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All, this is my completed Airfix Vulcan, and self-designed/printed Blue Steel maintenance trolley. It's a model I won as part of the 2021 SMW Airfix Trophy. It has to be said, it's not without its issues. Part way into the build, I decided to add some detail to the bomb-bay, since there's effectively none in the base kit, and the real thing is incredibly complex. Then I couldn't not do the same with the wheel wells, crew access hatch, bomb-aimers position etc., etc. Some details are accurate, some "cartoon scale", some nothing more that added 'complexity' to give the impression that something's there. It's - retrospectively - based on a photo provided by a fellow BM'r of this aircraft in it's post "Blue Steel" configuration c.1973. I'm sure there are inaccuracies in terms of bomb-bay fit out, but as with the rest of the model "it is what it is"; there's a fair bit of modeller's licence here. When I started the model, the Eduard etch set wasn't available, and with hindsight I should have waited for it - it would have added something to the end result, but... Very happy, grateful, (not to mention surprised) to win a medal at SMW last week, and the David Hannant Memorial Prize (which I've already spent at Hannants on more photo-etch sets for future models). Partial build thread here: Thanks for looking folks! Airfix 1:72 Avro Vulcan B.2, 101 Squadron, RAF Waddington, c.1973. Notes on additional details: 101 Squadron insignia & u/c serials (26 Decals STS7219 via. Hannants) Various data plates (Mike Grant & Airscale decals) Brass tube bomb-bay pipework (Albion Alloys) Brass tube bomb-door rams (Albion Alloys) Brass tube main u/c rear door stays (Albion Alloys) Brass tube pitot heads (Albion Alloys) Brass tube engine vent ends - adjacent to jet pipes (Albion Alloys) Bomb cradle lift guides - flared brass tube (Albion Alloys) Steel wire nose door antenna (Albion Alloys) Brass tube nose wheel steering ram (Albion Alloys) Brass tube main u/c load sensor pistons (Albion Alloys) Flattened brass tube main u/c hydraulic scissors (Albion Alloys) Brass tube and Plasticard Outside Temperature Sensor (Albion Alloys) Aluminium tube crew hatch rams (Albion Alloys) Bomb-aimers window demisters - lead wire & brass tube (Albion Alloys) Various crew hatch, bomb-bay & u/c stiffeners – plastic strips, U-sections Upper & lower periscope fairings – shaped plastic rod (Albion Alloys) Various crew hatch, bomb-bay & u/c bay electrical boxes (self-designed, 3D printed) Various crew hatch, bomb-bay & u/c bay hydraulic blocks (self-designed, 3D printed) Various bomb-bay gearboxes & mechanical actuators (self-designed, 3D printed) Crew hatch actuator bodies (self-designed, 3D printed) Main u/c debris guards (self-designed, 3D printed) Main u/c load sensor bodies (self-designed, 3D printed) Bomb sight (self-designed, 3D printed) Blue Steel maintenance trolley (self-designed, 3D printed) Bomb-bay arch-spar hydraulic lines (self-designed, 3D printed) Dorsal & ventral navigation lights (cast from self-designed, 3D printed moulds) VHF antenna (self-designed, 3D printed + stretched sprue) Lead wire bomb-bay ventilation pipes Lead wire bomb-bay hydraulic lines Lead wire bomb-bay fire suppression lines Lead wire u/c brake lines Lead wire & Tamiya tape electrical wiring Bomb-bay and u/c door weather strips (lead wire) Ejection seat handles (twisted lead wire) Ejection seat harnesses (Eduard) Scrap p/e U/C bay surface details Plasticard triangle antennae (front u/c door & stbd. Forward fuselage) Plasticard bomb-aimers window deflector panel Plasticard nose gear door hinges Plasticard central windscreen wiper Additional bomb-bay & u/c bay lights (punched Plasticard & PVA) Bomb-bay air cylinders (scrap bombs) U/C joint fasteners (Top Studio p/e rivets) Tail strike boom (plastic rod) Riveted u/c door internals IFR probe illumination lamps (scrap decals)

I’m currently building a white, Blue Steel capable Vulcan but was hoping to display it without the missile, as in this photo: When these particular Vulcans flew without the Blue Steel, did they still have the recess bomb bay (below) or would they have been flown with normal flat bomb bay doors? If the recess part above, those holes for the attachments and fin don’t look great, will I need to fill them?

Aircraft in Miniature ltd. is to release a 1/48th (and also in 1/72nd) Avro Blue Steel resin missile in its Rug Rat Resins range. Source: http://www.aim72.co.uk/page170.html Would be nice alongside my Aeroclub 1/48th Vulcan... or the Sanger one. V.P.

Morning all, Obviously 617 Sqn carried Blue Steel on their Vulcans when they were wearing Anti-Flash White, but did any others equip with it before they transferred to the grey/green/white scheme? I'm going to reboot my old Airfix Vulcan at some point and want to do a Blue Steel bird in AFW but would prefer something other than XL321... I've tried google and searching here but haven't come up with anything yet - bit I know there's plenty of repositaries of Vulcan knowledge on this forum! Thanks in advance.

Hello again, long time no post. I'll be doing this in the white colour scheme. I want to do a bit of a diorama so I'm building my own AEC Mandator transporter for the Blue Steel,and possibly a trolley if I can get some decent photos of the trolleys used for the Victor. Anyway onto the build, I splashed out on some Eduard photo etch for inside and outside. Airfix rendition on the left, Eduard on the right. Kit detail of the undercarriage bay. Eduard version. For the cockpit Eduard would have your replace the Airfix equipment at the top of the picture here...... ...with this, which is not as detailed. Anyone know why? Lots of bits to make the seats look a bit better.......below Building the next bit was quite literally a pain in the neck, hunched over the desk with massive magnifiers on putting together the smallest clocks and dials Ive ever used. And finally a start made on the Mandator lorry. I believe AIM are supposed to be bringing one out, but I don't know when. (Probably the day after I finish this one) A couple of questions:- 1. What colour should the cockpit floor and walls be? 2. Has anyone got pictures of the blue steel trolley used for the Victor (am i right in thinking it was lower than the others?) That's all for now, thanks for looking. BB

Aircraft in Miniature is currebtly designing a AEC Mandator, Blue Steel Transporter, 1/72nd 1/144th (and 1/48th?) resin kit for release in 2015. Source: http://www.aim72.co.uk/page130.html V.P.

Hi guys I have been very quiet this year but I am catching up fast. here are 2 vulcans from dragon wonderfull little kits too. XL321 is standard out the box from the first release XH533 is from the falklands box and im rather proud of it as its my first attempt at scratching parts. you could have fun spoting the difference betwean XH533 the first b2 which was in essence a b1 with b2 wings and avon engines and later olympus engines. I liked the look of this vulcan hybrid and realised as the falklands boxing of the kit had a blue steel missile which i used to form the centre of the much smaller b1 tail cone seemed to be almost designed to fit the interior of the vulcan once i took the gamble of cutting off the b2 tail cone. i did much checking and then glued it into place then wet smoothed with a finger some milliput forming the shape of the b1 tail cone. then i used the optional tail fin to cut a fillet to extend the tail fin and then rescribed it. i pinched some tail pipes from a diecast 200th scale vulcan and then painted her and used fantasy printshop decal alongside kit ones from the first release vulcan and hey presto an early vulcan. and a representation of the original flash white scheme with the later more familiar type. now i have managed to make the tail im going to do the same again only this time chop the wings down and make a b1 to go with these 2 to have and evolution of production vulcans in 1/200th (cute) hope you like em love to hear feedback good and bad. they were painted with humbrol rattle can white and the black areas and windows free hand painted with a brush and then given lashings of johnsons klear. cheers guys. If anyone would like to see photos of how i modded it ask. cheers Rob

Kit manufacture: Cyber Hobby Scale: 1/200 Type: Avro Vulcan B.2 Extras used: None, completely OOB Paints and colours used: Tamiya Acrylics, XF-1 Black (pre shading only), XF-2 Flat White, XF-81 Dark Green, XF-83 Medium Sea Grey, XF-85 Rubber Black (all black work), X-18 Semi Gloss Black (Landing gear struts), XF-57 Buff (pre and post shading white), X-2 Gloss White (Blue Steel), Vallejo RLM green on tail (can't remember exactly which one), Mr Metal Color Dark Iron (fan blades, jet exhaust), Flory Grime wash (over white) and Flory Dark Dirt, Alclad Aqua Gloss (decal prep) and Hannants Satin Varnish (finish). Other info: Full build is here : http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234969240-cyber-hobby-1200-avro-vulcan-b2/page-1 Background waffle... My grandad was a Lancaster (and other) pilot during the war serving with bomber command. He also flew with Air and Sea Rescue and was very proud of the work he did during the Berlin airlift. After this he left the RAF to own a farm, thus ending our families ties with the RAF. However, my Dad always loved aircraft and transferred that enthusiasm to me. When I was a kid, we would regularly take family trips to Duxford for the airshows. During the mid-late 80s (I think) when I would have been 5-7 years old, we arrived late to the show due to a traffic jam and the car overheating. By the time the we parked in the overflow car park, the Vulcan was already tearing through the skies, her engines shaking the ground, setting off car alarms. I was terrified! Apparently I jumped back in the car for cover! She was the star of the show. Knowing time is running out to see the Vulcan fly, Dad and I went to Waddington airshow last year to see her. She was undoubtedly still the star. The engine howl on spool up and nibble leap into the air was exactly how I remember. She would look less out of place in a Star Trek movie than the skies of Britain! I LOVE this aircraft! The Kit Right, enough of that. I chose the Cyber Hobby kit for two reasons: 1. It was £9.99 in the sale at Hannants and 2. I'm waiting for Airfix or someone else to retool a 1/72 modern version, packed with detail! Build was straight forward on the whole; a bit of filler here and there and I packed out the panel to take the Blue Steel as this was a poor fit. Other than that, the fit was excellent. The detail is great in this kit! It even has a cockpit with seats and pilots, not that you'll be able to see them after it's finished. Decals are great too. I masked originally by blowing up the instructions to the size of the model and using a craft knife to cut through the instructions and tamiya tape. It didn't work great and the camo edges were very rough. I remasked most of it using Jammy Dog tape which is how I'd do it all next time. And there we have it! A great kit, go and get one! Val

Well, since my Harrier is off the bench, I'm going to start another "quick" (LOL) build. It is to be the magnificent Vulcan B.2, as inspired by Rob our resident Vulcan nut Sprues: She's going to be finished in Green/Grey camo, with white underside, and a massive Blue Steel nuclear missile! I'll probably get on to starting her at the weekend, if not before Val

Afternoon all, Sorry to trouble you with another quwey regarding the Blue Steel missile When viewing photographs of the Blue Steel missile being loaded onto the Vulcan and Victor, the upper tail surface appears to be missing from a few of those. So my questions are as follows: Was this fin removeable? When carried in the recessed bomb bay of the Vulcan and Victor, was the tail surface kept vertical and fitted into a recess or was it folded down? Thanks, Sam

Good morning all! I am just wondering whether anyone knows how the Blue Steel missile was attached to the V-bombers, specifically the Avro Vulcan. I have seen a Pathe film of Blue Steel showing the ground crew "winding" the missile up into the bomb bay of the Valiant, I am not sure whether this would be the same with the Vulcan? On a related note, having been to Cosford and seen their Blue Steel far too many times for it to be deemed normal behaviour (only kidding, Cosford is a wonderful place) I noticed that on the horizontal "wing/winglets" at the rear of the missile, there are two cylinder shaped attachments which are attached just above these wings. I don't think that the Cosford Blue Steel was a test vehicle so I don't think it could be carrying any sort of flare to mark its location (if the test vehicles ever used such a setup), however I suspect that it has something to do with its suspension from the V-bombers??? I also tried obtaining an estimate for how much it would cost to copy some Blue Steel technical drawings from the national archives and the answer came back- £350!!! So a dead end there... Anyway, thanks for reading my verbal ramblings, Sam