Since the early 1950s until the end of the Cold War the RAF operated a fleet of nuclear delivery aircraft high altitude, high speed bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons deep into enemy territory. Commonly known as the V-bombers they included the Vickers Valiant (introduced in 1954, the first to drop a nuclear bomb), the Handley Page Victor (introduced in 1957) and the Avro Vulcan (introduced in the same year). Most of the early days service saw the Valiant wear an overall aluminium livery; soon (1957) it was replaced by a so-called anti-flash white paint (gloss bright white when freshly applied, weathering quickly towards a very light pearl grey). A change of tactics to low-level penetration in 1964, led to gradual application of camouflage to the whole V-bomber fleet.
Contains the following colours (acrylic paints, water-based):
HTK-A003 Silver Overall colour of the RAF nuclear delivery fleet in the early / testing period. Also used on Vickers Valiants during Suez Crisis in 1956 HTK-A322 RAF Anti-Flash White Since 1957 the overall colour of the nuclear delivery fleet (also of the TSR2 prototypes). Later on lower sufraces of camouflaged planes HTK-A141 BS Medium Sea Grey BS381C:637, used since the mid-1960s on upper surfaces in low level strike scheme of the V-bombers and in wraparound camo of Vulcan HTK-A143 BS Dark Green BS381C:641, used since the mid-1960s on upper surfaces in low level strike scheme of the V-bombers and in wraparound camo of Vulcan HTK-A217 BS Light Aircraft Grey BS381C:627, used since mid-1960s on the lower surfaces in low level strike scheme of the V-bombers and of the Victor tankers (in Hemp) HTK-A144 BS Dark Sea Grey BS381C:638, used on the lower surfaces of RAF Avro Vulcan during Operation Black Buck (during the Falklands / Malvinas conflict) HTK-A262 BS Camouflage Beige BS381C:389, also known as Hemp, used in the 1980s/90s on upper surfaces of air-to-air refuelling Handley Page Victors (over LAG) HTK-A100 Jet Black / Night Exact match with BS381C:642, standard colour of anti-glare panels on various aircraft, including the RAF V-bombers fleet
Epoch
Modern Armies
Time
ab 1946
Nationality/Location
Great Britain
State
New
Not a toy! Not suitable for children under the age of 14!