Blacktjet Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Are the weapons used in the film totally fictitious or a close attempt at replicating a Red Beard - in terms of shape and size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don McIntyre Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 I was always under the impression that they were fictional. The RAF was very shy (as we're most other services) about letting photos of heir "special weapons" during that timeframe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickshaw Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 The devices shown in the movie are fictional. British devices were larger and much bulkier than many believed at the time. Blue Danube, Red Beard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Red Beard is pretty substantial: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 As far as I know Red Beard was only carried by RAF Canberras and RN Scimitars and Buccaneers. Vulcans carried Yellow Sun and Blue Steel in the 1960's timeframe of the film. Selwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hepster Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 Thunderball, whilst an excellent Bond movie, really messes about when it comes to Vulcans and the nukes that they carried. The fact that Bond manages to get into the cockpit through a door at the front of the bomb-bay tells you that. In reality, there is no such door in a Vulcan B.1A, and the space between cockpit and bomb-bay is occupied by four substantial fuel tanks. The mockup that they used in the movie has many inaccuracies and the bombs carried follow the same ethic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don McIntyre Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 As I noted above, the MoD was very leery of detail photos of their Strategic Bombers and nukes. I'm not surprised at some of the inaccuracies. The bomb bay hatch to the cockpit, I think, can possibly be explained by the writers' experiences during WW2 when it was common among bombers (US bombers anyway) to have access to the bomb bay from the cockpit for fusing, etc. They may even have been thinking of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki attacks where the bombardier ha to climb down into the bomb bay to arm the bombs. Of course, it was probably just a fantasy of the writers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacktjet Posted November 17, 2016 Author Share Posted November 17, 2016 Thank everybody, I suspected they were fictitious but there are some similarities in shape with the Red Beard so not a bad guess considering the secrecy at the time. I'm doing a B.1a so thought I'd finish it as the flying example from the film, complete with two "MOS Type" weapons. Using dimensions for a Red Beard would have been easier than working from stills of the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael51 Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Just to muddy the waters further, I recall the aircraft in the original Fleming book being a Valiant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sniperUK Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 40 minutes ago, Michael Enright said: Just to muddy the waters further, I recall the aircraft in the original Fleming book being a Valiant. It was actually a "Villiers Vindicator " in the novel 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hepster Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 9 hours ago, Blacktjet said: Thank everybody, I suspected they were fictitious but there are some similarities in shape with the Red Beard so not a bad guess considering the secrecy at the time. I'm doing a B.1a so thought I'd finish it as the flying example from the film, complete with two "MOS Type" weapons. Using dimensions for a Red Beard would have been easier than working from stills of the film. When you say 'the flying example' I guess you mean the real plane rather than the movie props. Just for info, please note that the Vulcan seen in the air has different serials from the aircraft that the crew are seen climbing into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjames68 Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 My best friends dad flew the vulcan for thunderball, i have his logbook with the filming flights logged in it 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael51 Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 4 hours ago, sniperUK said: It was actually a "Villiers Vindicator " in the novel Just to muddy the waters further, I recall the aircraft in the original Fleming book being a Valiant. Well, sniperUK - if indeed that is your real name - thank you for pointing out my error. You know, I could have sworn that in my long-discarded copy, it was a Valiant. Oh well, I stand corrected. Must be all those vodka martinis and cigarettes from my gunmetal cigarette case finally getting to me.... Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wooksta V2.0 Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 (edited) Kiwizac on www.whatifmodelers.com has digibashed a "Vindicator" from the three existing V bombers and I have to confess it has some charm. Enough to suggest to myself that it may be a possible 72nd kitbash with existing kits in the stash... Edited November 17, 2016 by The wooksta V2.0 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 (edited) When I created it I thought 1/96 would be more practical In hindsight, I think I made the wheelbase a little too tight! Edited November 18, 2016 by k5054nz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 A main undercart like the Valiant Mk 2 would sort that. Re the Thunderball planes, I was told by a guide at the Midland Air Museum that the movie used a (mocked up?) Valiant flight deck for the in aircraft filming. Did they have access to the bomb bay? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagRigger Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 No - take a look at this video - about 7 mins on you get some good views of the rear pressure bulkhead. No visible access panels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacktjet Posted November 19, 2016 Author Share Posted November 19, 2016 On 17/11/2016 at 8:42 PM, Hepster said: When you say 'the flying example' I guess you mean the real plane rather than the movie props. Just for info, please note that the Vulcan seen in the air has different serials from the aircraft that the crew are seen climbing into. Thanks, I was aware of that. The model is intended to be an actual, active B.1a but I just thought I would add an extra dimention by modelling one of the examples used in the film. I chose XH506 because that airframe had more screen time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
593jones Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 On 17/11/2016 at 11:37 PM, The Wooksta! said: Kiwizac on www.whatifmodelers.com has digibashed a "Vindicator" from the three existing V bombers and I have to confess it has some charm. Enough to suggest to myself that it may be a possible 72nd kitbash with existing kits in the stash... What a brilliant concept! Sadly beyond my skills to produce, but would look great in Dark Sea Grey/Dark Green/White. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Thanks! That was my plan, but finding all three in 1/96 for a reasonable price killed it for the time being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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