Destructors?

[shedofdread]

Seeing the cutaway of the Vulcan in another thread reminded me of something - in that cutaway, item 145 is a destructor / explosive device for the destruction of the aircraft. Did / do other aircraft have similar devices? Never seen it mentioned but if the Vulcan had one, presumably others did too..?

 

[Hobbes]

this would be better with a link to the image you're talking about...

 

[DWG]

Seeing the cutaway of the Vulcan in another thread reminded me of something - in that cutaway, item 145 is a destructor / explosive device for the destruction of the aircraft. Did / do other aircraft have similar devices? Never seen it mentioned but if the Vulcan had one, presumably others did too..?

They're common in drones/UAVs that may wander off track. I wonder, given the size and position of the device, whether it's more related to radar and/or cockpit.

 

[Hood]

There was a short thread on this over at Key forum, but didn't seem conclusive.
But the panel does exist (though on the portside and not on the starboard side as shown by Badrocke) and also stows survival gear.
The aircrew manual says this of the compartment "A compartment on the port side of the nose, opened from the outside, carries a first-aid kit, a crash axe, a pair of asbestos gloves and a BCF hand fire extinguisher." It doesn't mention the destructor device, nor does any other section of the aircrew manual as far as I can tell.

Linked photo of the hatch and external markings:

https://flic.kr/p/spbpzy

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ian_e_abbott/17327585814/


Presumably if the aircraft belly landed behind enemy lines and the crew got out ok, they would set off an explosive charge?