The unique ‘howl’ of the famous Vulcan XH558 will provide families with a Halloween attraction with a difference later this month at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

The Spirit of Great Britain aircraft, which operated during the Cold War as a nuclear deterrent and last flew in 2015, will be the centre of attention at a family-friendly day at DSA on Saturday October 31.

The ‘Halloween Howl’ event has been organised by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, the charity behind preserving the aircraft.

The XH558 is famous for its distinctive “howl”; a sound produced by its four Rolls-Royce Olympus turbojets which each produce around 17,000–20,000 lb of thrust.

The historic Vulcan bomber XH558 will provide a Halloween attraction at Doncaster Sheffield Airport on Saturday, October 31. The Vulcan to the Sky Trust is hosting its first Halloween Howl, giving families the chance to see and hear the famous aircraft. Pictured Wayne Fielding, Commercial & Operations Manager for Vulcan to the Sky Trust in front of the aircraft. Picture: James Hardisty.

placeholder image — The historic Vulcan bomber XH558 will provide a Halloween attraction at Doncaster Sheffield Airport on Saturday, October 31. The Vulcan to the Sky Trust is hosting its first Halloween Howl, giving families the chance to see and hear the famous aircraft. Pictured Wayne Fielding, Commercial & Operations Manager for Vulcan to the Sky Trust in front of the aircraft. Picture: James Hardisty.

During a stationary engine ground run on the day, visitors will have the opportunity to experience the XH558 under power from a designated viewing area at the engine test bay.

Similar events have seen other Vulcan aircraft “howl” for under a minute; while the team at Vulcan to the Sky Trust are aiming to break the one-minute mark.

Craig Shepherd, CEO of Vulcan to the Sky Trust, said: “Halloween Howl is a genuinely different event for families to enjoy together. We’ve worked hard to make experiencing the Vulcan under power as accessible and affordable as possible, while still putting on a packed day of entertainment and activities.

“And, of course, there is the sound. There is nothing quite like hearing XH558’s four Olympus engines come to life, and we’re hoping Halloween Howl will deliver one of the longest Vulcan Howls we’ve seen, with the team aiming to break the one-minute mark. That would be an incredible experience for everyone watching and a pretty unforgettable way to spend Halloween.

The historic Vulcan bomber XH558 will provide a Halloween attraction at Doncaster Sheffield Airport on Saturday, October 31. Pictured Wayne Fielding, Commercial & Operations Manager for Vulcan to the Sky Trust inside the bomb-bay which was designed to hold up to twenty-one 1,000-pound conventional iron bombs or specialized nuclear payloads of this high-altitude strategic aircraft. Picture: James Hardisty.

“For us, this event is about bringing people together to experience an extraordinary piece of British engineering, while helping us continue our work to preserve XH558 and inspire future generations.”

Alongside the Vulcan, visitors can expect to see English Electric Canberra WK163, a classic vehicle display, character appearances, Halloween activities, entertainment throughout, stalls and a range of food and drink.

Tickets are priced at £30 for adults, with children aged 5–15 able to attend for just £2.50, subject to a maximum of two child tickets per adult ticket. In addition, £1 from every adult ticket sold will be donated to the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum.

Foam earplugs will be provided to all visitors for the engine run, with hearing protection particularly important for children aged five to 15. Branded Vulcan XH558 over-ear hearing defenders will also be available to purchase from the Vulcan XH558 store.

The historic Vulcan bomber XH558 will provide a Halloween attraction at Doncaster Sheffield Airport on Saturday, October 31. Picture: James Hardisty.

Gates at Doncaster Sheffield Airport will open at 9am, with the event beginning at 10am. Last admission is 10.30am, and the event finishes at 2pm. The exact timing of the Vulcan engine run will be confirmed closer to the event, with final timings and joining information issued to ticket holders in advance.

Visitors are encouraged to book in advance as capacity is limited. Halloween Howl will take place predominantly on the airport’s terminal apron, giving the event a distinctive setting unlike a conventional Halloween attraction.

Details and tickets, visit: https://vulcantothesky.org/product/halloween-howl/