Vulcan Models Guide
Created by Adam Poultney
No ECM Plates
Vulcan B1s and early B2s
The first Vulcans were not fitted with the ECM equipment that was later a key feature of the aircraft. These Vulcans also lacked the ECM bulbous tailcone which was as standard feature of the B1a and B2.
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Aircraft built without ECM Plates:
Prototypes VX770, VX777
All B1s (until conversion to B1a standard)
Early B2s XH533, XH536*, XH537* and XH538*
(*until fitted later)
One ECM Plate
B1as and some B2s
At first, only a single ECM plate was fitted to Vulcans, under the starboard (right) wing. All B1as had only one fitted, and all B2s except the four mentioned above were built with one. Some were later refitted with a second on the other side.
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Vulcans that were built with no ECM plate but later refitted with one:
XA895, XA904-907, XA908, XA909-903, XH475-483, XH497-XH506, XH532, XH536, XH537, XH538
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Vulcans that were built with one ECM plate and never refitted with a second:
XH534, XH535, XH539, XH554-563, XJ780-784, XJ823-825, XL318-321, XL360-361, XL391, XL392, XL425-427, XL443, XM574, XM597-612, XM645-657
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The surviving Vulcans with one ECM plate are:
XH558, XJ823, XJ824, XL360, XL361, XL426, XM597, XM598, XM603, XM605, XM606, XM607, XM612 and XM655
XH558 displaying in 2014 at RAF Waddington
Note the ECM plate under the starboard engines but not the port
Two ECM Plates
A Blue Steel Feature
Between 1962 and 1964, 24 of the 34 Blue Steel Vulcans were refitted with a second ECM plate which was situated under the port (left) engines. This was because the Blue Steel missile would create a gap in the ECM coverage so additional equipment was required to fill it.
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Vulcans that were built with one ECM plate but received a second ECM plate:
XL318-321, XL359, XL384-390, XL444-446, XM569-576, XM594, XM595
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This second ECM plate was retained even after Blue Steel was retired and they were converted back to standard freefall bomber configuration.
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The surviving Vulcans with two ECM plates are: XL318, XL319, XM573, XM575 and XM594.
XM594 has twin ECM plates, you can see the one under the port wing here