Handley Page Victor

Handley Page Victor K2 XM715 Teasin Tina accidental takeoff at Bruntingthorpe Taxi Event, Leicestershire May 2009. Photo by Wayne Willday

The Victor was the third (V Bomber) to be built. The other two being the Valiant and the Vulcan. All three were designed for high-speed, high-altitude penetration for invasion of Soviet airspace to deliver nuclear weapons.

The first flight of the Victor was made on 24th December 1952, with 86 airframes in various Mks produced. Later in its life some aircraft were converted to refueling tankers to replace the Valiant. The last squadron of Victors, No. 55 Squadron was disbanded at RAF Marham in 1993.

Five airframes were saved from the scrapman. B1A XH648 resides at Duxford's AirSpace Museum, K2 XH672 is at Cosford Aerospace Museum and K2 XH673 stands outside the Marham station headquarters, K2 XL231 is kept in taxiable condition at Yorkshire Air Museum and finally K2 XM715, probably one of the most famous Victors now is also kept in taxiable condition at Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire and in May 2009 made an unplanned short flight much to the delight of the aviation crowds watching.

Images courtesy of Chris Cannon and Ian Bracegirdle