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The Handley-Page Victor was third and final aircraft in Britain's V-bomber fleet, built to carry the nuclear deterrent during the Cold War. Built during the 1950s and 1960s, the bomber was designed to fly higher and faster than contemporary fighter aircraft so that it could penetrate Soviet airspace with its deadly load unopposed. In later years, it switched to a conventional role and saw service in the Borneo conflict of 1962-66, when two B.1A aircraft flew the Victor's only offensive mission, during the Falklands War in the 1980s and in 1991 in the Gulf War as an in-flight refueling tanker, before withdrawal later that year. The Aerofax series already covers the Vulcan and Valiant bombers and this new book completes the V-bomber set. The authors have provided a complete and thorough history of the aircraft from its initial design, through the development period to its operational service. Much new information has been gathered together, and aviation historians and enthusiasts will appreciate the numerous unpublished photographs which have been included to illustrate the informative text.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
From the outset of this book the authors are on the defensive, claiming that the ``Aerofax style'' precludes them from producing ``a truly in-depth account'' of the Victor. Oh dear...
A summary of the postwar HP jet bomber projects moves into discussing the aero-isoclinic wing and thence into a logical sequence of prototypes, variants, recce and tanker conversions, civil projects and the missile carrier proposals. A brief operational overview and structural description are capped by the best part of the book, recounting first-hand experiences of flying the Victor.
As with their previous work on the Meteor, Butler & Buttler have relied heavily on the National Archives and RAF Museum, along with the Handley Page Association. Although this provides a solid base of research they appear to shy from looking outside those sources to answer some questions which they themselves raise. There are also some awkward chunks of text recycled from previous publications ( such as Aviation News and RAF Historical Society ) though to the authors' credit they note this in the narrative. Still, the change of tone is noticeable and disrupts the flow of narrative.
The book is packed with photographs, overwhelmingly so and to the detriment of the text which is contorted around the images. Quite why eleven images of the HP.88 in various poses are required is unstated, and if you enjoy endless shots of Victors refuelling a variety of guests then this is your book, though don't expect much enlightenment from the unhelpful captions.
Unfortunately despite relying on the HPA archives we still don't have a definitive through-the-windscreen action shot. Could the aircrew actually see the runway?
The book concludes with 24 pages of colour images, most previously unseen by me, though the three cover photographs are all repeated herein.
A reasonable compendium of Victor history and variants, but far from the definitive history of the aircraft. Side-by-side with Eric Morgan's Valiant Aerofax, Butler & Buttler's volume is by far the weakest, feeling more like a pot pourri of facts and photographs than an integrated and deeply-researched history.
A summary of the postwar HP jet bomber projects moves into discussing the aero-isoclinic wing and thence into a logical sequence of prototypes, variants, recce and tanker conversions, civil projects and the missile carrier proposals. A brief operational overview and structural description are capped by the best part of the book, recounting first-hand experiences of flying the Victor.
As with their previous work on the Meteor, Butler & Buttler have relied heavily on the National Archives and RAF Museum, along with the Handley Page Association. Although this provides a solid base of research they appear to shy from looking outside those sources to answer some questions which they themselves raise. There are also some awkward chunks of text recycled from previous publications ( such as Aviation News and RAF Historical Society ) though to the authors' credit they note this in the narrative. Still, the change of tone is noticeable and disrupts the flow of narrative.
The book is packed with photographs, overwhelmingly so and to the detriment of the text which is contorted around the images. Quite why eleven images of the HP.88 in various poses are required is unstated, and if you enjoy endless shots of Victors refuelling a variety of guests then this is your book, though don't expect much enlightenment from the unhelpful captions.
Unfortunately despite relying on the HPA archives we still don't have a definitive through-the-windscreen action shot. Could the aircrew actually see the runway?
The book concludes with 24 pages of colour images, most previously unseen by me, though the three cover photographs are all repeated herein.
A reasonable compendium of Victor history and variants, but far from the definitive history of the aircraft. Side-by-side with Eric Morgan's Valiant Aerofax, Butler & Buttler's volume is by far the weakest, feeling more like a pot pourri of facts and photographs than an integrated and deeply-researched history.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having bought this to see what it was all about I decided to list the errors, I got as far as 4 pages of A4 then at page 65 I gave up. These two Authors Spent most of their time in the National Archives and the RAF Museum. Their photographs are in some cases breaking copyright. Has any body heard of an aircaft colour "Lincoln Green" on a Victor I never have and I have worked on and flown in all the types of Victor Tanker as well as writing a book on them. As another review I read stated there was a lot of cutting and pasting from a wide variety of article
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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2 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
It was always the *Handley Page* Victor...
29 April 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
...and never the Hawker-Siddeley or BAC or British Aerospace Victor.
A good solid overview of the Victor detailing its origins, development, testing, service, and construction. There is also good coverage of unbuilt Victor military and commercial offshoots. This Aerofax volume completes the V-bomber trilogy.
I did not feel it worthy of five stars for a few reasons. I have mixed feelings about the NBS (Navigation and Bombing System) not being more fully described because it was covered in the Vulcan book. Not everyone will be buying both books (though I have). More seriously, I thought a bit more space should have been spent on a.) exactly why Britain have to have *three* production V-bomber types when the US could scrape by with only one roughly comparable type (the B-47), and b.) why the Victor took longer than the Vulcan to reach squadron service. The last point would inevitably led to comparisons of Avro and Handley Page. Avro was part of the Hawker-Siddeley Group while Handley Page persisted on remaining independent - a course which eventually led to it being disqualified from further development contracts. Was the Victor ultimately too much of a handful for Handley Page?
These caveats aside this Aerofax volume can be well recommended if one has any interest in the type. I only wish the BAC TSR.2 and Saab Viggen books had managed to see the light of day.
A good solid overview of the Victor detailing its origins, development, testing, service, and construction. There is also good coverage of unbuilt Victor military and commercial offshoots. This Aerofax volume completes the V-bomber trilogy.
I did not feel it worthy of five stars for a few reasons. I have mixed feelings about the NBS (Navigation and Bombing System) not being more fully described because it was covered in the Vulcan book. Not everyone will be buying both books (though I have). More seriously, I thought a bit more space should have been spent on a.) exactly why Britain have to have *three* production V-bomber types when the US could scrape by with only one roughly comparable type (the B-47), and b.) why the Victor took longer than the Vulcan to reach squadron service. The last point would inevitably led to comparisons of Avro and Handley Page. Avro was part of the Hawker-Siddeley Group while Handley Page persisted on remaining independent - a course which eventually led to it being disqualified from further development contracts. Was the Victor ultimately too much of a handful for Handley Page?
These caveats aside this Aerofax volume can be well recommended if one has any interest in the type. I only wish the BAC TSR.2 and Saab Viggen books had managed to see the light of day.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
very complete
2 Aug 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A very complete, well laid out book covering this great aircraft. An easy read but with enough detail to satisfy those looking more in-depth discussion of aspects of this aircraft.
Good colour and black and white photographs throughout including some good line drawings of various aircraft structures.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter with first hand accounts of what it was like to fly.
A great read an certainly recommended to all Victor fans
Good colour and black and white photographs throughout including some good line drawings of various aircraft structures.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter with first hand accounts of what it was like to fly.
A great read an certainly recommended to all Victor fans
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