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Vulcanologists!


RODH2

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I built the 1/96 Frog Vulcan, good old XA891, in about 1960 and recently acquired an Airfix Vulcan at a good price, (surprise!), for a bit of a nostalgia build. I've been researching the Internet, but it's hard to pin down the aircraft I would like to model. I would like to do an anti-flash white version, from either 9,12, 27, 44 Sqn, I have Freightdog's Olympus 201 exhausts, and wondered if it was possible to combine with a Blue-steel equipped Vulcan. If so, what would be the disposition of the refuelling probe, and the under engine Radar/ electronics.  And if I could combine that with an "X" number, that would be really good, if such an aircraft existed!! I wonder if there are any Vulcan experts that can help me here or point me towards a resource for same. Thanks in anticipation!

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Have a look for the book ‘Vulcan B2 from a different angle’ by Craig Bulman. It’s an excellent reference for all things Vulcan, including lists of serial numbers by different modifications, engines, colour schemes, etc. 
 

From memory I think most of the Blue Steel carriers with 201 engines would have been in the XH, XJ and XL range, plus a few of the earlier XM ones (to 575 I think, but I may be wrong!). 

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So, anti flash white Vulcans. You're looking at Olympus 201 with Blue steel as well. Not an uncommon combination at all. 

 

XH539 was a development aircraft for Blue Steel and equipped with Olympus 201s, but that airframe would require you to modify the intakes to the earlier narrow version.

 

The ones that come to mind immediately are most of 617 Sqn's anti flash B2s, all but two in that era had 201s. These were XL317-321, XL359-361. All of those had IFR probes fitted. XM575 and XM595 with Olympus 301s and no IFR probe later joined the squadron. These of course have the lightning bolt design on the tail, and you didn't list that squadron. 

 

27 Sqn received its first Blue Steel Vulcans in 1962. They were XL444, 445, 446, XM569 and XM570, all 201 powered. In 1963 they swapped out their remaining XH and XJ Vulcans that were not equipped with Blue Steel for XM574, XM576 and XM594 which were equipped with 301s.

 

Some aircraft from 9 Sqn and 12 Sqn were refitted for Blue Steel at a later point, but they were also refitted with Olympus 301s at the same time, and I can't remember if they went back to the Squadrons they came from or went elsewhere. I'll have a look and type up what I find.

 

As far as IFR probes go, your best bet is photos. I typically work from photos as my source, I don't like to build Vulcans based on assumed markings or configurations. 

Also, you will only want to equip a single ECM plate (right side) to any white painted Vulcan. The second ECM plate was introduced around the same time as camouflage but as far as I'm aware, none had the second ecm plate until they were in camo. 

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Just further to this, can someone explain the purpose of the long "pipes" alongside the ECM Plates on the Vulcan. Are these relative to the air-frame, or the ECM Plates?  Are there 2 or 4 on an anti-flash blue-steel Vulcan?  🤔

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