“Thunderball” movie questions on that Vulcan…

[p51]

I watched this classic James Bond movie the other day, for the first time in a few years. I’d always focused on the B-17 at the end (and the C-97 doing the airborne drop) and never thought about the earlier aircraft scenes. I wondered how the RAF allowed them to use Vulcan bombers for a plot that shows the bad guys stealing a nuke from them. Was the fact that the SPECTRE agent representing a NATO crewman and not a RAF one the reason that the RAF agreed to taking part? Also, the Vulcan underwater scenes were pretty impressive. I know little about that kind of aircraft but the one in the underwater scenes (the full sized one, NOT the model) looked like a real one to me. Was it a full sized mockup or was it something the RAF loaned the use of, like maybe a ditching simulator?

[JBoyle]

I've read the underwater Vulcan was a purpose built mock up...and it remains at the filming location where sport divers still dive on what's left of it.

[JDK]

My favourite film quote:
"Switch on the underwater landing lights..."

I mean, how cool is that?

In the novel, it's a fictitious type; the landing and the 'sinking' are models - I've seen the model for the landing at an auction. The full size under water stuff was a real nose only, IIRC, with a metal frame rest of the aircraft. The framework's still 'there' where the filming was done.

There's a bit on the web about it, IIRC. And here: http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1508

HTH

[James D]

It´s a "Villiers Vindicator" in the book.

[JDK]

It´s a "Villiers Vindicator" in the book.

Thanks for saving me the walk to the next room where my copy is!