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Victor Vagaries


RODH2

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Just putting the finishing touches to the fabulous Airfix Victor B.2 and I am wondering........ I have not seen a picture of a Victor B.2 on the ground with the ram-air turbine inlets in the flush position. They really spoil the looks of this enigmatic aircraft, in my view,  and I want to model them "flush"....... Yes/no  maybe?

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I think you are more likely to grow to appreciate the open intakes than to live with the nagging knowledge that it wasn't really like that with them shut.  As for spoiling the lines, no more than the undercarriage surely?

 

I must admit liking the looks of the Victor on the ground, with the nose crouching down low and the tail high ready to strike - thinking about it this way, do the open intakes add to the impression rather than subtract from it?

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Quick flick through a few books on the subject and all images show them open on the ground , one describes them as having been popularly known as 'elephants ears' but like many 'popular' nicknames might or might not have been the case with those who actually worked on and flew them.      If they really are too annoying could always backdate to a B. or K.1.

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Lots of modellers take modellers licence on here, air brakes rarely open on ground, yet we see..........BAC Lightning, Scimitar, Vulcan, Javelin, flaps open.......Wyvern, Shackleton.......some people want to use all the parts in the kit to there best advantage, end of the day, its down to you.................as for the Victor, I feel it best to display those big ears open...................this could be a can of worms!!!!:worms:

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Yeah - had a quick flick through my references and photos and all B2's on the ground appear to have the inlets open.  However as the others above have said its your model so display it as you like it best.

 

By the way you have me thinking.  I have one in the stash and also a Vulcan to do and I have to say both aircraft - but especially the Victor - look miles better "in flight" than sitting on the tarmac.  If ever there was a case for closing up the u/c and sitting them on a stand........ and that gets you around the inlet "ears" problem.

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5 hours ago, RODH2 said:

Thanks, everyone, I am just going to get used to those things sticking up like that - certainly an "interesting" looking aircraft!

 

It still looks futuristic.  I would love to have talked to the designers to see why they did what they did to create such a wonderful aeroplane.  Shame the airliner derivative never happened.

 

14 hours ago, 71chally said:

I think you're right there Steve, looking at a couple of take-off pics I have of a K.2 they are open.

Disregard my info.

 

Not to worry: it does seem a bit odd to take off with those socking great drag-inducers sticking out.  I think the photos of XM715's last "flight" show them quite clearly.  I know she was never intended to get airborne that day but I believe the crew used all of the normal drills up to the point just before V1 when the throttles were [to have been] closed and the brake 'chute streamed.

 

Needless to say, as a dyed-in-the-wool rivet counter, my model of XL231 as a QRA jet will have the RATs out.......

Edited by stever219
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51 minutes ago, stever219 said:

Not to worry: it does seem a bit odd to take off with those socking great drag-inducers sticking out.  I think the photos of XM715's last "flight" show them quite clearly.  I know she was never intended to get airborne that day but I believe the crew used all of the normal drills up to the point just before V1 when the throttles were [to have been] closed and the brake 'chute streamed......

The scoops closed somewhere between lining up and the beginning of the 'take-off' run on that occasion, but as a preserved machine I wouldn't like to say that was the standard!

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I'm really dredging the brain here, but as far as I can remember the RAT scoops retracted when the engines reached 63% (?) power and remained retracted unless a situation arose where the combined engine power on either side fell below this level in flight. The RAT scoops would then automatically extend and operate the two generators installed in the rear fuselage area under the fin.

 

On landing the scoops would remain shut until engine shutdown and the engine power once again dropped below 63%.

 

It's amazing what springs to mind after working on the beast for 6 years, especially after 28 years.......

 

XVTonker  :pilot:

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Thank you, xvtonker, I am determined to finish my Victor with retracted RAT's (!). I model everything as "starting take off roll", and perhaps no one can say we are wrong! I've read a couple of Victor books recently, and am loving Airfix's model of this amazing 'plane... Thanks!!

 

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I don't think you would be too far wrong to model it as if it was starting a take off roll and the scoops closed.

 

XVTonka thanks for that, that might explain whats happening in this video when a Victor taxis in and one scoop pops open!

 

However in this vid one also takes-off with the scoops out!

 

I've looked at a few vids and many pictures and I cant see a definitive moment of those scoops closing.

 

By the way, they are great vids to keep the Victor modelling mojo alive!

 

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On ‎29‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 8:43 PM, 71chally said:

I don't think you would be too far wrong to model it as if it was starting a take off roll and the scoops closed.

 

XVTonka thanks for that, that might explain whats happening in this video when a Victor taxis in and one scoop pops open!

 

However in this vid one also takes-off with the scoops out!

 

I've looked at a few vids and many pictures and I cant see a definitive moment of those scoops closing.

 

By the way, they are great vids to keep the Victor modelling mojo alive!

 

Some really nostalgic images there for me, especially XH672 and I recognised many of the crew.

I spent many hours working on XH672/Maid Marion particularly when she ran of the runway at Offutt AFB, Nebraska (hence the 'I ran Offutt' cartoon on the entrance door wind break). We had to change the nose & main undercarriages after she ran across a ditch and slid sideways down the slope at the side of the runway.

The video of her landing with the Starboard RAT scoop out is probably because the Stbd engines hade been throttled right back after landing. The same is for the video of the Victor landing with both scoops out. If they had either switched the generators offline (running off the Artouste) or the engines had been throttled right back then the scoops would extend.

 

XVTonker  :pilot:

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