From VictorPilot,
WB 775
I was pretty young when I saw 775 at Farnborough. I managed to cadge 3 trade tickets that year, and took some pics with a box camera. I seem to remember that the scheme was matt black with a red cheat line, but guess it might have been dark blue.
Bob, I think you're probably right - it was a red cheat line. Andrew Brookes's 1988 book 'Handley Page Victor' states that WB771 was painted at Radlett in late August 1953 "in an eerie matt black finish with red fuselage trimmings and silver-grey wings and tail for the 1953 Farnborough Show". Apparently the scheme was "personally chosen by Sir Frederick" himself. Following the accident to WB771, WB775 was completed "in the same black and siver-grey livery as its predecessor" for the 1954 Farnborough Show. Whether the cheat line on WB775 was blue or red, though, is not entirely clear. I do have some colour footage of one of these 2 aircraft and I distinctly remember the cheat line as red - sadly the video machine is kaput at the moment.so I can't confirm which airframe it is (I think I got the video cassette via the Handley Page Association, many years ago?).
My interest in the Victor? Was a pilot on 55 Sqn at RAF Marham from early 1990 up until the demise of the K2 in late 1993 (great parties!). Currently flying Boeing 777s!