Funding woes for restored Vulcan

The aircraft took 15 years to restore

The team behind a restored Vulcan bomber in Leicestershire have said it is in serious need of further investment to keep the aircraft flying.

The Vulcan, which has taken 15 years and £7m to restore, was given permission to fly at airshows in July.

But bad summer weather meant the Bruntingthorpe team has had to cancel five airshow appearances.

The engineering director of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, Andrew Edmondson, said more sponsors were needed.

"We have been supported on the operational side but it's the overheads we haven't had the sponsorship or investment for - but we have managed to keep the aircraft flying," Mr Edmondson said.

"The project for 2009 does need sponsors to come forward and that's the nervous time.

"We'll complete the programme of flights until 5 October and then we're really seriously looking at keeping the plane safe, serviced and ready for 2009 and we need money for that."

Lottery cash

The Civil Aviation Authority gave permission for the plane to fly in July.

The idea was to take the bomber to airshows to raise awareness of the project and gain sponsorship.

The Vulcan was restored at the airfield in Bruntingthorpe where it has been kept since being decommissioned in 1993. It was based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire when it was operational.

Some 20,000 people have contributed to the restoration fund for the bomber.

A total of £2.7m funding has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Designed in 1948 by Roy Chadwick, the aircraft could travel at speeds of up to 645mph and was capable of carrying nuclear bombs.