Vulcan Models Guide
Created by Adam Poultney
TFR Blister on XM594
TFR
Terrain Following Radar
A Vulcan's Terrain Following Radar (TFR) is situated in a removeable blister on the very tip of the nose, below the In Flight Refuelling (IFR) probe. It is a feature exclusive to the Mk2 Vulcans, no Mk1 (B1 or B1a) was ever modified to receive TFR. The mod to fit TFR was done between 1966-1968 and the blisters were fitted
​
The Vulcans modified to receive TFR were:
XH538, XH557, XH558, XH560-562, XJ780-784, XJ824-825, XL318-321, XL359-361, XL384, XL386-392, XL425-427, XL443-446, XM569-575, XM594, XM595, XM597-600, XM602, XM603, XM605-612, XM645-657
​
​
​
Read on for more detailed information about the fitting of TFR and airframes which had it removed.
​
​
Fitting TFR
It's more complex than which one had it and which ones didn't
Initially Vulcans had a smooth nose tip, the panel line for the radome extended around the front uninterrupted. Starting in 1966, Vulcan B2s received a modification that would later allow the installation of the General Dynamics ARI 5959 TFR, a hole was cut in the radome and nose and then covered with a round cap, internal modifications were made but are not relevant to modelling Vulcans. These modifications were concluded in 1968 and the TFR itself began to appear, although some airframes were without it for a few years, flying instead with the round cap in its place. At this point, Vulcans had the forward portion of the radome painted black, The round cap was usually painted entirely black, so by observing the shape the black portion follows you can easily identify a Vulcan with the mod but without the TFR.
​
As TFR was removeable, it was not unheard of (but uncommon) for a Vulcan to be temporarily flying without it later in its service life. XM575 for example was photographed with it removed c.1961 but it was soon back in place. Some Vulcans had it removed and never replaced while in service and others have had it removed in preservation, marked below with (p).
Vulcans I have noted with TFR removed and not replaced:
XH558, XH560, XJ780, XJ782, XJ825, XL318(p), XL361(p), XL388(p, cockpit only), XM602 and XM603(p)
​
XH558 is a particularly popular Vulcan to model and this is often done incorrectly.
XH558 with round cap fitted
The surviving cockpit section of Vulcan B2MRR XH563 at Morayvia, Kinloss
Smooth Nose
Never modified
When the refits for TFR concluded in 1968, some airframes had still not been modified. These were all Vulcans from the XH5-- serial batch and all but one narrow intake Vulcan (read more about these in another section) never received the mod for TFR. Some airframes never received the modifications as they had been written off before it was introduced, a tragic inevitability in the 1960s.
The Vulcans which never received the mod for TFR, airframes which were written off before the mod was introduced are marked by *:
XH533, XH534, XH535*, XH536*, XH537, XH539, XH554, XH555, XH556, XH559, XH563, XL385*, XM576*, XM601*, XM604* and all Vulcan B1s and Vulcan B1as
​
Many of these later went of to become Vulcan B2MRRs, and the majority of the MRRs not on this list had their TFR Blisters removed.
​
Note that the modifications were started around the time that many Vulcans were receiving their second camouflage paintjob, years too late for the white scheme. No white painted Vulcan ever had TFR fitted or the TFR mod in service. In preservation, XM603 has been repainted in white and approximately restored to the original configuration but retains its round plate, as does the restored cockpit of XL388. All white painted Vulcans should have smooth noses with the exception of the aforementioned two in preservation.