K2 Tankers

[Minty4371]

Which Vulcan aircraft, with short engine tail pipes, were converted as tankers? May do one using the Falklands Vulcan model. Don't think I want to buy extra parts and hack the model to get them to fit, just to get the correct length of tail pipes to do it as XH558 or ones with the longer tail pipes.

[Sooty655]

How about doing XM603, which was the factory prototype for the tanker conversion.

As far as I can see, the six actually converted and put into service had 201 engines, ie long jet-pipe end caps.

[Minty4371]

How about doing XM603, which was the factory prototype for the tanker conversion.
As far as I can see, the six actually converted and put into service had 201 engines, ie long jet-pipe end caps.

I will see if I can find any pictures of XM603 on the internet. Thank you for your reply.

[Sooty655]

The list I have for the six K2 conversions is XH558, XH560, XH561, XL445 and XM571. If anyone knows whether this is correct (or not) please shout.

[Minty4371]

Wasn't XL445 fitted with short tail pipes? I saw a picture on Air-Britain Photographs of XL445, which appeared to have been taken after the tanker conversion had finished.

[Ramshornvortex]

The list I have for the six K2 conversions is XH558, XH560, XH561, XL445 and XM571. If anyone knows whether this is correct (or not) please shout.

You missed out XJ825 Sooty - you're right, there were just six K.Mk2s, XM603 following the trial conversion wasn't classed as one of them as by then she had been sold back to BAe.

Wasn't XL445 fitted with short tail pipes? I saw a picture on Air-Britain Photographs of XL445, which appeared to have been taken after the tanker conversion had finished.

XL445 was 201-engined, hence the longer end caps.

[Minty4371]

So if I did one up as XM603 in tanker version, would it be right, or wrong.

[Bovril]

So if I did one up as XM603 in tanker version, would it be right, or wrong.

only as a prototype i think

[Ramshornvortex]

So if I did one up as XM603 in tanker version, would it be right, or wrong.

It would be correct only in that '603 appeared that way for a few months after her retirement from RAF service!

[Minty4371]

Pity I cannot find any photos of it . I have seen pictures of the tankers with camo on top, and on underside of the wings with a section of white down the middle and the rest of the underside of the wing. I just hope that it would be right in that livery.

[Sooty655]

I don't think XM603 would ever have had the white alignment stripes and patches on the underside, as she was never a service K2. I guess you have set yourself something of an impossible task as all the service K2s were definitely 201s with long end-caps.

You are going to have to scratch-build the "skip" under the ECM bay, so are the longer end-caps a big problem?

[Minty4371]

Got to find someone who does the correct long length tail pipes for the 1/72 model.

[Sooty655]

D J Parkins do conversion kits, including one with both the longer end-caps and the tanker bits. Try here.

[Minty4371]

Thanks. Just checked and there are no images, so cannot see what is in the kit.
Have sent an email to him to see if he can post me a picture of what is in the kit.
I could probably do it as XH560 by using XH56 of XH562 and the Zero from XM607.

[Crew chief]

I see there are a load of pictures of Vulcan K2's on the Vulcans in camera website.


cc.

[Minty4371]

Thank you Crew Chief. I will take a look at the website.

[Minty4371]

K2 Tankers
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZutd-5q ... re=related

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXyfhpIBJrs

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrLrKLSL ... re=related