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RFI: Vickers Valetta C.1, 233 Squadron, Aden, 1960


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59 minutes ago, Doc72 said:

Good job, looks great! In addition, I like the histoty of the post-war RAF in the Near, Middle and Far East.

Thanks, @Doc72!  I'm glad you like it.  The period is fascinating!  Why reactivate 233 Squadron in 1960 for service in Yemen?  What was going on in Yemen at the time to necessitate this?  I guess the answer is: "there was always something" going on in Yemen/Aden.

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13 minutes ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Thanks, @Doc72!  I'm glad you like it.  The period is fascinating!  Why reactivate 233 Squadron in 1960 for service in Yemen?  What was going on in Yemen at the time to necessitate this?  I guess the answer is: "there was always something" going on in Yemen/Aden.

There is a very cool website on the RAF in Aden/Yemen during this period: http://www.radfanhunters.co.uk There are also photos of 233 Sqn. Valettas

The author, Ray Deacon, also wrote a highly recommendable book about the subject: "Hunters over Arabia". Actually, he is also on Britmodeller.

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Hi.  You certainly made an excellent job of your build, I well remember the Winter of 1960 as it was then that I joined the RAF to do my National Service, and some of my mates were posted to Aden after we had finished our 'square bashing'.  The change in the weather out there  would have been quite a shock to the system after the snow that we were having in this country.  

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Super Master Class stuff Alex.

 

Spot on finishes. How you did those fine lines on the wing is super impressive.

 

Very nice indeed. Plus very nice photos. Plus very nice build topic.

 

Laurie

 

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Very nice indeed, lovely build. Valom kits take a bit of work and its plain to see just how much work you put into this one.  Those are the straightest cheat lines I've ever seen:like:

My Father in Law was one of the last RAF Servicemen to leave Aden. His leaving present was the station gym clock which he presented to himself😁. Maybe he even left on a Valetta.

Pete

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2 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

Lovely looking machine, in the proper scheme too.

 

Let's hope for a Varsity as well.

Yes, thank you!  The scheme fits this aircraft well.  I went for the one with the lightning bolt running beneath the nose bumps.  If enough people cry out for the Varsity, perhaps Valom will stretch the fuselage molds and do whatever else needs to be done to get there.  Me?  I'm hoping for a Hastings, but not holding my breath. 

 

2 hours ago, Robin said:

Hi.  You certainly made an excellent job of your build, I well remember the Winter of 1960 as it was then that I joined the RAF to do my National Service, and some of my mates were posted to Aden after we had finished our 'square bashing'.  The change in the weather out there  would have been quite a shock to the system after the snow that we were having in this country.  

 

You were probably lucky not to be in Aden.  I simply cannot imagine the conditions, with 115 degree temperatures on the flight line in the summer, no air conditioning breaks, flies, blowing dust, etc.  Having been posted to the Persian/Arabian Gulf many years ago, I have no romantic delusions about what it would have been like for the air and ground crews.  Our line maintainers worked something like 15 minutes on / 15 minutes off in the summer, with access to air conditioning.  

 

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2 hours ago, LaurieS said:

Super Master Class stuff Alex.

 

Spot on finishes. How you did those fine lines on the wing is super impressive.

 

Very nice indeed. Plus very nice photos. Plus very nice build topic.

 

Laurie

 

Thanks so much, Laurie!  I find your work inspirational, especially the flight line vignettes.  My miniature military scenario is a pale replica in comparison!  Those lines are decals, lined up by squinting hard, removing mistakes, and trying again...

 

1 hour ago, Pete in a shed said:

Very nice indeed, lovely build. Valom kits take a bit of work and its plain to see just how much work you put into this one.  Those are the straightest cheat lines I've ever seen:like:

My Father in Law was one of the last RAF Servicemen to leave Aden. His leaving present was the station gym clock which he presented to himself😁. Maybe he even left on a Valetta.

Pete

Thanks so much!  There is so much more work that one can do on this.  For example, I only noticed AFTER I applied the 84" roundels to the tops of the wing that the ailerons were too short in span by at least six scale feet!  I wonder if the narrower span ailerons were on the Viking, and Valom simply got distracted.  For cheat lines, I used blue decal lines of constant width, and tried, tried again to get them lined up.  Your father-in-law was very brave to be among the last to leave, as I understand things were headed in a very dangerous direction already...

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That looks really nice. The kit has scrubbed up well, and your finishing is very good. I have the kit and your work on it is encouraging in terms of what can be done with it.

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Very nice! You have really done the Valom kit and the type justice! The Valetta always reminded me of a tail-sitting British C-131...hmmm, another kit Valom should consider! That being said, you should be proud of this one! :like:

Mike

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On 8/29/2021 at 7:34 PM, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Vampire, Venom, Hunter, Canberra--are all iconic names of the postwar British aircraft industry.  The Valetta is not among them.  Not that it was a bad aircraft.  On the contrary, it was quite serviceable, and by British standards--successful--with over 260 built for the RAF.  Moreover, it was ready for service when the UK needed to replace (almost) all its war-weary Dakotas and prepare for the new burdens heralded by "Winds of Change."

 

My little vignette is set in Aden during winter 1960, with an aircraft just released from the Ferry Service Squadron "working up" for operations with newly re-activated 233 squadron.  There's a small conversation going on toward the back of the aircraft between an Army officer (with beret) and an RAF NCO.  It's slightly weathered, but not overly much.  WD159 had just been rebuilt by Vickers in '57, and assigned to a ferry unit afterwards, so it wasn't too beaten up from pictures I've seen of the actual aircraft in Yemen.

 

The Valom kit needs some minor fixes, and could do with more detailed instructions; but otherwise it's designed for a more mainstream audience.  I used Polly-S acrylics for the white upper part and a mix of Vallejo metallics (silver, white aluminum, and aluminum) for the painted silver portions.  The tires I painted in Vallejo black-gray, and used light brown pastel to simulate the dust on the treads.  

 

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Hi JammedKenney

 

I was sent your link for this by Laurie Stewart who  is a very kind, thoughtful and generous person and friend, who has given me a kit of the T3.

 

What an absolutely cracking build you have done, I would go to say that I personally think its damn near museum quality, superb work.

 

It has really inspired me to do the one I have from Laurie, it would mean 3 on the go which I've never done😱

 

Well done an absolutely cracking job, I love it 

 

Thanks Laurie for giving me the link to this superb build.

 

Take care 

 

All the best 

 

Si

 

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1 minute ago, Simon Dyer said:

Hi JammedKenney

 

I was sent your link for this by Laurie Stewart who  is a very kind, thoughtful and generous person and friend, who has given me a kit of the T3.

 

What an absolutely cracking build you have done, I would go to say that I personally think its damn near museum quality, superb work.

 

It has really inspired me to do the one I have from Laurie, it would mean 3 on the go which I've never done😱

 

Well done an absolutely cracking job, I love it 

 

Thanks Laurie for giving me the link to this superb build.

 

Take care 

 

All the best 

 

Si

 

Alex he is nutty as a fruit cake. Sure he actually has 5 on the go. He is not to bad though. apologies for the intrusion.

 

Laurie

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That certainly is a fine looking Valetta.

This has been both an inspiration and an education to follow. Thank you for sharing the build with us. 

Like you, I eagerly await a decent 1/72 Hastings.......... Are you listening Mr Valom? 

That's been on my Christmas list to Santa for more years than I care to mention and I've been a good boy.... Honest! 

Edited by cngaero
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21 hours ago, SAT69 said:

Beautiful model of a largely unsung airplane.

Thanks so much!  Yes, I'm frankly surprised it gets such short shrift, as it was a commonly seen aircraft around RAF bases worldwide for about 15 years.

 

14 hours ago, kev67 said:

Lovely build, you have done a great job and the finished model looks superb 

Thanks so much, kev67!  It's satisfying to have it done with, but it's also an attractive design to look at, which is why I built it.

 

13 hours ago, Mr T said:

That looks really nice. The kit has scrubbed up well, and your finishing is very good. I have the kit and your work on it is encouraging in terms of what can be done with it.

Mr. T: as I wrote earlier, the kit provides a good basis for whatever you'd like to do with it.  The windows are absolutely clear, so if you want to do up a full interior, you can actually see it afterward.  I think the best advice I received was from @tonyot, who said to treat it like a vac-form, sand the mating surfaces, and test fit everything several times.

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10 hours ago, TEXANTOMCAT said:

Super work thanks very much for sharing

Thanks, TT!  I'm so glad you and others appreciate "heavies."

 

9 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Very nice! You have really done the Valom kit and the type justice! The Valetta always reminded me of a tail-sitting British C-131...hmmm, another kit Valom should consider! That being said, you should be proud of this one! :like:

Mike

Hi, Mike!  Thanks for all the support, and I agree with you--the Valetta does remind one of the Convair twins, albeit a tiny bit smaller.  I think Valom could easily do one, though it probably wouldn't have the same appeal as the C-46.

 

3 hours ago, Simon Dyer said:

Hi JammedKenney

 

I was sent your link for this by Laurie Stewart who  is a very kind, thoughtful and generous person and friend, who has given me a kit of the T3.

 

What an absolutely cracking build you have done, I would go to say that I personally think its damn near museum quality, superb work.

 

It has really inspired me to do the one I have from Laurie, it would mean 3 on the go which I've never done😱

 

Well done an absolutely cracking job, I love it 

 

Thanks Laurie for giving me the link to this superb build.

 

Take care 

 

All the best 

 

Si

 

Thanks, Si!  Do start on it when you find a color scheme that you like.  Thanks for all of your compliments!  I've seen your work, and you are nearer to museum quality than I, so I really appreciate it.  

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2 hours ago, LaurieS said:

Alex he is nutty as a fruit cake.

I believe that's a requirement just to get on this site!  No worries, though.  I accept feedback from all directions!

 

17 minutes ago, cngaero said:

Like you, I eagerly await a decent 1/72 Hastings.......... Are you listening Mr Valom?

Very funny, that!  A Hastings would not be that big, really.  Just 13 and 3/4 inches in length and maybe 22 inches in wingspan, so perfectly doable--if there's a market.  Thanks for following this.

 

8 minutes ago, Lightningboy2000 said:

That is a little beauty. Always liked the look of these & I think your's is the first Valom kit done really well.

 

Thanks so much!  Glad you enjoyed it.  Others have done really good jobs on Valom kits, too.  This particular kit is just a little easier to work with.

 

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You`ve done an excellent job mate,..... what a wonderful looking Valetta,........ and I love the scheme you`ve chosen too,...... simply superb!

Cheers

           Tony

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