Airfix Advent Special - Handley Page Victor modeller's walk-around

As every modeller knows, a little bit of research preparation goes a long way in ensuring your latest build turns out exactly as you intended, especially if that project happens to be as formidable a kit as our 1/72nd scale Handley Page Victor. Just imagine how helpful it would be to have someone with specialist knowledge of a preserved example of one of these magnificent aircraft walk around a Victor, taking detailed pictures as they went, focusing on the details he knows every modeller would love to have images of. In this latest Airfix Advent special, that's exactly what we have for you, a modeller's Handley Page Victor photographic walk around, with 50 separate images all featuring different detail aspects of this spectacular aircraft. With huge thanks to Ian Finch, Andre Tempest and the entire Victor XL231 'Lusty Lindy' team based at the Yorkshire Air Museum, these images obviously feature a K2 Tanker variant of the aircraft, however, they serve as an invaluable reference for anyone building a Victor kit. As the Airfix Victor is available once more, the timing of this walk-around feature could hardly be more appropriate, so if you find a Victor kit under your tree this festive season, we might have some photographic inspiration especially for you.

Before showing this fabulous selection of images, it wouldn't really be appropriate without first looking at the history of this impressive aircraft and how she came to be at her current long term home, the former RAF bomber station at Elvington, near York, home of the fantastic Yorkshire Air Museum.

Handley Page Victor B.2 XL231 'Lusty Lindy' 

An example of the third British V-Bomber type to enter Royal Air Force service, XL231 was built at the Handley Page Radlett factory in 1961, making her maiden flight on 28th December of that same year. After successfully completing her test programme, she was delivered to the famous ‘Wittering Wing’ as the first B.2 Victor to be taken on strength by the newly re-formed RAF No.139 Squadron, wearing the all-white anti-flash scheme which was synonymous with the nuclear capable Victors of the V-Bomber force. She would later shed this iconic scheme for one featuring upper surface camouflage, as the effectiveness of the latest Soviet surface to air missiles required V-Bomber operations to change from high speed, high altitude missions, to low level nuclear interdictor strike raids. 

Not long after Britain’s nuclear deterrent capability had passed to the submarines of the Royal Navy, the RAF’s Victor squadrons were slowly disbanded, with some aircraft earmarked for conversion to airborne tanker configuration, following the loss of the RAF's Valiant tanker fleet. XL231 was selected as the K.2 tanker development aircraft and was to become the prototype Victor K.2, although interestingly, she was initially only partly converted to K.2 configuration in order to undergo trials work - she would only receive the full conversion upgrade later in the programme. Converted at the former Avro factory at Woodford in Cheshire, XL231 still displays fascinating details from this period in her history, most noticeably on sections of the rear fuselage which have since been covered with panels. These panels were fitted to cover the area where cameras had been positioned to record in-flight refuelling research sorties during the development of the aircraft. 

Little and large, a modelling tribute to one of Britain's most distinctive post war aircraft.

When a suitable Victor K.2 tanker was available to take her place, XL231 was released to receive the full K.2 configuration upgrade, work which permanently altered her operational capabilities and effectively presenting her with a zero fatigue life rating. This also made her significant as the first Victor to be upgraded to K.2 tanker standard, but the last one to enter Royal Air Force service.

Continuing her legacy as a rather important aircraft, XL231 did not see direct service with the rest of the Victor tanker force during the Falklands War, but would work tirelessly to ensure that other aircraft could perform this role. Not knowing how long, or how successful the South Atlantic campaign would be, the MOD had an immediate need to equip both the Nimrod and Hercules with an in-flight refuelling capability, thus increasing their operational effectiveness and allowing them to cover greater mission distances. Victor XL231 was the development aircraft involved in these trials, further marking her as a tanker aircraft of some distinction. She did later make the long trip to RAF Ascension Island, whilst supporting a flight of nine Harrier GR.3s on a transit flight direct from the UK.

Now upgraded to full K.2 standard, XL231 would go on to play a significant role in ‘Operation Granby’, the Gulf War of 1990, where she would fly 16 tanking missions in support of vital coalition air operations. The mission markings on her nose actually show 18 fuel pump mission markings, two of which are in red – these final two missions were flown after the ceasefire had been agreed, but as there was still a possibility that the Iraqi military may not honour the ceasefire, these final two missions were effectively still flown under combat conditions. As a testament to the effectiveness of RAF tanking operations during the Gulf War, RAF No.55 Squadron were tasked with mounting 299 sorties during the conflict and 299 were duly carried out – not a bad serviceability record for the venerable old Victor. It was also during the Gulf War that the aircraft was to receive her now iconic nose artwork and the name by which she would be referred to from that day forward. Named after the wife of the crew-chief during the aircraft’s Gulf War deployment, XL231 would now simply be known as ‘Lusty Lindy’.

A Victor photocall - Models finished in the two scheme options on offer with the current re-issued kit and the box artwork from the second release from this tooling, one which feature the aircraft in which this image was taken.

Following her withdrawal from service, XL231 was put up for private tender, with the MOD inviting sealed bids to be submitted, one of which was from her current long term owner Andre Tempest, a man who had long been an admirer of this distinctive aircraft type. Not content with building a scale model example, Andre wanted the real thing and as we now know, was successful with his bid, securing one of only three former RAF Victors to find their way into private hands. The aircraft arrived at the former RAF Elvington and home of the Yorkshire Air Museum on 25th November 1993, entering a significant new chapter in her life and coming into contact with a special group of people who would dedicate many future hours of care and attention in ensuring her continued wellbeing, not to mention becoming a significant new attraction at this magnificent museum site.

The custodians of this huge and complex aeroplane, the team which support XL231 maintain this beautiful aircraft in ground running and indeed until relatively recently, was the star of many a 'Thunder Day' at the museum, where Lindy's four mighty Rolls Royce Conway engines powered her down Elvington's huge runway, providing these events with all the thunder they needed! With her volunteer team possessing unrivalled knowledge and experience in the maintenance and preservation of this magnificent aircraft, we are indebted to them for providing us with all the detail images displayed below, pictures which will be invaluable to any modeller building their own scale tribute to the last of Britain's trio of V-Bombers. 

We will display the images in sequence as provided and include a descriptive overview for reference below the 50th image for completeness. Once again, we would like to extend our grateful thanks to Ian Finch, Andre Tempest and the entire 'Lusty Lindy' team for their invaluable help in producing this festive feature. 

Handley Page Victor K.2 XL231 'Lusty Lindy' - A modeller's photographic walk-around.

Image description details.

1.    First few shots are a general walk round starting on the port side.

2.    Forward port side.

3.    Head on.
 
4.    Starboard side.

5.    Close up showing rear Fuselage and air break and flap configuration.

6.    Tail and rudder detail and twin rear tail lights at the top.

7.    Shows the port wing and aileron. Note the aileron is in the neutral position but set 5 degrees up. This was to improve handling, after the wingspan on a K2 was reduced by 3 feet.

8.    General nose detail, showing stencils etc.

9.    Port nose looking forward showing aerials and the cable is ground power from the Houchin.

10.    Starboard side showing vents etc. Also, on the underside can be seen the periscope housing.

11.    More detail on aerials on starboard side.

12.    General shot of centre section on the underside. Note the angle of the nose wheel door.

13.    Close up detail of the crew door and its blast fairing.

14.    Inside door detail showing large yellow stencil.

15.    Periscope housing under cockpit. Used to check the aircraft tanking on the Victor.

16.    Tail cone.

17.    Lower fin and rear upper fuselage. The scoops are the Ram Air Turbine system used to power the aircraft systems, should they lose power.

18.    Rear fuselage has the tail wheel, placed there should an aircraft over rotate on take-off. The two lights illuminate the Hose drum unit when it is down at night.

19.    Unique to XL231 are these plates (one on each side) Because XL 231 was the K2 development aircraft. It had camera mounts fitted here during trials. When the finish they blanked the space up like this.

20.    The forward end of the bomb bay. The bomb doors are removed now, but the splitter plate that improved aerodynamics when the doors opened has remained.

21.    Bomb doors showing aerial location and angles.

22.    One item Airfix missed, is the underwing flood light housing. This made the rear of the wing easier to see at night.

23.    It is quite easy to scratch build. This and the next photo give you the dimensions.

24.    Final measurement, using the last 3 photos should make scratch building one easy.

25.    Top of the fuselage looking forward.

26.    Tail and fin. Note no aerial on the fairing on the top. The 3 holes are cooling ports for the powered flying control units.

27.    Rear fuselage.

28.    “Towel” rail detail.

29.    Upper centre section, showing wing walk area.

30.    Fin and rudder detail.

31.    Engine doors. The one area that really shows weathering with oils and soot etc.

32.    Starboard inner wing. The inside bulge is the Artouste jet engine that starts the aircraft. The forward portion comes down to form the intake.

33.    Between the starboard undercarriage door and underwing tank. Lies the landing lamp, seen in its retracted position.

34.    Intake detail and large fence Note the fence is not straight and is handed both sides.

35.    Port inner wing, showing all the complex angles of the wing. Also note the vortex generators on the inner leading edge.

36.    Port inner engine intake detail.

37.    Outer port engine (number 1 engine) Note the zero stage (first set of blades) are an off-white colour.

38.    Both port engines.

39.    Underwing refuelling pod. The blades at the front has a guard on. Note the tear drop light fairings on the base of the rear pylon.

40.    Basket in retracted position. Showing its “cat’s eyes” reflectors.

41.    The business end of 2 RR Conway engines.

42.    Port upper wing. Shows flap guides, wing fences the rear “carrot”. In the foreground centre page can see the various strengthening plates added whilst in service.

43.    Nose gear looking aft.

44.    Nose gear facing forward, with mud guard.

45.    Main port bogie, forward view.

46.    Rear view.

47.    Side view.

48.    Cockpit rear section showing central view.

49.    Showing Airborne engineering officer location.

50.    Front panel in cockpit and refuelling tray in the down position. Also not on that tray are 2 in flight coffee cup holders!

This final detail really is superb - were cup holders a field modification or an operational essential for the crew? They could certainly use a coffee or two during a long refuelling sortie.

Can we just extend one final sincere thank you to Ian Finch, Andre Tempest and everyone involved in the preservation of this magnificent aircraft. For all those current and future Victor modellers out there, we hope these reference details will be of some help during your next build project. 

Happy Victor modelling from all of us here at Airfix.