Airfix Valiant

[Garry Russell]

Been out a little while now, but with the dark evenings and Santa's wish list being drawn up, perhaps this article might be some food for thought

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/inde ... 73820&st=0

[DaveB]

I have the books.. but I don't have the model One obvious thing I noted (though I'd not be so bold to say as much at Britmodeller).. some nice attention to detail put into the flightdeck yet they've used the default yoke. Did all Valiant pilots have Incredible Hulk sized hands?

ATB
DaveB

[Garry Russell]

Maybe they allowed for the swelling after the dose of radiation??

Nice though to see a good 1/72 model

Personally I think this model is more interesting than the Vulcan

The real Vulcan is spectacular with it's agility, size and noise but is a bit of a slab of plastic in model form. I find Concorde loses a lot when not in action also.

All we need now is a 1/72 Victor bomber

[DaveB]

You're dead right there mate. The Vulcan 'in the air' is a joy as was Concorde.. even more so Concorde. They're still interesting on the ground.. again, moreso Concorde IMHO but as a model, they don't have a lot to say do they.

ATB
DaveB

[Chris558]

All we need now is a 1/72 Victor bomber

Just convert the Revell (Matchbox) K.2 one, like I did....(if you can be bothered)

[Garry Russell]

HI Chris

The Revell/Matchbox can be converted but that's not the point

A decent 1/72 Victor by Airfix would fit the bill nicely

The Matchbox Victor was a poor fitting kit and having to change the wing would put a lot of people off.

[Paul K]

In many ways I think the Valiant was the most elegant of the V-bombers. Nothing very radical in its design, just a simple graceful shape that looked right. Very happy with my Corgi model of it, despite the obvious shortcomings

Very true about the Vulcan and Concorde I think. Maybe its deltas - incredible to watch in real life, but the models are rather 'just two triangular bits and a tube' really. Not always true; the Convair B-58 Hustler is a delta, but it has those underslung engines and the weapons/fuel pod which offer a lot to look at, in both the real thing and the model. Then again, there is the Eurofighter Typhoo...Eurofighter Typh....Ty...zzzzzzzzz

[DaveB]

Indeed.. one needs to look at the Saab Draken or Viggen if it's an interesting shape you're after. Darned noisey beasts too which is always a bonus

ATB
DaveB

[Garry Russell]

It needs bits hanging from it to add interest

The Nimrod as a model is more interesting in it's later forms rather than the first service MR1 which was rather clean

It is action smoke and noise that are the character so difficult to put into mode but something like a Dak of even more so a Superfreighter with the nose open, ramps cars and old fashioned aerials and wire means all the character can be shown in a two foot square diorama

This is probably why biplanes are still so popular as there is a lot of character to be displayed.

You can have an afternoons fun with a paper dart and as such is a real aeroplane, but when you're not throwing it, it's just a folded piece of paper.

[TSR2]

The most elegant of all the V bombers was the original Victor, the prototype. The original flying crescent, WB771... In black and silver, beautiful. Hard to beat a HP welldone: