The Handley Page Victor.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
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Sole memories [from ATC] of the Victor from Tengah were:
Early morning departure, otherwise they couldn't get airborne from 9,000 ft.
Crash Crew on standby to untangle the upwind Barrier after 'it' had got airborne [just].
Local Controller with finger poised over the Crash alarm anyway.
Early morning departure, otherwise they couldn't get airborne from 9,000 ft.
Crash Crew on standby to untangle the upwind Barrier after 'it' had got airborne [just].
Local Controller with finger poised over the Crash alarm anyway.
As it's a Victor thread i can't resist linking to this little Pathe gem from 1964, complete with inimitable Bob Danvers-Walker commentary. Bit of a howler in the first 10 seconds though... https://www.britishpathe.com/video/tree-top-bombers-aka-new-v-bombers-have-blue-steel/query/raf+victor
As it's a Victor thread i can't resist linking to this little Pathe gem from 1964, complete with inimitable Bob Danvers-Walker commentary. Bit of a howler in the first 10 seconds though... https://www.britishpathe.com/video/tree-top-bombers-aka-new-v-bombers-have-blue-steel/query/raf+victor
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Valencia, Spain
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Had just two flights in a Victor, XH591 in the jump seat from Tengah to Butterworth and return, to repair a Red Steer fault in another of our aircraft, in 1965. The outward trip was in the morning and low-level all the way, very low through the mountains while the pilots were taking photos, then we were called to help out the police with a pirate ship attacking a merchant vessel in the Malacca straits, a common occurrence back then, and we flew low and slow just above the waves towards the pirates ship and saw the crew jumping overboard from a Chinese junk before we opened up and climbed away. It was reported that the junk had capsized and police launches were picking up the crew. Return was at night and my mic failed before take-off so I borrowed a spare mask from one of the crew in the back, I only remember one was S/L Milne, our CO. Should have been high level but a loud pop at about 20,000' on the climb was identified as a cracked windscreen so we depressurised and levelled off and I had to hold the mask to my face to keep the oxygen dolls-eye blinking as it was a bad fit. I recall a comment just before we landed that we were close to Indonesian (enemy) airspace at one point. I believe the B1As were limited to 55,000'.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
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Indonesian airspace was about 14 miles final approach for rw 36 at Tengah. This rather compressed the radar traffic patterns when things were busy! Oh, and the inevitable 'Point Bravo' 16 nm south-west (Tanjung Piai) where everyone arrived at high speed bleating about fuel priority 
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Ka-2b pilot, I think it would have been earlier than 1965 as we replaced the Victors in Sep-Oct 64.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
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I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
MPN, Chamfrom. The Valiant tankers were still in the AOBAT until Jan 65 and into 66 Fighter Command had access to KC135 under Exercise Billy Boy IIRC.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Door Keys
The Vulcan fleet had just one car door key for the whole fleet - FA501. What did the Victor fleet have? Was it one key for all marks?
Valiant anyone?
Valiant anyone?
There were 2 different keys for the Vulcan. One was indeed the FA501. IIRC the ex Blue Steel aircraft used a different number.
Most of the locks were so worn by the end that almost anything would open them, including the key for my push bike chain lock.
Most of the locks were so worn by the end that almost anything would open them, including the key for my push bike chain lock.
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Each Crew Chief had his own.
But you could buy them in Halfords!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Ian, that would have been fun trying to keep tabs on them. Imagine running to your aircraft -wrong key. Maybe why they went for one on the Vulcan.
Join Date: Sep 2017
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Seem to recall that a "Romac(?) FGS 50 key was a like a master key and fitted most of the older British aircraft (to my own knowledge it more often than not worked on Valiants, Domminies, Canberras and Andovers) and indeed British cars as well in the days before we got all sophisticated and fitted steering locks etc
I still have the ignition key to my 1937 Austin Seven which is a small rectangular section. My then girlfriend sometimes used to use her nail file to start the car.
