Handley Page Victor

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HP.80 Victor
RAF Victor in anti-flash white
Type Strategic bomber, tanker
Manufacturer Handley Page Aircraft Company
Maiden flight 24 December 1952
Retired 1993
Primary user Royal Air Force
Produced 1952 - 1963
Number built 2 (HP.80) + 50 (B.1) + 34 (B.2)

The Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company. It was the third and final of the 'V bombers' which provided Britain's nuclear deterrent. The other two V-bombers were the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. The Victor was the last of the V-bombers to enter service and the last to retire, 9 years after the last Vulcan (although the Vulcan survived longer as a bomber). It saw service in the Falklands War and 1991 Gulf War as an in-flight refuelling tanker. During the Borneo conflict of 1962-66, two B.1A aircraft flew the Victor's only offensive mission.

Contents

[edit] Design

Victor nose view
Victor nose view

Like the other V-bombers, the Victor was originally designed for high-altitude, high-speed penetration of Soviet airspace to deliver a free-fall nuclear weapon. It was intended to fly higher and faster than contemporary fighter aircraft. Handley Page's design, the HP.80, was prepared in response to Air Ministry Specification B.35/46.

[edit] HP.80

To achieve the required performance, the HP.80 was notable for its unique "crescent" wing. This was developed by German aerodynamicist Dr. Gustav Lachmann and his Handley Page deputy, Godfrey Lee. The sweep and chord of the wing decrease in three distinct steps from the root to the tip, to ensure a constant limiting Mach number across the entire wing and consequently a high cruise speed. The crescent wing was tested in an third-scale glider, the HP.87, and a modified Supermarine Attacker, the HP.88. The HP.87 crashed on its maiden flight and by the time the HP.88 was ready the HP.80 wing had changed such that the former was no longer representative. In the event, the HP.80 was sufficiently advanced that the loss of the HP.88 in flight had little negative effect on the programme. The HP.80 also had an advanced construction, featuring a sandwich of two aluminium skins with a corrugated filling.

Two HP.80 prototypes - WB771 and WB775 - were built. The Victor was a futuristic looking machine. It was carefully streamlined, had the engines buried in the thick wing roots and a large, highly-swept T-tail with considerable dihedral on the horizontal stabilisers. cockpit. A peculiar feature of the Victor was the prominent "chin" bulge. This contained the targeting radar, nose landing gear unit and an auxiliary bomb aimer's position. Unlike the Vulcan and Valiant, the Victor's pilots sat at the same level as the rest of the crew, thanks to a larger pressurised compartment that extended all the way to the nose. As per the other V-bombers, only the pilots were provided with ejection seats, the three systems operators relying on explosive cushions that would help them from their seats and towards a traditional "bail out".

The HP.80 prototypes performed well, but there were a number of minor design miscalculations that lead to the loss of WB771 in July 1954. The tailplane was subject to considerable more stress than had been anticipated and it sheared off, causing the aircraft to crash with the loss of the crew. Additionally, the aircraft were considerably tail-heavy. This was remedied by large ballast weights in the HP.80 prototypes. Production Victors had a lengthened nose that also served to move the crew escape door further from the engine intakes.

[edit] Victor Mark 1

Production B Mk.1 Victors were powered by the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire ASSa.7 turbojets rated at 11,000 lbf (49 kN) and carried the Yellow Sun weapon. Twenty-four were upgraded to B Mk.1A standard by the addition of Red Steer tail-warning radar and a suite of radar warning receivers and electronic countermeasures (ECM).

[edit] Victor Mark 2

The B Mk.2 was an improved Victor powered by the Rolls-Royce Conway RCo.11 turbojet engines providing 17,250 lbf (76.8 kN). This required enlarged and re-designed intakes to provide greater airflow. The wing was stretched and incorporated two "speed pods" or "Küchemann carrots". These are anti-shock bodies; bulged fairings that reduced wave drag at transonic speeds (see area rule). The right wing incorporated a Blackburn Artouste auxiliary power unit. The latter allowed the aircraft to self-start and provided systems power for when the main engines were unlit. This feature was useful for aircraft designed to sit on constant alert. The B.2 also featured an aerial refuelling probe above the cockpit, large "slipper tanks" on the wings and a body at the base of the tailplane containing ECM gear, this featured distinctive "elephant ears" cooling inlets.

With the move to low-level penetration missions, the Victors received two-tone camouflage patterns, terrain following radar and cockpit rolling-map displays. Twenty-one B Mk.2 were upgraded to the B Mk.2(RS) with upgraded Conway RCo.17 engines - 20,600 lbf (91 kN) - and the Blue Steel stand-off nuclear missile. It had been intended that the AGM-48 Skybolt cruise missile would be carried (four per aircraft) but this system was cancelled in 1963.

[edit] Strategic Reconnaissance

Nine B Mk.2 aircraft were converted for "strategic reconnaissance" purposes to replace Valiants withdrawn due to wing fatigue. The received cameras, a bomb-bay mounted radar mapping system and wing-top "sniffers" to detect particles released from nuclear testing.

[edit] Victor tankers

The withdrawal of the Valiant fleet left the RAF with a shortfall in front-line tanker aircraft, so the B.1/1A aircraft, now judged to be obsolescent in the strike role, were made re-tasked with this duty. Six B.1A aircraft received a two-point system with a "hose and drogue" system carried under each wing as B Mk.1A(K2P). Fourteen further B.1A and eleven B.1 were given a more thorough conversion, receiving bomb-bay fuel tanks and a centreline dispenser unit as three-point tankers - the K Mk.1A / K Mk.1 respectively.

The remaining B.2 aircraft were not as suited to the low-level strike mission as the Vulcan with its enormously strong delta wing. This, combined with the standing-down of the RAF as the nuclear deterrent force (due to the purchase of Polaris) meant that the Victor was now surplus to requirements. Thus, 24 B.2 were modified to 'K Mk.2 standard. Similar to the K.1/1A conversions, the wing was trimmed to reduce stress and had the nose glazing plated over. The K.2 could carry 91,000 pounds of fuel (41 metric tonnes). It served in the tanker role until withdrawn in October 1993.

[edit] Variants

3-view of Victor B Mk.1
3-view of Victor B Mk.1
3-view of Victor B Mk.2
3-view of Victor B Mk.2
ventral plan of Victor K Mk.2
ventral plan of Victor K Mk.2
  • HP.80 : Prototype, 2 aircraft built
  • Victor B.1 : Strategic bomber aircraft. 50 built.
  • Victor B.1A : Strategic bomber aircraft, B.1 updated with Red Steer tail-warning radar and ECM suite. 24 converted.
  • Victor B.1A (K.2P) : 2-point in-flight refuelling tanker, retaining bomber capability. 6 converted
  • Victor BK.1 : 3-point in-flight refuelling tanker (renamed K.1 after bombing capability removed). 11 converted.
  • Victor BK.1A : 3-point in-flight refuelling tanker.(renamed K.1A as for K.1). 14 converted.
  • Victor B.2 : Strategic bomber aircraft. 34 built.
  • Victor B.2RS : Blue Steel-capable aircraft with RCo.17 Conway 201 engines. 21 converted.
  • Victor B(SR).2 : Strategic reconnaissance aircraft. 9 converted.
  • Victor K.2 : Inflight refuelling tanker.

[edit] Surviving aircraft

Victor B.1A XH648 preserved at the Imperial War Museum
Victor B.1A XH648 preserved at the Imperial War Museum

Five Victors have survived (as of 2007) plus a few cockpit sections. All are located in England. They are, in age order;

The names, and accompanying nose art, were applied during the 1991 Gulf War. Of these "Lindy" and "Tina" are the only "live" aircraft. They are run up regularly, performing high speed taxi runs with parachute breaking at annual events.

[edit] Trivia

  • HP.80 prototype WB771 was broken down at the Handley Page factory at Radlett and transported by road to RAE Boscombe Down for its first flight. This required parts of the route to be bulldozed to provide sufficient clearance. The sections of the aircraft were hidden under wooden framing and tarpaulins printed with "GELEYPANDHY / SOUTHAMPTON" to make it appear to be outsize freight. GELEYPANDHY was a clumsy anagram of "Handley Pyge".

[edit] Operators

The Victor was operated by the following RAF squadrons:

[edit] Specifications (Handley-Page Victor B.1)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 5
  • Length: 114 ft 11 in (35.05 m)
  • Wingspan: 120 ft 0 in (36.58 m)
  • Height: 28 ft 1½ in (8.57 m)
  • Wing area: 2,406 ft² (223.5 m²)
  • Empty weight: lb (kg)
  • Loaded weight: 165,000 lb (75,000 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 185,000lb (83,900 kg)
  • Powerplant: 4× Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire A.S.Sa.7 turbojets, 11,000 lbf (49 kN) each

Performance

Armament

  • up to 35 × 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs
  • Blue Steel stand-off nuclear missile (B.2RS)

[edit] External links

[edit] Related content

Related development

HP.88

Comparable aircraft

Designation sequence

HP.70, HP.71 "Halifax" - HP.75 Manx - HP.80 "Victor" - HP.81 / HP.82 "Hermes" - HP.88

 

 

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