Handley Page
Victor. Royal
Air Force V-bomber Handley Page Victor in aviation art prints by Keith Woodcock and Michael
Rondot. Handley Page Victor K2 shown as refueling aircraft for Vulcan
bomber during the Falklands War.
Black Buck One by Keith Woodcock The longest ever bombing mission, 30th April - 1st May 1982. Vulcan B2
XM607 of 44 sqn prepares to refuel from Victor K2 XH672 of 57 sqn on its
return from bombing Port Stanley Airport on the Falklands.
Lightning Refuel by Michael
Turner. A Lightning interceptor takes on fuel from a Victor
tanker.
Victor Farewell by Michael Rondot After three decades of frontline Squadron service with the Royal Air
Force, two wars, and over 40 years since their conception, the last of the
V-Bombers has retired. The Handley Page Victor played a significant role
in the Falklands conflict of 1982 and in the Gulf War of 1991. The final
flight by an RAF Victor was made in November 1993 when XH672 'Maid Marian'
flew from its RAF Marham base destined for the RAF Museum at Cosford, thus
drawing to a close the distinguished career of the Cold War big bomber.
Michael Rondot spent many hours plugged into Victor tankers en-route to
pleasant destinations such as Bermuda and the USA, and unpleasant ones
such as downtown Kuwait and Iraq. He developed a respect and admiration
for the Victor and its aircrews that can only come from being alone in a
thunderstorm, short of fuel and navigation aids, with only a Victor
between the pilot and an icy North Atlantic bath.
