JOCKNEY Posted December 27, 2020 Share Posted December 27, 2020 Thanks for the clarification @Work In Progress and @Graham Boak I really like the look of this aircraft , it's a bit airship with wings ! Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted December 27, 2020 Author Share Posted December 27, 2020 Thank you for info about u/c, I was not aware about any visual difference in this area before. Here we have Valentia And here is Victoria You need to look at them carefully, but indeed, there is a difference clearly seen . Besides appearent different construction of suspension (shock absorbents) The Valentia looks to have it taller, so this should result in different height given in technical data. I have to look for it. On 12/26/2020 at 12:24 AM, JOCKNEY said: When are you planning on starting building Jerzy ? Pat, I think (or hope) to do her in 2021, but certainly not now yet. I have to collect more info to feel myself ready for build... Regards Jerzy-Wojtek 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted December 27, 2020 Share Posted December 27, 2020 Thanks for the pictures Jerzy. Definitely able to spot the different engines also the nose hase glazed panels on the Valentia which seem to be missing on the Victoria. Are you building the Contrail on that comes with 5 kits in one box ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted December 31, 2020 Author Share Posted December 31, 2020 Many thanks for all comments, I do hope to complete her in 2021... Regards and have a Happy New Year! J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beekeeper Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Hi, I am currently building the three Victoria/Valentia available in the Contrail kit. Finding references is a true hunt, as soon as one is trying to decide which one to make ! I thank everyone contributing to the exchanges on this thread. I have not yet decided what to make, but certainly a Victoria, a normal Valentia, and the Valentia with the turrets. I will probably make the latter camouflaged. I am now making the interiors, and up to now it was difficult to properly understand how the cockpit was made. The pictures of the interiors in the various posts here were unknown to me. Thank you ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 6 hours ago, beekeeper said: Hi, I am currently building the three Victoria/Valentia available in the Contrail kit. Finding references is a true hunt, as soon as one is trying to decide which one to make ! I thank everyone contributing to the exchanges on this thread. I have not yet decided what to make, but certainly a Victoria, a normal Valentia, and the Valentia with the turrets. I will probably make the latter camouflaged. I am now making the interiors, and up to now it was difficult to properly understand how the cockpit was made. The pictures of the interiors in the various posts here were unknown to me. Thank you ! Do you have a camouflaged scheme for Valentia with turrets, especially the nose one? Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beekeeper Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Hi, thanks for your reply. No, I have no camouflage scheme, and I can't find any view of the front turret, apart from the picture provided with the kit's instructions... The link below will give you a bunch of useful pictures, but still no trace of front turret for aircraft used in WW2... http://www.70squadron.roselake.co.uk/walkerjohngeorge5.htm Paolo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 A link that works: http://www.70squadron.roselake.co.uk/walkerjohngeorge5.htm Chris 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 On 1/3/2021 at 7:53 PM, dogsbody said: A link that works: http://www.70squadron.roselake.co.uk/walkerjohngeorge5.htm Chris On 1/3/2021 at 7:00 PM, beekeeper said: Hi, thanks for your reply. No, I have no camouflage scheme, and I can't find any view of the front turret, apart from the picture provided with the kit's instructions... The link below will give you a bunch of useful pictures, but still no trace of front turret for aircraft used in WW2... http://www.70squadron.roselake.co.uk/walkerjohngeorge5.htm Paolo Paolo and Chris, thank you! From that web page I took one of photos in first post (but I did not record the link...) BTW - in this link there is a photo described as "French airplane crashed in Habbaniya" and in fact depicts Westland Wapity in an interwar livery from break of end of 1920.s and 1930.s.... So perhaps one should be a bit careful with credit all what is given there.... Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 (edited) This is a better resolution photo of Valentia "T" from first post The serial is still not seen . The web page where it appeared suggest that it could be machine from 31 Sq in Iraq. The single letter perhaps confirms it. However, in another web page the same photo is illustrating the East Africa usage of SAAF Valetia... This Valentoa has four blade props whereas all SAAF machines I've seen so far had two blade props. There is something like a nose art below cockpit (?) - what it could be? Regards J-W P.S> I was wrong about two blades, here is SAAF Valentia with four blades prop (colorised photo i think) Edited January 6, 2021 by JWM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 The odds are slim but the 31 Sqn Operations Record Book, might offer some options for the serial number. If you're really lucky, it may even mention the individual code letter. ORBs should be downloadable for free from the UK National Archives. I stress again that it's much more likely that the ORB won't have the details you seek...but what have you got to lose? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 2 hours ago, mhaselden said: The odds are slim but the 31 Sqn Operations Record Book, might offer some options for the serial number. If you're really lucky, it may even mention the individual code letter. ORBs should be downloadable for free from the UK National Archives. I stress again that it's much more likely that the ORB won't have the details you seek...but what have you got to lose? Thank you! Meanwhile I have some serials here http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?20325-Vickers-Valentia-31-Squadron-Iran-26-8-1941 But.... I HAVE FOUND link between serials and some code letters here https://books.google.pl/books?id=SLPNDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT397&lpg=PT397&dq=serials+valentia+31+squadron+iraq&source=bl&ots=k-TbXiOMHD&sig=ACfU3U2OipeKyHmnoeLdt0t3jj2zDQD7-Q&hl=pl&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiq2JnumIjuAhWilosKHaGIDcAQ6AEwEHoECBIQAg#v=onepage&q=serials valentia 31 squadron iraq&f=false Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 On 1/3/2021 at 7:00 PM, beekeeper said: Hi, thanks for your reply. No, I have no camouflage scheme, and I can't find any view of the front turret, apart from the picture provided with the kit's instructions... The link below will give you a bunch of useful pictures, but still no trace of front turret for aircraft used in WW2... http://www.70squadron.roselake.co.uk/walkerjohngeorge5.htm Paolo Here are some interesting photos and drawings http://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft26342.htm Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 9, 2021 Author Share Posted February 9, 2021 On 1/2/2021 at 4:23 PM, beekeeper said: Hi, I am currently building the three Victoria/Valentia available in the Contrail kit. Finding references is a true hunt, as soon as one is trying to decide which one to make ! I thank everyone contributing to the exchanges on this thread. I have not yet decided what to make, but certainly a Victoria, a normal Valentia, and the Valentia with the turrets. I will probably make the latter camouflaged. I am now making the interiors, and up to now it was difficult to properly understand how the cockpit was made. The pictures of the interiors in the various posts here were unknown to me. Thank you ! Hi Maybe you know this figure, but for any case it shows some interior details like a pilot position and arm chair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandeha Lynch Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 The 'SJ' is intriguing, as it appears again here, but without another letter visible. The date for this flight taking Haile Selassie from Khartoum to Gedaref on a day trip was the 6 Sept, 1940. The Valentia in camo is most likely to be K3160 of 70 Squadron RAF, that had flown down from Heliopolis a few days earlier. It's likely that these shaky shots were not actually taken by my dad but by someone using a camera of his, possibly Selassie's son. neg000 by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr neg012 by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr The date on another of my father's photos (also seen above here) was 8 Jan, 1939, on a trip down to Kenya in K3604 of 216 Squadron. They had some problem with the rear wheel !! l002 by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr l004 by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr Incidentally, I have only the negatives and a hand-written log by my dad - any other information has been provided from the ORB that several air historians have shared access to. Take a look at the other shots if it helps. I'll be very interested to see how your Valentia progresses. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 Very interesting is also heavy damage of paint on top of fuselage given that year before tha machine was all over alu dope. So the sun and sand did the job apparently... I am strongly tempted to do this particular Valentia... 8 hours ago, Sandeha Lynch said: The 'SJ' is intriguing, as it appears again here, but without another letter visible. The date for this flight taking Haile Selassie from Khartoum to Gedaref on a day trip was the 6 Sept, 1940. The Valentia in camo is most likely to be K3160 of 70 Squadron RAF, that had flown down from Heliopolis a few days earlier. It's likely that these shaky shots were not actually taken by my dad but by someone using a camera of his, possibly Selassie's son. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandeha Lynch Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 I'd have to say it's a good choice! 🙂 Here's the notes from the ORB. From the Operations Record Book of Headquarters, No.203 Group. "6/9/40, 0600 - The Emperor HAILE SALASSIE (sic) arrived by road and was received by Group Captain C.E.V. PORTER, (SASO), Wing Commander J.G. ELTON, DFC., AFC., (Stn. Commander, RAF Khartoum), and Flight Lieutenant B.J. LYNCH, Ph.D. B.A (sic, in fact a BSc), (Group Senior Intelligence Officer). After a brief inspection of the fighter aircraft on the aerodrome the Emperor departed by a Valentia aircraft piloted by Pilot Officer FARMER, to GEDAREF and was escorted by two Vincents of 430 Flight. The Emperor was accompanied by his son and members of his staff." The Valentia is most likely to be K3160 of 70 Squadron RAF, that had flown down from Heliopolis a few days earlier. You might be aware that the whereabouts of Selassie in that period was top secret, which might make an a/c identification tricky. But as someone suggested, K3160 certainly wasn't anywhere else that day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandeha Lynch Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 (edited) I've discovered the 'SJ' code is not quite what it should be on most lists. No. 70 Squadron RAF used both DU and SJ https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/squadron_history.php?Squadron=403 They flew Valentias and then Wellingtons out of Habbaniya and then Egypt. But SJ is not given on the Wiki page, nor included on their code lists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._70_Squadron_RAF But this helps confirm that the Valentia in question was from 70 sqn, and therefore almost most certainly K3160 given the ORB reference. neg000 by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr 70 sqn orb by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr Edited April 14, 2021 by Sandeha Lynch Adding ORB record 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Combat Codes lists DU as the pre-war 70 Sqn code and SJ as the wartime one. Examples are K1311 DU-L and K4630 SJ-X. 21 OTU in the UK also used SJ. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dov Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Hallo Which kits are available? Which scale? Just curiosity! Happy modelling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandeha Lynch Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 40 minutes ago, dov said: Hallo Which kits are available? Which scale? Just curiosity! Happy modelling Nothing new (sadly) but it's in the thread above. 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 5 hours ago, dov said: Hallo Which kits are available? Which scale? Just curiosity! Happy modelling Still, only Contrail vacu.... But I've got one! Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dov Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 Oh, may we pray, and Luckgraph or Silverwing may do it....? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 Silver Wings have been collecting info and maintaining an interest for some time. I would like to see it but it would be a commercial risk. It's an esoteric subject and the cost of the kit would be very high. Maybe 50-100 people offering a cash deposit might entice them. 🙂 I would buy one but maybe there are not another 49-99 like minded weird, nutty wealthy discerning people around. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted April 15, 2021 Author Share Posted April 15, 2021 (edited) 11 hours ago, dov said: Oh, may we pray, and Luckgraph or Silverwing may do it....? Those both companies are from my home town Kraków, like also Choroszy, Ardpol (currently closed) and Karaya and few more less known. It looks that it is real basin of resin models. I think I met each of the owners at least once in person... During my schools years (so 1970s) I visited one of them in a his flat and I was astonished by the collection of British interwar machines in 1:100, all scratch build, as far as I remember. And there was a Valentia/Victoris among them. I have to ask my brother ( @KRK4m ) to help my memory - -was it father of current owner of Luckgraph? He had also a collections of scratched war ships in 1/1000 (?) - the waterline models as far as I remember... Regards J-W Edited April 15, 2021 by JWM 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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