HP.80 WB771: The first Victor prototype. +++ Finished +++

[CliffB]

Hi all.

 

As some of you will know, I particularly like 1/100 scale aircraft.  Luckily for me, all three V bombers are available in 1/96 (which is close enough).  I've already built a FROG Valiant and I've got Lindberg's Victor and Vulcan in my stash.  I thought I'd give the Victor a go in this GB.

 

 

The kit was originally released in 1959 and throughout its life has suffered from an identity crisis.  The main problem is that it combines the shorter nose of the prototypes with the smaller tail of the production aircraft.  My 70s boxing has decals for the second prototype WB775, flying in anti-flash white (which I don't think it ever did).  Later boxings have the aircraft in green/grey camo.

 

I've decided to modify the tail and build mine as the first prototype, WB771.  This first flew on Christmas Eve 1952 and continued until 14th July 1954, when it crashed at Cranfield due to its tail shearing off in flight.  Sadly, all four crew members lost their lives 

 

I've chosen this particular aircraft as it carried a very smart red, black and silver livery at the 1953 Farnborough Air Show...

 

Cheers

[Adam Poultney]

Can't wait to see this build! Should be good.. Good luck on the conversion, I'll be following the thread.

[desert falcon]

Something special for sure and some wonderful box art too 👍 

[CliffB]

41 minutes ago, Adam Poultney said:

Good luck on the conversion, I'll be following the thread.

Thanks Adam.  I'm glad that you'll be following, as I know virtually nothing about V-bombers so will surely have plenty of questions!

 

1 minute ago, desert falcon said:

Something special for sure and some wonderful box art too 👍 

Thank you df.  Yes, the box art is great (apart from maybe the flames ?),

 

Cheers

 

[Hockeyboy76]

Looks like a fun build. Good luck Cliff

[Wings unlevel]

32 minutes ago, CliffB said:

apart from maybe the flames ?

A Victor with afterburners would be quite the rocket ship! As it is I’ve always thought the Victor was straight out of Buck Rogers. Looking forward to seeing your prototype take shape.

[Adam Poultney]

Did someone say Victor with rockets?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/amphalon/6334370292

 

 

[CliffB]

4 hours ago, Hockeyboy76 said:

Looks like a fun build. Good luck Cliff

 Thanks H.   I am mostly looking forward to it, but not to re-scribing the panels lines (a job I hate!).

 

Cheers

[JOCKNEY]

Great choice Cliff

Best of luck with the build 👍

Cheers Pat 

[Col.]

Nice subject choice Cliff, always thought the Victor the most elegant of the three V-bombers, your model is going to look rather smart in its prototype colours  

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Now this sounds good Cliff, I do love the Victor.  Ever saw this scheme though so will need to check it out. 

[CliffB]

Thanks @JOCKNEY @Col. and @Corsairfoxfouruncle 

 

There aren't too many colour images on the net, but this one crops up on several sites (so hopefully no copyright issues).

 

 

Cheers

[81-er]

That's a really nice looking scheme, I'll be following this one with interest

 

James

[CliffB]

I'm getting ready to start now, so I popped over to Cosford this morning to grab some close-up shots of their Victor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[arfa1983]

Panel lines are clearly visible 

[81-er]

I can't quite put my finger on it, but it looks far less refined than I remember the Victor being

 

James

[CliffB]

28 minutes ago, 81-er said:

I can't quite put my finger on it, but it looks far less refined than I remember the Victor being

 

James

 

I think it may have deteriorated a bit since the Museum decided to display it permanently outside.

[stever219]

2 hours ago, arfa1983 said:

Panel lines are clearly visible 

True, but they don't have the presently very fashionable dark smudges along 'em.

[Col.]

Are you planning to post plenty photos in the walkaround section of the forum Cliff?

[trickyrich]

wow another Cliff wee special!!!  

 

I have this strange feeling my father built this kit (or maybe the Frog one), I use to play with it, was such an awesome looking aircraft at the time.

 

Wow I think you're going to need a lot of filler and sand paper to know that last one into shape!! Is that the new Trumpeter model???  

 

 

[Adam Poultney]

Careful with this thread.... you might persuade me to buy one of these and do something very similar

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

8 hours ago, CliffB said:

I'm getting ready to start now, so I popped over to Cosford this morning to grab some close-up shots of their Victor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to admit thats kind of cool, maybe a B-47 or something similar for this side of the pond. 

[CliffB]

Thank you @arfa1983 @81-er @stever219 @Col. @trickyrich @Adam Poultney and @Corsairfoxfouruncle 

 

As Dennis says, the playground Victor is actually pretty cool and was obviously made by someone who appreciates the subject.  

Behind it is a fully equipped Vulcan cockpit, complete with a voice-tube to the Victor (great fun, if not completely accurate ).

 

 

[trickyrich]

23 minutes ago, CliffB said:

Thank you @arfa1983 @81-er @stever219 @Col. @trickyrich @Adam Poultney and @Corsairfoxfouruncle 

 

As Dennis says, the playground Victor is actually pretty cool and was obviously made by someone who appreciates the subject.  

Behind it is a fully equipped Vulcan cockpit, complete with a voice-tube to the Victor (great fun, if not completely accurate ).

 

..now I just hope you can resist the urge to go visit later in the night with filler and sand paper in hand, to correct some of the issues!!!  As much as you/we would love to see it, think some may not appreciate your modelling skills!! 

 

Though it would look good in a Gulf War scheme with a girly on the nose!

 

 

[CliffB]

Ok, my desk is now clear of Matchbox-shaped things, so I feel at liberty to open up the Victor .

 

Being white plastic, it's hard to photograph the surface detail so you'll have to trust me when I say that it's all raised.  That aside though, the parts are very nicely moulded, with virtually no flash.  I'll be dealing with the raised panel lines via a combination of removal and/or re-scribing. 

 

 

Those of you familiar with the Victor will immediately spot that the nose is significantly shorter than the one on production aircraft.

Contrary to what I'd thought though, I now think that the tail fin is actually the correct height for the first prototype.  However, what is definitely missing is the prominent forward extension at the base of the fin - it looks as though it houses an air inlet of some kind (for an APU?).  I'd be interested to know precisely what function it serves, if anyone knows please .

 

The wings look OK to me (again, others may know better), and it's interesting to see that all the control surfaces are provided as separate pieces.  These appear to be poseable (in a fixed position), rather than moveable.  There's also a nod to detail in the wheel wells.

 

 

 

The kit includes four Sapphire engines and a pair of hinged access doors on the top of the wings.  I think that these are solely for the benefit of modellers who want to show off their handiwork, as I don't think that they were there on the actual aircraft.  Cosford museum has a Sapphire on display (albeit the more powerful version used on the B1), but unfortunately it doesn't look much like this plastic...

 

 

 

Beyond the main parts, there's a small selection of other bits, although my second-hand kit is missing a couple of the cockpit windows.  I don't think that should be a great problem.  As you can see too, the decals have yellowed beyond redemption, so I'll have to source or create some new ones.

 

 

 

Lastly, I should mention the old school, 60s style instructions which are quite fun'

 

 

Cheers