines; the same ones used onConcorde, so that should give you an idea of the power on hand. Infact, the thrust per weight ratio is an incredible 1 pound of thrust,for just under 4 pounds of weight. This all results in an aircraftthat accelerates like an F1 racing car, and from a power managementperspective, it proved to be quite a challenge. Unless managedcorrectly, it was very easy to over-speed.

One of the great features of the Just Flight Vulcan is the abilityto choose your power plant. Here you can select either the olderOlympus 201, or the newer 301 engines. I really enjoyed this featureas it's very creative and gives the user more options forcustomization. Performance for both seemed to be the same on mysystem, and they only way I could distinguish between the two wasvisually (different nozzles).

Handling

Flying the Vulcan was unlike anything I had flown before, andproved to be a real challenge. A lot of this was down to the fact thatdelta wing aircraft have rather unique flying characteristics, and assuch, it took quite a bit of time and effort to adjust to what I wasused to. In fact, early on in my testing I found getting the pitchcorrectly set up to be quite a frustrating experience, but after awhile I managed to get the hang of it. This level of difficultyhowever only goes to show the incredible skill the real pilots of thisaircraft must have had.

During landings and at low speeds is where I found the Vulcan to beat its hardest. Let the speed drop too much and you'll be talking tothe grass in no time, so the key (again), is power management. Landingspeeds are high, so thank goodness for the chute!

Interior

The Vulcan bomber has previously been covered by both Just Flightand Iris for P3D and FSX, and having owned both, I found theirinterior detailing to be rather lacking. So imagine my surprise whenJust Flight stated that a full 3D interior had been included in thismodel. Upon entering it for the first time I was amazed at theincredible amount of detail exhibited. Every button and switch wasmodelled, with the majority of them being fully functional.

There's even the ability to adjust window shades, plus lift thecenter console for crew access. Sitting in the cockpit of the mightyVulcan really is quite something (even if it is rather cramped). Asyou can imagine...due to the numerous dials, levels and switches,visibility out of the windows is not the best.

Unfortunately the rear compartment where the three other crewmannormally sit (navigator, air electronics officer, radar operator) wasmissing and was instead covered by a black curtain. Considering howwell the other parts of the interior have been modelled, it's a realshame that this was excluded, as it would have added greatly to theauthenticity of the model.

The Vulcan Howl

The Vulcan has always had a wonderful signature when it comes tosound, and you'll be glad to know that Just Flight's model does notdisappoint. The iconic sound of the engines spooling up to full poweris there, as is the incredible howl of those four Olympus engines. Ireally must congratulate the developers here on a job well done. Forthose of you have never heard the amazing sound of the Vulcan, have alook at the video below:

Manual

The included documentation weighs in at almost 90 pages, and ishighly detailed. I particularly liked how it went through the varioussystems of the aircraft, with each one having a walk-throughtutorial. Some of the language and terminology can be quiteintimidating at first, but if you stick with it, then the outcome isoften very rewarding. The thing to remember with this model, is thatit's a study of the Vulcan bomber, and as such, requires plenty ofpatience. If you're looking for a ten minute fix...then this is thewrong aircraft for you. However...if you like to learn how thingswork, and are prepared to take your time, then you're going to have alot of enjoyment.

Conclusion

The Vulcan has always had a special place in my heart, and as such,I have owned pretty much every model available for FSX andP3D. There's just something incredibly British about the Vulcan, and Ithink that's what makes her special.

As I've mentioned earlier in the review, this aircraft is one youhave to get to know and understand. It cannot be mastered in aweek...it takes time (lots of it), and if you are prepared to make thetime, then it's a fantastic model. Yes, there are a number of faultsand issues which I've spoken about in the review, but if you can getpast these, then I think Just Flight's Vulcan for P3D is an aircraftwell worthy of your time.

Tech Specs Required:

• Prepar3D v1/v2/v3/v4 or Flight Simulator X (Acceleration, Gold or Steam Edition required)
• 2.0 GHz or any Dual Core
• 2 GB RAM
• 1 GB graphics card
• Windows 10 / 8 / 7
• 2 GB hard drive space

Alex Dickinson

Purchase Just Flight - Avro Vulcan B MK.2

Purchase Just Flight - Avro Vulcan K.2 And MRR Expansion Pack