Ok - official it is. Here’s the link:
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=47904
bstrump - as it’s open ended, you’re welcome to pitch in when you can. Shall I add you to the joiners list? You’ve certainly got a lot on your plate, that much is certain! [;)]
my pics are all up online now here
If anyone else has any pics they want to share, let me have them & I’ll put them up with credits [;)]
cool Pics Mike [:D]
I was thinking about picking one of those Victors up recently, but I blew a lot recently on aftermarket goodies for my first vac form kit and I just found out my current work contract will not be renewed come November, so until I lock up another contract all modeling purchases are off.
In the case that I can get a Victor and get in on this GB, I’d like to convert it to the recon variant, I think it was called the SR.30 and they arial mapped the Mediteranian with one once.
Does anyone know where I could get some reference on the net about this variant so I can figure out just what I might be getting myself into?
I know ModelDecal used to have a Victor sheet that included the recon version. I also know that Hannants took over ModelDecal some time ago, did Hannants ever reissue that particular Victor sheet. I know there was another sheet with anti flash white Victors too.
Here’s the latest on the workshop conversion. All the electrics are done, and the floor’s being cleared to put the self-leveller down to get rid of the corrugated surface on the floor.
Muppet newsflash! My Flightpath K2 resin & PE update set has just arrived at home. I will now be sitting in my office for the rest of the day wishing I was at home checking out all the goodies that I’m going to glue all over my Victor [:(]
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I unpacked the box to the Flightpath multi-media update:
The first thing out was an exquisite pair of replacement air-intakes, cast in a buttery colored resin. The detail & countour of them has to be seen to be believed![:0]
The fret of Photo-etched parts is smaller than expected, but the number of parts crammed into such a small space is phenomenal. There’s very little wasted brass by the time all the parts come off their fret.
Finally, there is a small bag of white-metal parts that are used to replace the tail fairing tips, the pitot tube, and auxilliary air-intakes on the top of the fuselage. These parts are probably the weakest of the set, and will require a little filing and trimming to fit to the relevant sections.
The instructions are the usual Flightpath 3D-CAD type, with detailed instructions to the side, for clarification of the drawings. The set will be a challenge, without shadow of a doubt, as I will have to hack open the leading edge wing root to attach the replacement intakes, and much test-fitting & sanding will be required. The replacement canopy framing will be a test of my abilities too, as it needs to be formed on a compound curve to fit with the contours of the original.
I’m very excited at the prospect of starting the build now, and will be working extra hard over the next few days to get my new workshop finished so I can crack on. [:D]
For your interest Rareplanes produced an excellant vacumform kit of the Victor many years ago. If you can find one it probably would be chaper than any Matchbox or Revell duplicate. In addition, Modeldecal produced an excellant set of Desert Storm decals that covered all the special marking used by the Victor during that engagement. I recommend both items as a prederede approach if you can find them. I have both of them.
Incidently the elaborate scheme shown early in the entries on the forum is for the prototype which cannot be produced from either kit without a great deal of changes in the basic model.
Richard
That’s interesting Richard - I think it was Sean that posted that color scheme up. I thought it was pretty horrible, but don’t tell Sean [;)]
I would imagine the changes would be significant, just from seing some of the alterations that’ve happened to other planes of the same era. The prototype usually looks less cluttered than a production variant, doesn’t it? Thanks for sharing your info.
Mike, I was reading a review of the update set somewhere (cant remember where off the top of my head) but the fella using it threw out the canopy frame with the update set. After 2 tries trying to get it to work he gave up and used the kit supplied canopy with greater sucess. Something about the frame curving on two different axis’s and cracking the windscreen after 2days… just a heads up. When it comes time for me to have a crack at my Victor Im probably gonna be picking your brain for resources like these update sets and I really want to hear how your decal ordering ordeal turns out.
Awood - yes, I heard exactly the same thing. I might approach it differently though. Here’s my idea. I’ve noticed that part of the framing is split, which I’m guessing it to cater for the compound curves of the canopy area. I’m going to build my framing up, try & get it as best a fit as I can, and if I can do it so that I’m satisfied with it, I’ll then attack the original styrene canopy with my sanding sticks to reduce the frames down so that it’ll fit inside the PE frame. Once it’ll go inside, I’ll polish it up with micromesh pads, future it & bond the two together.
Another option would be to use the original canopy (suitably reduced) as a master for a push-molded acetate copy. I think the reason the reviewer’s canopy glass cracked, was that it was flat, rather than moulded to fit. Anything under stress will eventually fail, so if it’s heated and moulded to shape, it should survive for years - just like a Squadron canopy will (I hope!).
On the decal front, the sheet hasn’t arrived as yet, but it’s coming from France, and the guy said that their postal system is laughable, so to expect a delay of 7-10 days. When it arrives, I’ll post up a scan for everyone to see [;)]
I’ll be collecting a bit more reference material over the coming weeks, and might take a trip to Cosford museum to see what they’ve got there for me to have a look at. The only thing that I’m weak on is the cockpit internals. The MB 3/4 seats shouldn’t be a problem, as Aeroclub do lots of seats, but the additional consoles etc. are none-existent OOB. The Flightpath fret includes an instrument panel, but I want a few more details for the rear seats etc. Watch this space. If I have it, I’ll post it. [;)]
Got the Euro decals this morning, and they live up to expectations. They’re crisply printed, and nicely in register. Not only do they include Deserty Storm (Operation Granby) decals, but they include decals for the old anti-flash white scheme and the later camoflaged scheme, which is a bonus.
Here’s the main sheet:
and the day-glo refuelling guides:
I’m very pleased with them, and given that they came from France, they didn’t take too long to arrive.
Ok, questions about the decals…
#1 How did you go about ordering them? The link you showed didnt provide an ordering link.
#2. Shipping. Im an American living in Belgium so I have two shipping options. They can come straight to my home address which would probably be easier for the company mailing them or I can have them mailed to my APO. Heres my dilema If they come to my house will they fit inside a normal postal slot or will I have to pick them up from the post office? I ask because if i have to pick them up the postman leaves a slip of some kind “hey you, we’ve got you mail, come get it” which would be fine cept I cant read or speak french and not knowing what that slip looks like Id probably throw it out.
If I have them mailed to my APO its a little more gaurenteed ot get to me however it goes to the states first then comes back this way which could take awhile. This is fine as Im in no rush to get started on this project. What would you suggest?
Awood - here’s the skinny. If you have a Paypal account, you can just paypal the £13.95 (or equivalent) to their account, using their email address as the key… In the details section you just tell them what you want & give them a shipping address, and presuming your payment goes thru, you should get your decals in a week or so.
That leaves the posting part. I’d have them sent directly to your address in Belgium, as they come in quite a small envelope - a C5 to use the UK method of sizing envelopes. That’s about 9 inches by 6.5 inches. It’s not a fat envelope, as aside from the 2 sheets of decals, there’s only 4 or 5 sheets of A4 glossy paper with the various color schemes on it.
There you go… a step-by-step guide to buying Eurodecals… I should be on a commission! [;)]
if you really wanted to make money youd redesign thier web page for em with an order cart, checkout page and link ot paypal 
charge em web designer fees, and a penalty for lacking some common sense. Then again, this is a french company and Im sure they argue the meaning of “common sense”
Thanks for info, will certainly come in handy
LOL, Atwood! Well, I shouldn’t laugh too hard at our French allies![;)] Anywho, Mike, I’ve been eyeing this GB for a little bit. Since I read that it is open-ended, I’m seriously thinking of getting in on this! I have the Matchbox K.2 that I bought not too long ago. And am most definately going to get the AM goodies for it![:D] I want to do all three of the “V” bombers and the Victor just happened to be the first kit that I got.[8D] I love the big bombers, from the Avro 0/400 to the T-4! I’m on evilbay right now trying to get an A-Model Tu-160 Blackjack![:p]
Lodni - You’re welcome to join in. This is, by nature of the subject, going to be a small GB, but I look on it as an elite & select group of Cold War Bomber Connoisseurs… [;)]
If I were scanning this thread right now, just those resin intakes would have me salivating to join the build. They’re a sight to behold in the flesh (resin), believe me… Even though I’m currently without workshop til I finish building my new one, I’m still tempted to get out the razor saw to start work on integrating them into the plastic wing… Must rescribe it first though, to get rid of those diabolical tram-lines that purport to be “panel-lines”… yeah - right!
Awood - you’re dead right about their web page being a bit crappo… I’d happily redesign it for them, along with Flightpath’s too, but I was fiddling with Dreamweaver the other night to make a home page for my modelling exploits, and I’ve forgotten how most of it works since I designed my mountain biking site (www.chestermtb.co.uk) DOH!!!
Thinking about it, Sanger need their heads slapping for their cluttered & visually disgraceful website… It’s all yellow, reds & blues… hurts my eyes. I also can’t believe they’ve not got their own domain names either. Oops, sorry… that’s the wannabe techie in me coming out.
oooh… Lodni. I also happen to have the Airfix Vulcan in my stash too, and plan on building a bomb bay for it at some point. Now… if I were to cast a few up in resin when I’ve finished…? i can recommend the Flightpath PE update for that too.
I’ve had the honour of actually going inside the bay of XH558 recently, so I have so many detail pics it’d make your head hurt [:)] Don’t tell anyone, but I was also in the cockpit… [:D]
here we go, first the Victors, then the Vulcans…next thing you know we’ll be building Valiants too… lets just go ahead and turn this into to V-bombers build with build rules that you have to build them backwards as they appeared… [:D] Ive got the Vulcan (God that a beautiful aircraft) Does any one make a Valiant in 72?