TSR.2 S.2

[Hobbes]

In the early 1970s, the MOD wanted to strengthen the defence of the GIUK gap. The Nimrod, while technically capable of it, wasn't really suited for attacks on surface warships - especially groups of them, escorted by aircraft. The Buccaneer was also dismissed as being too slow. The RAF recommended using the TSR.2, then coming into service in large numbers as the GR.1.

As the RAF didn't like the Martel's performance against ships (and really didn't want to resort to freefall bombs in the face of a Soviet battlegroup), a nuclear version of Martel was developed, using a lengthened Martel airframe, larger wings to carry the higher weight and the warhead from the WE.177. This was colloquially known as Megaton Martel (although actual yield was 200-450 kt).

A TSR.2 with some anticorrosion features for low-altitude work above the sea and minimal changes to use this Martel variant was produced as the S.2. It usually carried a mix of 1 nuclear, 2 radar-guided and 1 TV-guided Martels.
The aircraft shown here is with 208 Sqn, reformed in 1972 at Lossiemouth following their return from Muharraq, Bahrain.

Kit: Pit-road 1/144 TSR.2. A very nice kit, with lots of fine detail, easy to build as long as you're careful when cutting the parts from the sprue. I made a mistake with one of the main gear leg uprights, cutting away a vital positioning pin where the horizontal bar attaches to the upright. That required some ugly repairs to prevent the wheels from splaying.
I made 2 modifications. The kit includes 4 TV Martels, I replaced the nose on 2 of them with a radar nose. The Megaton Martel is scratchbuilt. I found very little information on this variant (there were 2 possible configurations, only their weight is known), so I made a guess, scaling up the Martel using the weight data. 

[NARSES2]

Nice one Harro 

[PR19_Kit]

Nice on Harro. The landing gear looks miles better than Airfix's apology.

[Hobbes]

It has the same problem though: a tiny contact patch between the upright and the horizontal arm, making it very easy to get the wheels pointing in the wrong direction.

[Hobbes]

Backstory added to the first post.

[TheChronicOne]

Very cool, well done!

[AeroplaneDriver]

Very nice!   This should be in the Cold War GB.   

[zenrat]

Like it.

[chrisonord]

Very nice, an aircraft I can never get tired of seeing
Chris