pipsqueak

Hi Pete. That is a very good question and one that has not come up before. I have had many comments reference the Sea Sick Green etc, but I have never been asked about which shade of green it was. Quite honestly I cannot answer your question as I don't know. The aircraft arrived from the manufacturers with the interiors already painted. I did order paint for XD818 when I was restoring her at Marham about a year before she went to Hendon, but I cannot locate the paint order. It has either been "Binned" or lost over the intervening years! I know details of the exterior colours as they were always sprayed onto the aircraft in various places and were quoted as DTD [Director of Traffic Development] numbers. Other locations quoted the manufacturers numbers, such as Titanine ####, which would give the exact colour and tint. The images shown on this site of XD864 of the Rayleigh Collection are very accurate. If you are building the Airfix Kit, then omit the ladder that goes up onto the flight deck from the rear compartment. This NEVER existed. It was a long step up assisted by two grab handles located on the back of the ejection seat guide rails. If you Pmail me I can send you some cockpit details . I cannot seem to add images to this site for some reason or other. lordhensingham@aol.com Anyone seeking any Valiant information is welcome to use this address to contact me, or through the Valiants R Us site.

Should anyone require any details on the Vickers Valiant aircraft I should be pleased to answer all queries. I have been researching this aircraft for over 35 years and have what is probably the most comprehensive records available, from Blue Boar, Blue Danube, Red Beard, Blue Steel, conventional iron bombs [except the 2,000lbs mine!] for the bomber variants and full details on the E C M [ R C M as was ] P R and the special one off WP214 E C M aircraft. No offence intended, but the Valiant that dropped the Blue Danube in the Hurricane Tests in Australia was WZ366 and NOT a WP serialed airframe. That airframe was used for the Blue Steel Trials which were a separate issue. Sorry to spoil your day, but congratulations on a brilliant model. Airfix got the plating wrong on the rear fuselage too. When I found out that they were making a model of this aircraft I did contact them but by then things had progressed too far for them to rectify it. I will try to upload my drawings showing the correct plating to illustrate what I mean. my drawings are based on the actual Vickers drawing office plans. I am unfamiliar with the method of adding images to this site, but I will pmail any details to anyone who can upload them or who like personal copies of same.

This is not exactly true as Marham was home to 3 other Sqns. when the 242 Bloodhound Sqn was in existence. 49 - 207 - 138. The Bloodhound Mk 1 was superceded by the Mk 2 and the Mk2's were sited at West Raynham. Some misguided airmen thought that the Bloodhounds at Marham were for Marham's exclusive use. This was NOT so. They were there to defend the Thor Missile Base at Feltwell.

PEM me at peterjsharp@aol.com I have all of the information that you require...... Pete...

There were two Bomb Laoding vehicles that were used on the Valiant........The Neils Gantry [as shown] and the later Simons Bomb Hoist. The Simons was a 3 ton vehicle chassis with a special hydraulic rig fitted on the truck bed. It was far easier to use than the Neils Gantry and far more adaptable, especially when travelling between distant aircraft on the airfeild, as it was capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 mph. [And before anyone brings it up, I am fully aware that the then speed limit was 30mph at all times on the airfield!] I have several images of both types if I can find out how to upload them. I will see what I can do. Another adaptation of this chassis was used by the riggers to inspect the tail plane which was christened "Cherry Picker".The riggers used it to "reach those parts that others can't reach"! Pete

Hi John Yes you are correct.....it is / was drill training Mk2 Yellow Sun weapon being uploaded onto / into a Handley Page Victor. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Incidentaly, the colour of the weapon trolley [an SABT.....Standard Airfeild Bomb Transporter] was changed briefly to yellow circa 1966, and then rapidly superceeded by the drab polive cololur. That would date that photograph between 1957 and 1966. Plenty of latitude there for error! Pete

Thank you for that........I take it that I select "Insert Special Item" window then? Pete...

The colours of the bomb bays were: WP199 to XD822 Matt silver. [After 8:10:56 most were retro resprayed white as the airframes received their anti flash resprays.] XD823 to XD875 White Gloss. PR Variants were all black, as were MOST of the undercarriage bays and struts. If you require the Modification numbers and dates authorising these changes let me know please! Pete...

Hi I have all the Gen you need on this aircraft and could post it to the site if I knew how to do it. Every time I try to upload an image / diagram I am aked for a URL # ??????? Can someone please explain to an aged wrinkly what this is? I can help all of you with the ammount of Valiant info on all Mks B1 and the sole B2. Pete...

Just a point of interest for you. All Valiants from WP199 to XD822 left Vickers in the then Bomber Command silver finish as per Canberras. XD823 [ first flight 13:10:56] was the first Valiant to be delivered in the first "Anti Flash" colour scheme. MOST of the silver Valiants were subject to a rertospective re-paint, but a few ended their days still silver. Pete...

Sorry if this is a bit late, but here it is anyway! I have only just joined this site hence the delay. Pete... Sorry don't seem to be able to post it. It requires a URL????? If you can PEM me then I will send it by return.