The Handley Page Victor: The History & Development of a Classic Jet

The HP80 Prototype & The Mark I

Roger Brooks

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Aviation
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781844154111
• eBook ISBN: 9781473814806
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: European Medieval History
• Index: History

The Handley Page Victor was the longest serving V-Bomber with the RAF. It was conceived in 1945 and after much research and development the Mk 1 entered service in the late 1950s to become part of the UK's nuclear deterrent force. It could fly faster, higher and further than any comparable aircraft of that era. It boasted a unique crescent wing shape and was the most handsome of the three types of V bomber. It was later extensively modified to become the RAF's main tanker aircraft for in-flight refuelling and served in that role from 1965 until 1993. This is the most authoritative reference to the aircraft yet to be published. Commencing with the first design trials and test flights, each chapter includes personnel recollections from pilots and design staff, and is solidly based on official government and company reports, many of which are included. The text explains the introduction and operation once it was in RAF service and explains the various roles that it undertook and the many experiments and trials that took place to perfect the various systems required for these roles. The Mk 2 was a much improved model and many were adapted for tanker duties. All is fully explained with copious diagrams and rarely seen photographs. Lengthy appendices detail Aircraft Accident Reports and other unique information that has never been published.This is the ultimate reference book on this famous and much-loved aircraft.7 Colour Profiles by David Windle, 22 Colour Photographs, 170 Mono Photographs and 66 Diagrams

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction and Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

Bibliography

PART ONE. The HP 80 From its Concept to Flight

The Requirements that lead to the HP80 and the Victor

The Specification B35/46

The HP 80 to B34/46, dated May 1947

Operational Requirements OR 229/3

Crystallising the Concept on Paper and Metal, R.S. Stafford, Chief Designer and W.H. MacRostie, Chief Engineer

The Crescent Wing, Harry Fraser Mitchell

Safety in Aircraft Design, C.F. Joy, Chief Designer

The Turbojet Wind Tunnel, F.R.C. Houndsfield, Chief Wind Tunnel Engineer

The HP 80 Prototypes WB771 and WB775, 1951

The Construction Phase

Sandwich Construction, Chief Stressman F Tyson

The Victor, Sdn/Ldr H.G. Hazelden, Chief Test Pilot

Testing the Prototype, Ian K. Bennett, Chief Flight Test Observer

Testing and Development Flying of the Prototypes

AAEE Preview Assessment of WB775 3/55

PART TWO. The Victor Mk I Series or Into Production

The Production Specification B128P Victor B Mk 1

The Victor and its Structure, R.H. Sandifer Assistant Chief Designer Structures

Plan for Production, J.G. Roxborough, Chief Planning Engineer

Looking Inside the Victor Mk 1 Series

The Victor B Mk 1 XA917-941

Development Aircraft XA917-XA922

Production Aircraft Delivered to the RAF

The Victor B Mk 1 XA923-925 [RRF]

The Victor B Mk 1 XH587-XH667

The Victor B Mk 1A (K2P) XH615-667

The Victor B (K) Mk 1 XA918-941

The Victor B (K) Mk 1A XH587–XH651

FOREWORD

I am honoured and delighted to have been asked to introduce this book, which is an indepth study of an aircraft whose design and development, occupied on and off nearly half my working life from 1951. I have great affection for it, not least because it brought me into close working contact with so many highly competent people, one of the foremost being the Author. In fact, I did not meet him until long after the parent company Handley Page, went out of business, since I was an aerodynamicist by trade and (unfortunately) had little contact with the RAF people at the ‘sharp end’ operating and maintaining the aircraft.

Roger Brooks has some 40 years of experience of working at the ‘sharp end’ with the Victor and other aircraft, and has distilled some of his vast knowledge into this volume. But not only operating aspects, as he has collected a comprehensive archive covering the Victor’s design and development story, mainly from those who were there — Godfrey Lee, effectively the ‘Father of the Victor’, Hedley Hazelden, Chief Test Pilot on the first flight, and many others, and lucidly presents it.

That valuable contribution is enhanced by reference to many Technical Manuals, Reports, Specifications and Brochure, all combining to make this a most valuable contribution to our Aviation Heritage literature.

The collection of statistical data is probably unique, and is usefully supplemented by a careful selection of illustrations.

The amount of ground covered by the Author is clear from the extensive quoted bibliography, but in fact his researches went further, and his experience as a Crew Chief for the aircraft (still continued with XL231 ‘Lusty Lindy’ operating at Elvington) is very evident in the scope and detail in the data presented.

I feel sure this is a book which will be on most serious aviation historian’s bookshelf, and will quickly get dog-eared with use, but I hope the aircraft enthusiast will also use it — at least he will know that this is the real, unassailable ‘gen’ compiled by someone who knows the aircraft inside out.

A.H. Fraser-Mitchell

Sometime Chief Aerodynamicist Handley Page Ltd

Vice President, Handley Page Association

January 2005

INTRODUCTION AND
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Over the past 40 years or so, many books have been written on the Handley Page Victor and the V Force aircraft in general. This book is not in the same vein as those. It is written as a Data File and subdivided into sections dealing with specific variations of this unique aircraft. It is intended as a reference book and you do not have to read all of it, just the relevant items that appeal to you. The accuracy of data in this book is backed up by the source material, which I have quoted the main items in the bibliography. It is by no means the definitive history of this aircraft as a considerable amount of very interesting data is not available for a variety of reasons by a few organisations for strange excuses.

I would like to produce a second edition within the next few years containing additional information on this book and the Victor in Service with the Royal Air Force from 1957–1993. Contributions for it are welcomed from all readers, no matter what they contain, and should be sent to the publisher.

I would like to thank the following for their assistance and guidance over the years in the course of developing the Data File.

The following members of the Handley Page Association:

Harry Fraser-Mitchell, Peter Cronbach, John Allam, Spud Murphy, Peter P. Baker, Jock Still, John Rudeforth, Alan Dowsett, John Harding, John Smith, Chris Scivyer, Brian Bowen, Mike Wilson, Harry Rayner, David Blades and Steve Mills. Finally, to all those members who I have spoken to over the past many years.

The following past Members of Handley Page Ltd and the Handley Page Association:

Godfrey Lee, Hedley Hazelden, Ian Bennett, Bob Williams, Gordon Roxborough, Reginald Stafford, Charles Joy, R.H. Sandifer, Dr G.V. Lachmann, W.H. MacRostie, C.O. Vernon, F.R.C. Houndsfield and John Tank. For being allowed access to the articles they wrote for the HP Bulletin nearly 50 years ago and in particular to Ray Funnell for access to his archives.

From the Royal Air Force:

Aircrew

Air Vice Marshal John Herrington, Flt Lt Pancho Painting, Flt Lt Eric Anstead, Flt Lt Alan Fisher, Air Commodore ‘Spike’ Milligan, Flt Lt Terry Filing, Sdn Ldr Jerry Mudford, Flt Lt Ken Norman, Air Commodore David Bywater, Flt Lt Alan Gardener, Sdn Ldr C.R. ‘Pop’ Miles, Sdn Ldr M Reade, Wing Commander Dave Griffiths, Flt Lt David Coleman, Group Captain Tony Ringer, Sdn Ldr Gordon Stringer, Flt Lt R.T. Hayward, Flt Lt John Bussey, Sdn Ldr Tim Mason, Sdn Ldr Al Stephenson, Sdn Ldr Bob Tuxford, Sdn Ldr Tony Cunnane, Wing Commander Barry Neal, Flt Lt Al Skelton, Wing Commander Bob Prothero, Flt Lt John Ledger. All the Victor captains and crews I flew with on the Mk 1 and Mk 2 Tanker Fleet as their Crew Chief.

Crew Chiefs

Bill Swann, David Haylett, John Kent, Sid Harding, Dave Parsons, Robbie Honnor and Brian Martin.

Ground Crew

Dennis Robinson, Gordon Stringer, Jim Jones, Jim Gosling, Paul Goss, Duncan Curtis, Mick Crooks, Dave Wynn-Jones, Don Williams (Australia), Robin Cooper, Stan Jones, Pete Claydon, Tony Regan, Rick Gill and Doug Gawley. Also, thanks go to all those whose names I have failed to remember.

Finally, my grateful thanks go to the following from many walks of like for their interest in the Victor and assisting in many ways:

Andre Tempest (Owner Victor XL231 ‘Lusty Lindy’), Martin Garland and BAE Systems Woodford Heritage Centre, Graeme Rodgers (NZ), Garry O’Keefe, The Victor Association, Ken Ellis, Jarrod Cotter and Duncan Cubbitt of Fly Past.

Cover credits:

The Front Cover: First Prototype of the HP 80 WB771 flown by Sdn/Ldr Hazelden On a test flight 1953. Authors Collection via HPA

The Back Cover: Top Picture: Victor B1 XA918 second production aircraft on development flying: Authors Collection via HPA

Second Picture: Victor B1 XH592 15 Squadron arriving at RAAF Richmond, Sydney NSW Australia on the 20/6/61 after a high speed run from England and on the last leg from Darwin beating the record time by 20 minutes. Captained by Wing Commander Tony Ringer seen here descending from the aircraft, the time from England was 19hours. Photo and data via Graeme Rodgers New Zealand

Third Picture: Front Cabin of Victor B1A(K2P) XH648 57 Squadron now with the IWM at Duxford. Heather Brooks

Fourth Picture: Victor K1A XH618 57 Squadron RAF Marham 1972. Authors Collection

Bottom Picture: HP 80 WB771 Banking to Port with Wheels down, Flap both nose and main down and airbrakes open...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents