The Handley Page Victor, British jet bomber, aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company, during the Cold War, Lusty Lindy, Black Buck Raid
XL231 is not just another plane parked out in the rain, XL231 is “living and breathing” and performs engine and taxi runs. XL231entered RAF service with 139 Squadron on the 1st February 1962 and was returned to Handley Page for conversion to the B(SR).2 standard in November 1963; re-entering service with 543 Squadron in July 1964. On 23rd January 1972, XL231 became the prototype Victor tanker conversion. XL231 went on to support the “Black Buck” raid on Port Stanley and was nicknamed “Lusty Lindy” in operation Granby during the Gulf War. When 55 Squadron disbanded on the 15th October 1993 XL231 was sold and retired to RAF Elvington on the 25th November 1993. XM715 is the only other "living and breathing" Victor and regularly performs engine runs (the above photograph was taken with all four Conway engine on full power) and fast taxi runs on open days at RAF Bruntingthorpe. XM715 was built in the fourth batch and served with 139, 100, 543, 55 Squadrons and 232 OCU (twice). XM715 first flew on the 31st December 1962 and was delivered to the RAF on the 4th May 1963. XM715 was one of the last Victors to be delivered under contract 6/Acft/15566/CB6. After conversion to B(SR).2 standard in 1965, and a brief spell in this role, XM715 was handed back to Handley Page and subsequently did very little flying. On 12th May 1975, XM715 was delivered to 232 OCU after conversion to standard (the ninth such conversion) and was heavily used to 'catch-up' on fatigue index. XM715 spent most of her later life with 55 Squadron and was nicknamed "Teasin' Tina" in operation Granby during the Gulf War. Eventually sold and flown to RAF Bruntingthorpe on the 19th November 1993.
Size: 5184px × 3456px
Photo credit: © Steve Welsh / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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