RAF Handley Page HP-80 Victor K.2s XL164 & XL188 parked at RAF Fairford

The Military Collection - bombers & tankers
Seen from the top deck of a photo-bus at the International Air Tattoo, two of the Royal Air Force Handley Page Victor K.2 tankers XL164 [No. 57 Squadron] and XL188 [No. 55 Squadron] - seen in low-visibility hemp camouflage. The aircraft were part of the fleet of 24 B.2 bombers that were converted to K.2 air-to-air refuelling tankers. In the distance is RAF No. 101 Squadron's Vickers VC-10 K.2 ZA143 / D and a couple of unidentified Lockheed C-130 Hercules - the USAF (MAC) one most likely 64-0557 C-130E of 314 TAW and the RAF one either XV191, 213 or 215.

I always thought the Victors had a really strange body shape, with quite a distinctive 'face' :)

XL164 - Delivered to the RAF on 31May63 as a B2 and converted to a K2 Tanker in 1972. Last flight 01Nov93 to Brize Norton where it became a ground trainer as 9215M. Scrapped Aug95 with the nose being preserved. [Thanks to www.flickr.com/photos/132337785@N03 - see photo in Comments section below]

The Handley Page HP-80 Victor was a British jet-powered strategic bomber developed and produced by Handley Page during the Cold War. It was the third and final 'V bomber' to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the other two being the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. Entering service in 1958, the Victor was initially developed as part of the United Kingdom's airborne nuclear deterrent, but it was retired from the nuclear mission in 1968, following the discovery of fatigue cracks which had been exacerbated by the RAF's adoption of a low-altitude flight profile to avoid interception, and due to the pending introduction of the Royal Navy's submarine-launched Polaris missiles in 1969.

The Victor B.2 aircraft were not as suited to the low-level mission profile that the RAF had adopted for carrying out strategic bombing missions as the Vulcan with its strong delta wing. This, combined with the switch of the nuclear deterrent from the RAF to the Royal Navy (with the Polaris missile) meant that the Victors were considered to be surplus to requirements. Hence, 24 B.2s were modified to K.2 standard and operated as tankers. The K.2 could carry 91,000 lb (41,000 kg) of fuel, and the aircraft served in the tanker role until withdrawal of the last members of the fleet in Oct 1993. More info here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Victor#Aerial_refuelli...

The 1983 IAT was the last to be held at Greenham Common due to the build up of cruise missile facilities and the reduced area for a large airshow. In 1985, RAF Fairford was chosen as the venue to host the Air Tattoo with the static display stretching for nearly 2 miles - the longest single line-up ever presented in the UK.

The International Air Tattoo events held at RAF Greenham Common & RAF Fairford
The first Air Tattoo was staged at North Weald Airfield in Essex in 1971, with just over 100 aircraft taking part. The event was founded by Paul Bowen and Timothy Prince, who were CAA air traffic controllers, and Air Marshal Sir Denis Crowley-Milling.

From 1973 to 1983 it was held intermittently at RAF Greenham Common, moving to RAF Fairford in 1985. The show took place at Fairford every two years until it became an annual show from 1993.

initially the show was held under the title of the Royal Air Forces Association, South Eastern Area, Air Tattoo. The show became the International Air Tattoo in 1976, and in 1996 the current Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) title was adopted.

Taken using a Soviet made Zenith TTL camera and standard lens. From an original slide, scanned and unrestored.

You can see a random selection of my aviation memories here: www.flickriver.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/random/

Taken in: UK / England / Cotswold District / Kempsford (show map)

Taken on: July 13, 1985

Tags:

XL164

XL188

Handley Page Victor

ZA143

Vickers VC10

VC-10

64-0557

40557

Lockheed Hercules

C-130

USAF

MAC

RAF

Fairford

RAF Fairford

Airshow

IAT

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