Victor B2 to K2

[PhantomBigStu]

With my airfix victor stalled pending the spring to start so I can work the paint striper on it outside,  been considering the reason it stalled was an issue with the white underside, switching to a non white scheme of the tanker 

Edited February 6, 2019 by PhantomBigStu

[JohnT]

Cant answer the question myself and no doubt someone will be along in a moment.  I assume its the white paint finish thats putting you off?  My Victor books etc are all in storage pending the new house build but there were non tanker Victors in a Camo finish though might have had white undersides.  Given they did get weathered a pristine white finish might not be required?  Someone with references to hand and a better memory will be along in a minute !

[ScottC]

Unless your going to do a hemp scheme the underside would still of been white. The K2 also has a shorter wing span than the B2 and you would need the underwing refuelling pods and the bulge under the rear of the fuselage where the centreline HDU is.

 

ScottC

[PhantomBigStu]

53 minutes ago, ScottC said:

Unless your going to do a hemp scheme the underside would still of been white. The K2 also has a shorter wing span than the B2 and you would need the underwing refuelling pods and the bulge under the rear of the fuselage where the centreline HDU is.

 

ScottC

So it would be just a case of carefully cutting the b2 wingtips and the BS underfuselsge parts off and fitting the k2 specific bits on?

[stever219]

11 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said:

So it would be just a case of carefully cutting the b2 wingtips and the BS underfuselsge parts off and fitting the k2 specific bits on?

In terms of major airframe changes, yes.  The aerial fit differed between tankers and bombers and, like most long-lived aircraft, as equipment fit changed.  The tankers also had under-wing and -fuselage floodlights to aid night-time refuelling.  Later in their lives many of the tankers had the bomb-aimers’ windows replaced with alloy plates as glass panels became scarce.  One often-overlooked difference is that the tankers’ ailerons were rigged upwards by 2^o initially, and by 4^o as their fatigue indices increased, to reduce wing bending to keep them flying as long as possible.

 

I know you’ve had problems with the white paint on your bomber but as Airfix now produce a thoroughly respectable “out of the box” K. Mk. 2 why would you want to hack your nearly-complete model about when the hard work’s already done by Airfix?  I’m pretty sure there are others on here who can point you in the direction of a more user-friendly white so that you can finish your model as you originally planned. 

[PhantomBigStu]

@stever219 I had actually originally intended to build mine as a k2 and with its stalling i is wanted to investigate if a different direction was possible (and not least I don’t fancy brushing the white again) once I’ve removed the remaining white paint, it’s not even closed to a  near finished build 

 

Edited February 6, 2019 by PhantomBigStu

[Plastic_parts]

Why not strip the paint off using Mr Muscle? Better than waiting for spring 

[stever219]

If you really want to avoid the white underside you’re going to have to do a Hemp and Light Aircraft Grey K. Mk. 2, most of which had some form of nose art to liven up the colour scheme.  Maybe there’s someone out here who’s built the new Airfix kit as an SR. Mk. 2 and has the tanker parts and decals going spare, including the cropped wing outer panels, bomb bay with HDU fairing, underwing Mk. 20 pods and later fin RWR fairing, under tail Omega antenna and other bits.

[xvtonker]

Remember that if you want to build a Hemp/LAG aircraft you will have to modify the fin bullet, adding the front & rear RWR radomes and twin rear navigation lights fitted either side of the rear RWR radome.

 

XVTonker

[PhantomBigStu]

thanks guys, going to see if I can buy the k2 sprue(s) from airfix. Also accidentally  discovered all it takes to strip the white is a few minutes under the hot tap to soften it up and it peels off with a little help so no waiting to strip it off outside, already did one wing and the forward fuselage after dinner. 

Edited February 8, 2019 by PhantomBigStu

[Jabba]

Have you tried Halfords rattle cans for your white. I to am a hairy stick user, but when it comes to this colour I always use these cans.

[PhantomBigStu]

2 hours ago, Jabba said:

Have you tried Halfords rattle cans for your white. I to am a hairy stick user, but when it comes to this colour I always use these cans.

I have, took a while to get proficient, but I decided as it was just the underside it would be easier to brush it, maybe actually worth not doing it as k2 now, paint the upper camo first then mask for spraying......

[71chally]

Probably way too late for you now @PhantomBigStu, but for future reference.

There was at least one, and possibly two Victor K.2s that had grey undersides.  They seem to have been with 232 OCU when the type entered service around 1974-'75.   Unsure what the grey is, but seems darker and more 'flat' than the Medium Sea Grey used in the upper camo, wonder if it was Dark Sea Grey? k

[sloegin57]

4 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Probably way too late for you now @PhantomBigStu, but for future reference.

There was at least one, and possibly two Victor K.2s that had grey undersides.  They seem to have been with 232 OCU when the type entered service around 1974-'75.   Unsure what the grey is, but seems darker and more 'flat' than the Medium Sea Grey used in the upper camo, wonder if it was Dark Sea Grey? k

The first seven (I think) had normal camo top side ie MSG/DK Grn but with Light Aircraft Grey undersurfaces.  However  because of the concern for radio transparency, die-electric panels (radomes) were left off white.  Looked quite odd.  A few refinished B.K.1A's were also given the same treatment.

 

I'll see if I can dig up some photos.

 

Dennis

[71chally]

Many thanks Dennis, I have a black & white pic of one landing, labelled as the first K.2 being delivered May '74, and the underside grey is noticable in contrast to the white in the intakes, but similar in 'lightness' to the upper grey.

I have copied two colour pics from the net (currently lost in my filling system!), one of them the underside grey appears quite dark and contrasts a lot with the white radome fitted and the upper grey.

[PhantomBigStu]

@71chally not to late, my kit is sitting there in its b2 form currrently, not even asked airfix for the k2 parts. Good to know I could still do it in camoflage and avoid the white, though I think it will be a hemp example 

[sloegin57]

I have found a few pics and will upload after Twickers.  

 

Dennis

 

OK here goes :-  

Note that the far aircraft has completely LAG undersurfaces

 

 

Interesting to note that the K.1a's have the masked finish whilst the early K.2 has overspray.  I have not yet found a photo of a K.2 with masked top sides and LAG undersurfaces.  Masked topsides appear to have come in on the K.2 when a refinish was required and by then it had been decided to keep the Gloss White undersurfaces.

 

HTH

 

Dennis

[canberra kid]

 

John