Vickers Valiant K.1

[Pellson]

This is an overdue project thread. Originally, I started the build more than a year ago, aiming to build a K.2, featuring the extended B.2 fuselage, but as the AIM conversion set includes the oh so pretty but also equally scaring landing gear pods to be cut into the trailing edge of the wings, I stalled and the big Valiant has since been sitting on the Shelf of Doom, grinning menacingly at me whenever I got within striking distance.

However, earlier this year, when hospitalised, I was lazily surfing through different webpages when occurring on a rather good Valiant page. Among quite some other things, I realised that the main issue with the Valiant as a tanker, besides the famous wing spar issue, was it's relatively low amount of transferable fuel in combination with the fact that the original BK.1 was somewhat underpowered when fully laden, hence the plans to up-engine the B.2 with Conways.
However, the Airfix kit is a very nice kit, and a rather well fitting one too, making conversion to Conways a pretty big affair if at all possible. Accordingly, if I want to have a viable Valiant tanker, I would have to attack the problem from the other direction - weight. And fuselage extensions weigh. So back to square one - a tanker based on a shorter, lighter and in my stash non-existent B.1 
At this time, the original Airfix offering was well OOP, but eventually I found a 2nd hand one, starting the build the summer.

For different reasons one of them being the lust to participate in the Reconnaissance and Surveillance GB, I haven't completed it yet but as it now is nearing completion, I thought I should get that project thread up, at last. So here goes..

[Pellson]

Some construction pics:

The cockpit

[Old Wombat]

Ooh! What a lot of dials you have, grandma!

[kitnut617]

This is interesting Pelle, there just happens to be a photo in the latest issue of Air-Britain's Aviation World (which happened to be at the post office yesterday) of Valiant BK.1, serial XD870 that was on static display at the 1957 BoB airshow at London Airport. It had only been delivered 4 months earlier and not long after the squadron converted to a tanker squadron.

[Pellson]

Structurally rather complete



..with AAR pods..

[Pellson]

Comparing the Mk 1 and Mk2 

[Pellson]

Antennae, bits and bobs

[NARSES2]

That's coming along rather nicely 

Ooh! What a lot of dials you have, grandma!

Yup. I just love comparing WWI period instrument panels to more modern ones and then remembering that in WWI some of the instruments were perched out on the wing occasionally 

[Pellson]

Since these photos were taken, she's painted and last Monday, the decals finally went on. Having planned for a hemp over LAG scheme, I'm extending her life all the way into the first Gulf War, allowing for some rather cool nose art I by chance happened to find in a totally unrelated 2nd hand kit I bought last year. It turned out even better than anticipated, and since then I've sealed the decals in with Johnson & Johnson and a matt coat on top of that, this morning.

As I write, she's sitting in a corner, drying up to allow for the final touch ups tomorrow. I hope. Delays may, as usual, happen.. 

[Pellson]

That's coming along rather nicely 

Ooh! What a lot of dials you have, grandma!

Yup. I just love comparing WWI period instrument panels to more modern ones and then remembering that in WWI some of the instruments were perched out on the wing occasionally 

To be honest, I'm somewhat undecided as far as instrument panel decals go. On one hand, they do look good, and the alternative, to actually paint every sodding dial is quite far beyond what I usually care to do, but on the other hand, I have experienced that they come loose, and THAT's annoying for real! These days, I try to glue them in with the aforementioned J&J stuff, but it is a bit tricky to get them in proper without frakking things up. But this time, it went pretty well.

The more sharpeyed among you will have noticed there's a seat short in the dungeon, but that is very much on purpose and will be explained in the backstory that's under development. 

[NARSES2]

I use a similar method to you with instrument panels, but when I can I use Yahu after market panels, if they do the type. Straight forward to use, single not multi part, and quite inexpensive.

[McColm]

Looks great.

[Tophe]

interesting...

[Pellson]

Final touches done - drying as I write. So - the backstory, then..


The Vickers Valiant K.1

Following the shift from high altitude to low altitude attack profiles, the RAF strategic bomber force soon found itself facing increasing wear and tear on its aircraft due to the turbulent air on low levels. As the first signs of fatigue problems in the Valiant bomber force occurred in 1956, the RAF took the easy way out and shifted the offensive tasks to the other two V-bomber types, allowing the Valiant to focus on air to air refuelling to more benign atmospheric layers higher up. While the initial tanker conversion, the BK.1, wasn't ideal with its hastily devised bomb room tanks and mk 16 HDU, it proved the concept beyond doubt and there were also Valiants enough to go around and fuel up any thirsty Lightnings that happened to appear in the sky. However, the sole refuelling point and the limited transferrable fuel amount (ca 20 tons) made room for improvement, and studies looking at more purposeful Valiant versions had already been started when the fleet wide problem with the DTD683 alloy was revealed in 1964. The immediate reaction was grounding the entire Valiant force, but that led to a suddenly very, very short legged air defence force, having been bereft their tankers.

RAE and Vickers took the cue and already by Christmas, a design for conversion was on the table. Besides resparring as per the HP Hastings transports, a general weight reduction programme was included, throwing out any and all bomber related equipment such as the bombardier, including chair and all, his optical sight and its blister, and many other associated systems. The radar however, was kept to allow for radar reconnaissance tasks to be performed as secondary mission.
Taking the opportunity, an entirely new AC electrical system was fitted, minimising both cabling and components. The entire bomb room was cleared out and the bomb doors removed and plated over, the space rather filled with a big, light weight fuel tank. The HDU was moved slightly to the rear and replaced with a modernised Mk 17 variant, and Mk 20 pods installed under the wing tips. Finally, the engines were replaced with Avon Mk 533, developed for the French Caravelle passenger aircraft. These increased available thrust with almost 30%, something that permitted a 20% higher MTOW, all used to increase the amount of transferable fuel, now amounting to just over 42 tons. However, the aircraft had now lost all offensive capabilities and was solely a tanker with a secondary radar reconnaissance possibility. Crew now consisted of pilot, co-pilot, navigator and loadmaster/fuel operator. The latter could also serve as radar observer when required.
The primary alternative was a similar rebuild of another V-bomber, the Victor B.1, but unlike the Valiant, the Victor could, if not converted, be kept in an offensive role, and thus, a decision was made to go ahead. 77 Valiants would eventually be converted, the first being delivered already early in 1966. By 1969, five squadrons operated the Valiant K.1, keeping British and allied aircraft fuelled up from bases throughout the world.

In service, the Valiant K.1 was unremarkable but efficient. Compared to the American KC-135, its capacities was obviously somewhat limited, but one should remember that the first task of any european tanker is to support the air defence effort, i.e refuelling interceptors on QRA missions. In that role, the fuel capacity was sufficient if not extravagant, and the Valiants very short time from alarm to airborne derived from its previous nuclear QRA assignments was very useful indeed. Also, it was there in numbers when most needed, and it proved quite serviceable and reliable. Without much fuss, RAF continued using it throughout the 70s and 80s, eventually complemented with a few converted Victor K.2 and even later, VC10s. Looking back, it is safe to say it lasted much longer than anticipated back in 1965, and no 90 sqn even participated in the first Gulf war in 1991 before finally disbanding on return. By then, the Valiants were almost back to their original anti flash all over white from having worn disruptive tactical camouflage throughout the 70s, now wearing the hemp over light grey scheme of all big RAF aircraft of the 1980s.

[Rheged]

A logical, well-reasoned backstory to associate with a fine piece of workmanship.