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| Vulcan bomber returns to the sky | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Vulcan bomber has flown again after years of restoration work by engineers in Leicestershire. | A Vulcan bomber has flown again after years of restoration work by engineers in Leicestershire. |
| It last flew 14 years ago after a 33-year career in the RAF, including service in the Falklands War. | It last flew 14 years ago after a 33-year career in the RAF, including service in the Falklands War. |
| Some 20,000 people worldwide helped raise the £6.5m needed to restore the Cold War bomber. | Some 20,000 people worldwide helped raise the £6.5m needed to restore the Cold War bomber. |
| It made first of three test flights from Bruntingthorpe airfield after being cleared by the Civil Aviation Authority on Thursday. | It made first of three test flights from Bruntingthorpe airfield after being cleared by the Civil Aviation Authority on Thursday. |
| Bulldog spirit | |
| Taff Stone, chief of the Vulcan crew, said: "There's a lot of work gone into the aircraft. | Taff Stone, chief of the Vulcan crew, said: "There's a lot of work gone into the aircraft. |
| "We taken it right down to the basics. We've checked everything, we've cleaned everything, we've finally put it all back together and we've just about achieved the unachievable." | "We taken it right down to the basics. We've checked everything, we've cleaned everything, we've finally put it all back together and we've just about achieved the unachievable." |
| Squadron Leader Al McDicken, one of the plane's pilots, added: "She's absolutely magnificent and visually a very attractive aeroplane. | |
| "All of us who have flown her have enjoyed her handling qualities but she really flies like a big fighter in some ways. It's a thrill to be involved with it." | "All of us who have flown her have enjoyed her handling qualities but she really flies like a big fighter in some ways. It's a thrill to be involved with it." |
| It's 25 years almost to the day that I last flew one. It was just wonderful Al McDicken, pilot | |
| The plane rose into the sky to a cheer from watching supporters, sponsors and engineers before banking to the left. | |
| Just over 20 minutes later, to widespread relief, co-pilots McDicken and David Thomas landed it back on a Leicestershire airstrip. | |
| "What a statement for those people who made that aircraft all those years ago," Squadron Leader McDicken said. | |
| "It's 25 years almost to the day that I last flew one. It was just wonderful." | |
| Engineers had failed to restore the Vulcan in time for a flypast over London earlier this year to commemorate the Falklands War. | |
| Dr Robert Pleming, chief executive of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, said he felt a "huge sense of achievement" at finally getting the plane off the ground. | |
| "We finally did it after so many ups and downs," he said. "It's the British bulldog spirit." |