Thunder & Lightnings

Handley Page Victor - Walkaround Photos

This page will be revamped in due course; many of the original photos here were taken on one of the very first digital cameras so their quality is pretty poor these days. I have since taken some improved photos but have not as yet had time to add them to this page.

Cockpit

Compared to the Vulcan cockpit, the Victor's one is much roomier and most obviously is all on one level, instead of having the rear crew lower than the pilots. Thanks to Chris Potter for the pictures of XH648's cockpit.

B.1 XH592. Standing in the centre of the cockpit, looking back towards the port rear crew position. This Victor cockpit is being worked on by Phoenix Aviation and is still incomplete, but is in a lot better shape than it was when they got hold of it! B.1 XH592. Standing a bit further to the rear, between the seats, looking towards the starboard rear crew position this time. The work in progress means that much of the instrumentation is missing or lying on the table. B.1 XH592. Turning round to look towards the front, we see the pilot's positions. Blackout curtains above the windscreen are very noticeable. The painted text on the corner of the starboard seat reads 'FIRING PINS REMOVED' - reassuring when you're climbing around inside, believe me! See how much room there is between the two seats - very different to the Vulcan or Valiant! You can just about see the visual bomb aiming window underneath the central console; I'm not quite sure how anybody could have gotten down there to use it though. In any case, it wasn't used as far as I'm aware. B.1 XH592. Moving forward to stand between the pilot's seats, a better look at the instrument panel. Unlike the Vulcan, the Victor used traditional big control yokes instead of fighter-style joysticks. Mind you, there's a lot more room in here! The vastly superior view given to Victor pilots is also apparent. Lots of missing instruments, especially dead centre. B.1 XH648. A rather more complete instrument panel, though what it looks like 15 years on from 1982 (when these shots were taken) is anybody's guess. B.1 XH648. In a bit closer to the panel and panning right. B.1 XH648. Turning round to the port side and looking at the port panel and control yoke. The Victor did not have fighter style joysticks like the Vulcan. K.2 XM717. This view is from the entrance door, looking past the centre rear crew seat towards the starboard pilot's seat. K.2 XM717. Another view from the same spot, this time looking towards the rear crew positions. The light green assembly to the right is a seat, not the fuselage side. If you're thinking this is a lower viewpoint than the pictures of XH592 above, you're right - the Victor crew door opens onto a couple of steps which then take you up to floor level, and these two pictures are taken from about the level of the bottom step.

Nose

XH648's nose now. The bump below the refuelling probe is transparent normally and contains a light for use when refuelling. Closeup on the starboard NACA intake; one on each side of the nose. The small strakes were added to make the crew's life liveable when it was found there was a large amount of noise from these intakes. Closeup on the visual bomb aiming position, which was not used. The vague boxy shape you can see inside is an air conditioning unit, not in-service fit. K.2 XM715's <em>Victor</em> Meldrew nose art - applied after retirement to Bruntingthorpe. K.2 XM715's Teasin Tina gulf war nose art.

Wings

The extreme port wingtip of K.1A XH648. Dayglo stripes are fading and wearing away; these were used for helping pilots to line up on the tanker when refuelling. Port wingtip and pitot probe. Port hose & drogue unit (HDU). Wind-driven generator inside powers the winch. Closeup on the HDU; the windmill prop has a guard fitted on it. HDU viewed from outboard; the shuttlecock-like assembly at the rear end is the basket where your refuelling probe would hopefully go. K.2 XM715's port HDU. K.2 XM715's port intake. The two intakes underneath were only fitted to Mk.2s. K.2 XH672 with flaps down. K.1A XH648's starboard jetpipes and inner flaps, slightly lowered. The fairings on the wings slot into the cutouts on the flap's upper surface. Each of the flaps actually wraps around the engine box. K.2 XH672. Flaps would normally be retracted when parked. XH672's starboard outer jetpipe and engine. K.2s were fitted with Conways so a K.1 would look rather different here. XM715's starboard HDU.

Undercarriage

Standing to the starboard side of XH648's nose, looking back towards the nose gear and doors. K.1A XH648. Now standing on the port side. The Victor has very little ground clearance under the bulbous nose section! K.2 XH672's nose gear bay, viewed from the aft end of the bay. I like the 'no step' markings on the mud guards - as if it's easy to get in there with the afore-mentioned lack of ground clearance! K.1A XH648's port main gear, viewed from ahead, looking back. K.1A XH648's port main gear again, we've moved around to the side now to see the bulge in the gear door. General finish of the gear and bay is dull aluminium. K.2 XH672's port main gear bay, looking up and aft. K.2 XH672's port main gear, viewed from directly behind, looking forwards. K.2 XM715's port main gear, viewed from ahead. K.1A XH648's starboard main gear, viewed from the port main gear. K.2 XH672's starboard main gear and door, viewed from ahead, looking aft and outboard. K.2 XH672's starboard main gear bay, looking up, aft and outboard. K.2 XH672's starboard main gear, looking forward towards the nose gear. The diagonal object in the top left of the picture is the lowered flap. K.2 XM715, with flaps up!

Tail

K.1A XH648's tail, showing the position of various markings and the distinct upward sweep of the tailplane. The strakes below the fin flash are on the edge of the airbrake; this opens up on either side leaving the tailcone in place. On the K.2 variant the fuel dump pipe exits through the tailcone, but not on this K.1A.