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Skybolt missiles as fitted to Avro Vulcan


rayprit

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Help!!!  I wonder if any of our members of engineers, designers, modellers here on Britmodeller, have any plans or data for the Skybolt missiles.

 

I am modelling a 1/72 Avro Vulcan, but fitted with a pair of Skybolts from Transport wings courtesy of Hannants, which arrived this morning.  I have done a World Wide Search plus a Britmodeller  Search and come up with just about nothing, same photos of  2 trials aircraft (XH537/538)and the missile at Cosford/Hendon, and photos taken from a distance(naturally).  The kit that arrived this morning lacks panel lines, there are a couple, but they are faint lines in the resin - that it, I need details of panel lines to allow me to add the detail for the Skybolts.  Also, the kit expects you to do a "butt" joint from the pylon to the missile...…….I have seen some sketches showing that these missile had daylight showing between pylon and missile and its secured by 2(two attachment points)fore and aft of missile.  My research material is limited on Skybolts, perhaps somebody out there has a bigger library.  I do know on looking for material about these missiles, 2 aircraft were trials aircraft BUT during trials at least 20 or 30 Vulcans were modified on the production with the plumbing for Skybolt before the project was cancelled

 

Raymond

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You could try looking up details of the Vulcans used in 'Black Buck' missions.  I think these were selected from those that had received the Skybolt plumbing, so that they could be fitted with pylons for the ALQ101(V)10 jamming pods and the anti radar missiles, amongst other reasons.

 

Incidentally, the inert Skybolt shapes fitted to the trials aircraft didn't look much like the actual Skybolt.

 

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This is all I have, it looks like the pylon is a snug fit with the weapon with no discernable gap, this information is for the B.52, but I can't see the RAF fit being diferant in this respect. 

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John 

Edited by canberra kid
added two photos
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Certainly the pictures and videos that I've seen don't seem to show a discernable gap between pylon and missile.

Also, the Vulcan tested at least two distinctive shapes of Skybolt, the ones shown above under the Vulcan and the type shown preserved at Cisford

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2 hours ago, Hepster said:

You could try looking up details of the Vulcans used in 'Black Buck' missions.  I think these were selected from those that had received the Skybolt plumbing, so that they could be fitted with pylons for the ALQ101(V)10 jamming pods and the anti radar missiles, amongst other reasons.

 

Incidentally, the inert Skybolt shapes fitted to the trials aircraft didn't look much like the actual Skybolt.

 

Have checked out the pylons for Black Buck, I think those used were Skybolt pylons, but heavily modified for Black Buck and other equipment...….thanks for taking the time to help

2 hours ago, canberra kid said:

This is all I have, it looks like the pylon is a snug fit with the weapon with no discernable gap, this information is for the B.52, but I can't see the RAF fit being diferant in this respect. 

Now how did I KNOW that Canberra Kid would help with this question?  As I said, very little info to be found on this equipment so seen all the photos you've posted plus B52 info, Your exploded diagram helps a lot, My model has the same "faint panel" line, BUT I note from one of your photos, that they are not panel lines but roughly a 1" metal band running around the casing in various places...……...thanks for helping, I somehow knew you would drop by 

 

1 hour ago, 71chally said:

Also, the Vulcan tested at least two distinctive shapes of Skybolt, the ones shown above under the Vulcan and the type shown preserved at Cisford

Hi Chally, yes, am aware of 2 types, there are 2 types in 1/72 out there for modellers, just that I am doing the ones used by the RAF...……..having been checking those 2 types out, I began to think the pointy one was an outer casing for the RAF one and the casing removed before flight...…….amazing what ideas float through your head...……….I did note from Canberra Kids photos, that the panel lines(on my model)are not panel lines but re-inforcement strips, about 1" wide, so hes helped there and thank you for taking time to help

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1 hour ago, 71chally said:

Certainly the pictures and videos that I've seen don't seem to show a discernable gap between pylon and missile.

Having just browsed through Canberra Kids exploded drawing, it does show the base of the pylon "inside" the Skybolt by an inch or so...…….I see missile surface being shown encased by pylon

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Looking at the last colour picture from John's post, are those camera fairings underneath the wing tips and forward of the bomb bay. Would surely like to see those films but probably filed under Top Secret.

 

Regards

Robert

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28 minutes ago, Robert said:

Looking at the last colour picture from John's post, are those camera fairings underneath the wing tips and forward of the bomb bay. Would surely like to see those films but probably filed under Top Secret.

 

Regards

Robert

Those cameras were there for the trials of the Skybolt……….painted black to help calibration and observation...……...when you launch a white missile against a white painted Vulcan it can be difficult to see where it went!!!

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10 hours ago, Robert said:

Looking at the last colour picture from John's post, are those camera fairings underneath the wing tips and forward of the bomb bay. Would surely like to see those films but probably filed under Top Secret.

 

...or Youtube, see about 2:50 in, 

 

 

The camera housings are noticeable in some shots aswel.

Edited by 71chally
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19 hours ago, rayprit said:

Have checked out the pylons for Black Buck, I think those used were Skybolt pylons, but heavily modified for Black Buck and other equipment...….thanks for taking the time to help

Now how did I KNOW that Canberra Kid would help with this question?  As I said, very little info to be found on this equipment so seen all the photos you've posted plus B52 info, Your exploded diagram helps a lot, My model has the same "faint panel" line, BUT I note from one of your photos, that they are not panel lines but roughly a 1" metal band running around the casing in various places...……...thanks for helping, I somehow knew you would drop by 

 

Hi Chally, yes, am aware of 2 types, there are 2 types in 1/72 out there for modellers, just that I am doing the ones used by the RAF...……..having been checking those 2 types out, I began to think the pointy one was an outer casing for the RAF one and the casing removed before flight...…….amazing what ideas float through your head...……….I did note from Canberra Kids photos, that the panel lines(on my model)are not panel lines but re-inforcement strips, about 1" wide, so hes helped there and thank you for taking time to help

The pylons used on black buck were made in the station workshops at Waddington , and were not Skybolt pylons. I don't believe that any Vulcan skybolt pylons were ever made  other than the prototype  versions for flight test.

 

Selwyn 

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4 hours ago, Selwyn said:

The pylons used on black buck were made in the station workshops at Waddington , and were not Skybolt pylons. I don't believe that any Vulcan skybolt pylons were ever made  other than the prototype  versions for flight test.

 

Selwyn 

Thanks Selwyn, I know that you know a lot about armament on aircraft from all of your post I have seen over the past 10 years, but didn't expect your input as I thought this was way before your time.  The reason I said I thought the Black Buck pylons "maybe" skybolt  heavily modified is because they resemble nothing like the ones I have in my kit, I have seen plenty of Black Buck photos and all I could think of was heavily modified, rather than a workshop job.  Thanks for taking the time to respond, I feel like one of the valued few knowing I have had a response from you.  Nice to see people taking an interest

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10 hours ago, rayprit said:

Thanks Selwyn, I know that you know a lot about armament on aircraft from all of your post I have seen over the past 10 years, but didn't expect your input as I thought this was way before your time.  The reason I said I thought the Black Buck pylons "maybe" skybolt  heavily modified is because they resemble nothing like the ones I have in my kit, I have seen plenty of Black Buck photos and all I could think of was heavily modified, rather than a workshop job.  Thanks for taking the time to respond, I feel like one of the valued few knowing I have had a response from you.  Nice to see people taking an interest

As a Junior Tech Armourer I was posted to Waddington bomb dump  in 1983 after the Falklands, and worked with the Armourers  who had been involved with the Black Buck missions. I got to work  for a short while on the line, Vulcans were centralised servicing, (bit of a change from Harriers!) not  for long as the only  unit left was 50 sqn and the aircraft  were mostly  modded  up  as single point tankers by that time. I was there for the end of the Vulcan.

The Black Buck pylons I were told were a heath robinson affair made of  whatever was available in workshops at the time. I think  somebody told me that the RAF museum has  them in their collection, dont know how true this is though.  

As for my knowledge I can be loosely described as a "Weapons professional"  This is my 40th year in the trade! 

 

Selwyn

 

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