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

[TheyJammedKenny!]

9 hours ago, tonyot said:

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

Cheers

Thanks so much, Tony!  You led the way, and the photos of your in-progress Valetta helped, as did your explanation of how you did the cheat-line on yours.  I also appreciated seeing pictures of the real WD159 as she appeared in Aden, and although I didn't reproduce them exactly--there are some deviations--I noted how comparatively clean the whole plane appeared.  I agree with you: the scheme is remarkably attractive on this aircraft, and almost hides the fact it has some pretty good military capabilities.

 

3 hours ago, wellsprop said:

What a superb finish and you are quite right, it is a handsome aircraft. 

Thank you!  I'm glad your tastes and mine mesh on this.  There is something about the Valetta, and other British transport designs of the period (Pioneer, Twin-Pin, Beverly, and Hastings) that is both special and oddly a little awkward/impractical, and I can't put my finger on it exactly.  But it is so different from the American way of thinking about transport aircraft that it requires special attention.

[Head in the clouds.]

I like unsung types and I like your model, a fine looking model of a fine plane.

[Col Walter E Kurtz]

Crisp and very well done Sir!

i like the figures too!

Andy

[TheyJammedKenny!]

7 hours ago, Head in the clouds. said:

I like unsung types and I like your model, a fine looking model of a fine plane.

Thanks so much!  I love the unsung heroes of the air, too, and not just the transport category aircraft.  When others build brightly colored trainers, I get really excited, especially if they're multi-engine!

 

2 hours ago, Col Walter E Kurtz said:

Crisp and very well done Sir!

i like the figures too!

Andy

Thank you, Andy!  BTW I painted up the figures months ago without having a clear idea how to use them in this little "sketch."  They are converted Preiser Luftwaffe personnel, with new hats or heads as needed.  

[Col Walter E Kurtz]

They work very well. Give the sketch some story and animation! Figures are so hard to paint well I always think? Looks great! 

[Wulfman]

Lovely looking Valetta, excellent build !

 

Wulfman

[TheyJammedKenny!]

On 9/2/2021 at 9:01 PM, Col Walter E Kurtz said:

They work very well. Give the sketch some story and animation! Figures are so hard to paint well I always think? Looks great! 

 

On 9/2/2021 at 11:36 PM, Flight Line Media said:

Just wow! Thank you for sharing it.

 

On 9/3/2021 at 8:22 AM, Wulfman said:

Lovely looking Valetta, excellent build !

Thanks @Col Walter E Kurtz, @Flight Line Media, and @Wulfman!  I had no idea there were so many Valetta fans out there.

[Paul J]

Great work. I like the figure by the door....all in his tropical uniform too! Nice attention to detail.  The last and only time I saw one in service was during my ATC camp at Coltishall , 1968 and recall the squeaking from the wheels and the chugging of the engines as it taxied by. It came in as a support for the Reds in their Gnat's. VW 197 was its serial.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

5 minutes ago, Paul J said:

I like the figure by the door....all in his tropical uniform too!

Yes, if anything, he may be wearing too many clothes, even in winter!  The British Army officer is attired in no.7 Dress.

 

Great that you saw the real thing!  According to what I've seen elsewhere, the Metropolitan Squadron (aka 32 Sqn) were still flying these until early '69.  The only photos I've seen show an example from 1968 without the Rebecca antennas, and with the silver replaced by LAG.

[Eric Mc]

That's a cracker - as Mr Carson used to say.

[Col Walter E Kurtz]

On 01/09/2021 at 01:17, TheyJammedKenny! said:

There is something about the Valetta, and other British transport designs of the period (Pioneer, Twin-Pin, Beverly, and Hastings) that is both special and oddly a little awkward/impractical, and I can't put my finger on it exactly.  But it is so different from the American way of thinking about transport aircraft that it requires special attention.

I agree. There is something almost ' whimsical' about these British designs that is very attractive.  Maybe it's because we British love an underdog and sort of muddling through? Impracticality in design but well damn well make it fly! No offence to our American ' cousins' of course ! 

 

[Bigglesworth]

To quote Indiana Jones: "That belongs in a museum!"  Lovely, clean build of an interesting subject. Thanks for the inspiration.