Victor K2

The earlier boxing of this kit indeed did show those parts as an option to motorise the kit. the battery pack was located in the stand along with an on/off switch. I made the Bf 109 20 odd years ago with an operating prop, I fed the wires through the tail wheel to connect to 2 (pos/neg) female pin sockets. these were hidden in a grass base. I did something similar to the Hurricane made around the same time and I used the ground power socket to feed the power cables via a trolley accumulator ( used to power the real aircraft as an aid to the aircraft battery during starting). Looking forward to this build as I meant to add this model all those years ago along with the Stuka, but circumstances and life style changes got in the way. I still intend to build them as I am fast approaching retirement from my real life job ( if they don't change the retirement age again, I think the government intend to make us carry on working until we succumb to the inevitable, then we will have to be cremated as an alterative source of fuel, then have our ashes put into egg timers so that we can carry on working)😄 So, what's it to be, powered or open engine cowlings? Bob.

Great idea for this old girl. One of my favorite films and some stunning flying sequences. I look forward to this re incarnation. Bob former air cadet and Airforce serviceman.

Hi again Andrew, your jindivik is coming along nicely. I have just read that a Jindivik mk 3 is now residing at Newark Museum (708) it had been at Bristol after LLanbedr closed down. I have actually worked on that very one when it was in service. From the photograph of it , it looks very weather beaten. I dare say it will appear all painted up in the near future and be on the museum's web site. I look forward to seeing your's mounted on it's trolley. I think the photo you posted has possibly ground lock pins fitted, the orange may be remove before flight flags? They do not seem to appear on the photo's Calum posted when the Jindivik was on it's take off run. I am pretty sure that the Americans operated them as well. Again, a pretty impressive looking model, Bob

Hi Andrew, you are correct in that the small winglets were used for up to and including operational height. it was able to climb faster than an F16 as it had a great thrust to weight ratio for a small aircraft. I watched the clip that you posted, I am sure that I saw a splash of orange on the take off trolley, what do you think? I am off line till Sunday and I am sure you will have added more post's by then, so if you haven't heard anything from me until then I am sure I will make up for it🙃 Till then, Bob

Hi again, I'm not sure of the Australian colours for the airframe or trolley only the UK version. The Tip tanks had a removable panel where you blended the gap for the wing access slot. These were removed for the fitting of the wing tip extensions ( 40 inch or 80 inch for higher sorties ). Just behind the forward fibre glass cones on the tip tanks, was a space to carry a cine camera (both tanks) used to record the results of missile fired at it ( fish eye lens ). On the UK version , a variety of tow-able targets were fitted to the mainplanes (wings), or a fixed heat seeking flares attached to the lower rear fuselage. The skid was lowered by a pneumatic jack, a once only operation. The flaps were also operated this way and could be lowered or raised (take off or landing settings) from neutral. There were only ailerons and elevator flying control surfaces, no rudder, only a manually (on the ground only) adjustable trim tab. Ailerons and elevator were electrically operated servo's. Llanbedr ceased flying Jindiviks in the early 2000's ( I left there in 2003 when it announced it's closure rather than stay till the end as I had a job offer pending at that time ). At least a dozen new unbuilt airframes were destroyed along with a couple of low flying hours Canberra TT18's. It didn't make any sense at the time and it still doesn't, even now. If memory serves me right "Flight International" had done an article on the Jindivik and contained some excellent cut away drawings of both airframe and trolley, not sure of the date of it's publication. Looking forward to the results of your efforts, Bob.

Hi, I worked on the UK version Mk 3 and 4's, from 1986 up until 2003 at Llanbedr North Wales. At the front and rear of the wing tip tanks were Luneberg Lens and were of fibre glass construction and positional depending on the sortie. Incidentally, the Jindivik was based on a British design and "gifted"to Australia to save their aircraft industry at a time when Australian Aircraft production was falling on it's feet (Information I received from a G.A.F. Jindivik specialist on a visit to Llanbedr). We had an airframe that had exceeded 200 sorties ( a bit like Triggers broom [only fools and horses] re built from many different parts over the years only the rear fuselage was original). The Alley Cat model is an awesome model, first commissioned by Alistar Mclean (former owner of Alley Cat) and mastered by Alan Southcombe. If Alec (new owner) still stocks it, I full heartedly recommend it. I have built a few high planes Jindivik models and used the original paint (Rocket red and Saturn yellow) on the models. This was a tough paint to apply as it came out of the nozzle it looked like candy floss. It did the job though, much to my surprise. The paint was applied over a white base coat and black stenciling, as the red and yellow were translucent the stencils appeared a sort of brown /rust colour on the red surfaces and a greenish /black colour on the yellow surfaces. I think the stencils were applied the same way on the Australian version. The British trolleys were a bright orange frame, Hydraulic Reservoir/pump cover and the release arms, Black hoses and Batteries. Dull metal for the release arm rebound pads (they were made of lead). Hope this helps? Your build by the way looks awesome. Bob.

They were indeed D models, my memory is not that good to remember if they wore winged 2's(they came alternate years, I think at least 3 times during my time at Marham, bring on the 1/48th Victor). Must of been the British/American joint hospitality that clouds my memory. The Beer and Burgers went down well though😀

Awesome build so far. I was lucky enough to be stationed at R.A.F. Marham from the mid 70's till '83 when 4 B52's took part in the Giant Voice competition's and seeing these behemoths take off and land and get up close and personal with these parked on our lazy runway. Hope you have a "lazy runway" to park yours. Bob.

I can remember having to take off the forward fuselage to gain access to the number one fuel bag tank. This included the forward avionics/battery compartment. you had to take out the number 3 bag tank to gain access to the number 2 bag tank. These were extracted through the rear avionics/radio access hatch located on the lower starboard rear fuselage just aft of the Bomb Bay. The tanks themselves were locate above the Bomb Bay. The 3 refueling points were on the port upper fuselage and gravity fed. So some minor wear would be apparent on the upper port wing root area. Bob

The vents on the intakes are for the starter cartridge gasses to escape. The nose cone had a turn-screw which gained access to the starter cartridge housing. There was usually a lot of staining from the starting process of the engines around these vents. Bob

Re Hemp colour, K2 Victors started to come out of St Athan after Major servicing in Hemp from mid 82 and Nimrods were even earlier. I believe it helped to reduce it's infra red signature? Great build so far. Bob

The airbrake on some Hawks drooped over a period of time, In my experience 9 times out of 10 it was due to a leaking airbrake package. The other times it would be a leaking slide and swivel union (one either side of the jack) or the jack itself. On the early Hawks the droop wasn't so apparent (fairly new aircraft). The airbrake bay was mostly white on the early Hawks, but later Hawks varied from grey, black and even red ( they went through re sprays at various R.A.F. bases ). Hope this is of help, Bob.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I was responding to a comment by SandyBay. Bob.

Looking good so far. I've worked on the Hawk since 1983 and I am still working on the T 1 with only a short break on them in all those years (even XX154, the first Hawk). I've never seen an R.A.F. Hawk with a grey U/C bay, doors yes, but never the bays. Now the bays are more an old English white (yellowish tinge). Bob.

Great start to an epic 43 and a 1/2 year old aircraft. You are correct in that early Hawks had a yellow rim painted on them, This was to show that the brake units fitted had 3 sets of stators (discs), instead of the early 2 stators. This mod was was certainly in place by 1983, the year I started to work on the Hawk. So if your "164" in white hails from 1983 then it would most certainly have the yellow rim. Your flaps look good to me and these were always parked fully down. They were set in the mid position when the aircraft was taxiing and for take off. Hope this helps, Bob. The wheel bays were white with minimum weathering as they were washed fairly frequently (and by hand at the end of flying on the Red Arrows. I know this from personal experience from 83 to 85)

I have had the pleasure of working on the K2 during the mid 70's to late 82 and I agree that this is a truly fantastic looking aircraft that has yet to be surpassed in design styling. (my opinion). I will watch this build with the respect of a Victor devotee. Bob

Outstanding, an absolute masterpiece.

Superb work so far. Keep up this excellent build. Bob.

Ah. Merlin magic.

I seem to remember that the stbd inner door was lowered by disconnecting it when the aircraft was parked. Inside the wheel bay was a hydraulic hand priming pump. This was used to prime the 4 hydraulic systems prior to engine start on a pre flight, then once achieved the door was re connected. The hook was also disconnected after flying and touched the floor, as if the hook was operated under full hyd power it could lift the aircraft off the ground. it was also a safety feature so that it didn't whack some erk on their swede due to accidental operation. I also remember 924 landing and taxiing in minus a port flap. The South African pilot (Laidback) had lowered the flaps above the design speed. The flaps had a blow back valve which should have prevented this from happening, some how this didn't occur on this occasion, Laidback (nickname) said it never affected it's handling and that he never noticed that it was missing. On his last flight in 924, he raised the undercarriage as soon as he was airborne and at an extreme low height, aimed the aircraft towards the Hangar where most of the ground crew were gathered to watch his final sortie. The Hangar doors were open at this end and most of us thought that he was planning to fly through (a fete achieved many years later in a Pitts? check it out on U tube). At what seemed to be the last possible moment he raised the nose and altered his flight path to our right. At the corner of the Hangar (known as the Meteor Hangar) was a static water tank of some considerable size. The eflux from the 2 Avons created a water spout that rose to the guttering of the roof. An amazing sight and a few of us needed to have a change of grundies. We also had a German pilot (Sepp) who flew the Sea Vixen (including it's ferry flight to Swansea) as well as all of the aircraft operated at LLanbedr. Bob. ( you will be pleased,or not,too hear that I have a lot more sandbags to pull up)

Hi Christer, when XP924 was at Llanbedr operating as a drone trainer (she never flew unmanned ) the observers hatch was opaque (black). We had 4 Sea Vixens on charge as drone trainers when I arrived in the mid 80's. 2 were in Naval colours and scrapped after a grand total of approximately 1 hours flying time after having been on a Major servicing. The remaining (in drone red and yellow scheme ) flew a limited number of times, then lay dormant save for engine inhibiting runs, until 924 was sold to Glyn from De Havilland Aviation. A rather difficult aircraft to maintain and if posed on the ground in a hangar you must include at least 24 drip trays underneath ( she leaked enough fuel over a weekend to warrant a refuel on the Monday ). Having said all this, as an engineer, I thoroughly enjoyed working on the Sea Vixen. More power to you on this fantastic build.

Great work so far. I have yet to complete a "foiled" model. I have started a few but have yet to find the "perfect method. I nearly completed a Super Sabre and would love to complete it one day. I sprayed a base coat of humbrol silver first as this allows for minor mistakes when using the foil. I have heard boiling the foil in cider vinegar produces heat affected metal colours. My Airfix Lightning is watching this thread as it develops and shouting at me to "get on with it". Bob

Hi Johnny English, My instructors in The R.A.F. (notice I placed a full stop between the letters) over 40 years ago (who did their own training when Pontious was a trainee pilot), would slap our heads if we used the forbidding words "plane or planes" they even frowned on any of the erks saying wings instead of mainplane. We were taught by "old school" tutors and were suitably admonished (carrying a Canberra brake unit around the outside of the Hangar or something similar). So you can see that this form of "Brain washing" has affected me. I could go on with all of the many re educated ways of the Royal Air Forces number one school of trade training, R.A.F. Halton, but that would be the start of a new thread in itself. Keep up the excellent work, Bob. "I'm leaving on a Jet Plane, don't know when I'll be back again" That's Americans for you ( still, that's the music of my youth).

Sorry to butt in on this excellent build, but I must correct Greg Destec when he says "a man that actually knows about real planes to the rescue" does that mean he is an expert on wood work and not aircraft? I would like to educate those of a non aeronautical background and ask them to from now on to say aircraft or aeroplane and not refer to woodworking tools when replying to aircraft related subjects.

Superlatives have all but run out to describe this master build. My flabber is well and truly gahsted with what you have managed to do with this kit. Looking at the photo's of the finished article and I am transported back to the mid 70's and early 80's Marham flight line and the smell of burnt avtur from 4 Conways in my nostrils. As I have said in a previous post, it would only need 55 Squadron markings to make this fantastic rendition perfect. Bob.