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Handley Page Victor K2 XL231 'Lusty Lindy'
Together with the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant, the Handley Page Victor formed a trio of 'V-bombers' that entered service with the Royal Air Force as Britain's nuclear deterrent during the Cold War. This aircraft, XL231, made its maiden flight on 28 December 1961, and on 1 February 1962, became the first Victor B2 to be taken on strength with the newly re-formed No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron at RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire. Sharing the station was No. 100 Squadron, which also flew the Victor B2, and collectively the two squadrons formed what became known as the Wittering Wing. Initially, the aircraft of both squadrons were painted in a nuclear-flash-proof white, and operated at high altitude and high Mach numbers, with their crews requiring partial pressure suits. The aircraft were capable of carrying up to thirty-five 1,000lb bombs or the free-fall Blue Danube atomic bomb.
In 1963, the Avro Blue Steel stand-off nuclear missile became operational for both the Vulcan and the Victor bombers. This necessitated the aircraft of the Wittering Wing being fitted with a special cradle mechanism in the bomb bay, together with bomb doors that contoured to the missile, which was carried semi-externally and had to be adapted with a folding lower fin in order for the Victor to accommodate it.
The following year saw a change in tactics for the V-bombers as it became apparent that Soviet surface-to-air missiles were becoming increasingly capable of shooting down high-altitude aircraft, and so operations switched to low level. The aircraft's upper surfaces were repainted in a grey/green camouflage scheme, and the crews no longer needed to wear pressure suits. Incapable of withstanding low-level buffeting that caused severe metal fatigue, the Valiant was withdrawn from operations in 1965. Three years later, the same fate befell the Victor, and for the same reason. The Royal Navy's Polaris submarines took over the nuclear deterrent role, and the Victor bomber squadrons were disbanded. Blue Steel was withdrawn in 1970, and the Vulcan fleet reverted to conventional bomb delivery systems.
The Wittering Victors were flown back to Handley Page pending their conversion to air-to-air refueling tankers, a contract that was eventually awarded to Hawker Siddeley after Handley Page filed for bankruptcy in 1970 and folded soon afterwards. XL231 was selected as the prototype K2 tanker aircraft and began trials in 1972. Trials continued until 1977, when XL231 was taken back on strength with No. 57 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk, joining a K2 Tanker Wing that had been providing the RAF's entire air-to-air refueling support since 1975.
Operations in the South Atlantic in 1982-85 placed a great burden on the Victors, and metal fatigue started to build up once again, causing No. 57 Squadron to disband in 1986. Its remaining aircraft were transferred to No. 55 Squadron, which was deployed to Bahrain from December 1990 until February 1991, during Operation Desert Storm. It was during this conflict that XL231 received iconic nose art naming the aircraft ’Lusty Lindy’ in 'honour' of its crew chief’s wife!
No. 55 Squadron also disbanded on 15 October 1993 after its remaining Victors finally succumbed to metal fatigue. On that day, XL231 made its last official RAF flight as part of a Victor disbandment flypast at Marham. It was followed by XL231's last-ever flight on 25 November 1993, to the former RAF Elvington, near York, for display at the Yorkshire Air Museum, where a team of dedicated volunteers maintain the aircraft in serviceable and taxi-able condition.
Handley Page Victor K2 XL231 'Lusty Lindy'
Together with the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant, the Handley Page Victor formed a trio of 'V-bombers' that entered service with the Royal Air Force as Britain's nuclear deterrent during the Cold War. This aircraft, XL231, made its maiden flight on 28 December 1961, and on 1 February 1962, became the first Victor B2 to be taken on strength with the newly re-formed No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron at RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire. Sharing the station was No. 100 Squadron, which also flew the Victor B2, and collectively the two squadrons formed what became known as the Wittering Wing. Initially, the aircraft of both squadrons were painted in a nuclear-flash-proof white, and operated at high altitude and high Mach numbers, with their crews requiring partial pressure suits. The aircraft were capable of carrying up to thirty-five 1,000lb bombs or the free-fall Blue Danube atomic bomb.
In 1963, the Avro Blue Steel stand-off nuclear missile became operational for both the Vulcan and the Victor bombers. This necessitated the aircraft of the Wittering Wing being fitted with a special cradle mechanism in the bomb bay, together with bomb doors that contoured to the missile, which was carried semi-externally and had to be adapted with a folding lower fin in order for the Victor to accommodate it.
The following year saw a change in tactics for the V-bombers as it became apparent that Soviet surface-to-air missiles were becoming increasingly capable of shooting down high-altitude aircraft, and so operations switched to low level. The aircraft's upper surfaces were repainted in a grey/green camouflage scheme, and the crews no longer needed to wear pressure suits. Incapable of withstanding low-level buffeting that caused severe metal fatigue, the Valiant was withdrawn from operations in 1965. Three years later, the same fate befell the Victor, and for the same reason. The Royal Navy's Polaris submarines took over the nuclear deterrent role, and the Victor bomber squadrons were disbanded. Blue Steel was withdrawn in 1970, and the Vulcan fleet reverted to conventional bomb delivery systems.
The Wittering Victors were flown back to Handley Page pending their conversion to air-to-air refueling tankers, a contract that was eventually awarded to Hawker Siddeley after Handley Page filed for bankruptcy in 1970 and folded soon afterwards. XL231 was selected as the prototype K2 tanker aircraft and began trials in 1972. Trials continued until 1977, when XL231 was taken back on strength with No. 57 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk, joining a K2 Tanker Wing that had been providing the RAF's entire air-to-air refueling support since 1975.
Operations in the South Atlantic in 1982-85 placed a great burden on the Victors, and metal fatigue started to build up once again, causing No. 57 Squadron to disband in 1986. Its remaining aircraft were transferred to No. 55 Squadron, which was deployed to Bahrain from December 1990 until February 1991, during Operation Desert Storm. It was during this conflict that XL231 received iconic nose art naming the aircraft ’Lusty Lindy’ in 'honour' of its crew chief’s wife!
No. 55 Squadron also disbanded on 15 October 1993 after its remaining Victors finally succumbed to metal fatigue. On that day, XL231 made its last official RAF flight as part of a Victor disbandment flypast at Marham. It was followed by XL231's last-ever flight on 25 November 1993, to the former RAF Elvington, near York, for display at the Yorkshire Air Museum, where a team of dedicated volunteers maintain the aircraft in serviceable and taxi-able condition.