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Vickers Viking Info required


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Happy New year everyone

 

Not sure if these questions have been asked before so apologies in advance I'm looking to model an Aer Lingus 1B from the Valom kits 

 

Do I use the airliner or Valetta kit as a basis? or cross kit both and what exactly do I need to use to get a authentic model 

 

thanks 

 

Eamonn

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Thanks Eric & Vesa for your kind replies, 

 

I've only got what's on the interweb & a long distance pic of the whole fleet behind the hangars @ Dub before their sale to Misrair, from Liam Byrne's History of Irish aviation book!

 

 

The 1B had an extended fuselage so would I be better going for a Valetta? Are the engines correct ? and that's before we get into the various colour schemes Aer Lingus gave them in their short time with the Airline. Conundrum time 🤔

 

regards

 

Eamonn

 

 

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6 hours ago, Vesa Jussila said:

Here is quite good photo of Viking in Aer Lingus colors,  around middle of page: https://www.baesystems.com/en/heritage/vickers-vc1-viking

That is quite nice. I expect the cheat line and lettering are green but it would be nice to see some colour renditions - photos or artwork of what they might have looked like.

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Dear Aemonn: Happy New Year to you and yours!  The Valom kit comes with both fuselages, right?  If that is the case, scab the Valetta forward fuselage to the Viking fuselage forward of the first passenger window.  This will allow you to continue using the passenger door without having to fill in the Valetta cargo doors and relocating/re-scribing a new passenger door and having to carve out a window.  How many clear cockpit sections come with the Viking kit?  It would be good to have the Valetta ones handy in case you mess up the Viking's.  

2 hours ago, Team Aer Lingus said:

The 1B had an extended fuselage so would I be better going for a Valetta? Are the engines correct

The Viking 1b engine cooling flaps are of a different shape than the Valetta's, which you can probably achieve by some careful sanding.  Also, be sure to omit the conical oil cooler exhaust (beneath the engine) that is unique to the Valetta.  Otherwise, external cowl/intake differences are nil.  The difference was the power rating of the engine, which was lower on the Viking, and of course the absence of the cooling fan.  

 

If you decide to model it without the prop spinner, you have a bit of work on your hands because I think the kit's prop is optimized for the spinner.  Might be worth investing in MPM's Wellington Mk.II, which comes with both the Merlin and Hercules engines, and gives you the spinner center-body that was found on Vikings/Valettas.  Best, Alex

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My Valletta arrived just now just the one fuselage inside so hopefully the Viking has the two ? Thanks for all that info Alex  looks like its going to be a lot of extra work to get a correct version. Might be best  if I wait until the Viking arrives & see where it stands could  be awhile before it gets built 

 

regards

 

Eamonn

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9 hours ago, Team Aer Lingus said:

My Valletta arrived just now just the one fuselage inside so hopefully the Viking has the two ? Thanks for all that info Alex  looks like its going to be a lot of extra work to get a correct version. Might be best  if I wait until the Viking arrives & see where it stands could  be awhile before it gets built 

 

regards

 

Eamonn

Valom  are releasing the Viking kit with BEA and Kings Flight decals  - not sure if this will be he correct version, but maybe worth checking out?

 

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I am also attempting the Aer Lingus viking and have the valom Viking kit with the two fuselages.im having problems with Flickr so am unable to post pics of the sprues.I posted on another part of BM before Xmas that I would post pics but have been tied up with Xmas Family stuff and didnt get around to it.if you PM me maybe i can help.

The longer fuselage in the kit has the extra length forward of the fuselage,the passenger door will need to be modified,i am open to correction on this though!

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2 hours ago, AMB said:

Valom  are releasing the Viking kit with BEA and Kings Flight decals  - not sure if this will be he correct version, but maybe worth checking out?

 

BEA and indeed BOAC owned shares in Aer Lingus at the time so that might imply commonality. 

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Wow guys thanks for all the info this is what makes this site so great 

 

Agree PTMvarsity fan Others recommending scabbing So adding a little to the Viking 1a seems the best bet glad they've added the spare fuselage hopefully in the one I ordered 

 

Another possible  release of a 1B Viking do you think Adrian??  should I  have just waited the Valletta looks a nice kit .

 

NoelH Your right BEA held a majority sharehold & foisted the Viking on Aer Lingus who wanted more C-47s.  The Viking wasn't very popular and the less said about the decision by the government to sell Low hour spanking new L-749 Connies to BOAC the better. Have to admit the Viking in Lingus colours has always been on my wish list but they  had quite a number of different schemes in their short service. 

 

I'm very grateful for your replies gents 

 

Eamonn

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Glad to help!  I looked at the beautiful photo on the BAe Systems web-site, and from what I can tell, you likely don't need to do anything to the passenger door on the Viking kit--but I admit I have not seen the sprue shots.  In addition to scabbing on the forward fuselage from the extra Valetta fuselage halves in the Viking kit, you'll want to gently sand off the raised detail just aft of the cockpit, and install the little intakes (2 x part 54) one either side per the photos of the real thing.  As you probably know, I'm enjoying my Valetta build, which now is at the primer paint stage.  

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Hi guys

 

My Valom Viking kit has arrived at last two fuselages inside (nice touch).   I also purchased a TAHS book by Reg Baram on the Vickers Viking. 

 

There's a wonderful photo of EI-ADF inside @ Dub but it's front on and the tail bands look lower although that could just be the angle. 

 

When I've got the hang of photoimage I will upload some pics

 

regards

 

Eamonn

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  • 1 month later...
4 hours ago, Team Aer Lingus said:

 

As promised eventually here are the two fuselages side by side so would it be easier to convert the doors on the Valetta or scab the Viking?

 

Eamonn

 

Changing the windows / doors on the Valetta fuselage is a lot easier than sawing off two fuselages (in just the right spot and 90 degrees to center line) to join together.

 

I'm waiting for my own Viking; I was forced to buy the Royal Flight box because the others were sold out except the early Viking 1A (that has different wings to all the others)

 

Cheers, Moggy

 

 

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On 2/19/2021 at 1:42 PM, Moggy said:

 

Changing the windows / doors on the Valetta fuselage is a lot easier than sawing off two fuselages (in just the right spot and 90 degrees to center line) to join together.

 

I'm waiting for my own Viking; I was forced to buy the Royal Flight box because the others were sold out except the early Viking 1A (that has different wings to all the others)

 

Cheers, Moggy

 

 

So for an Aer Lingus Viking 1B the best starting point is the Royal Flight boxing of the Valom Kit? I didn't know the wings were different on the Viking 1A. Did Valom update the wings as well as the fuselages between the various boxings? I can cut out windows but as Moggy said cutting two fuselages at exactly the right angle and joining them square and true has never worked for me in the past!

 

Cheers

Joe

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