VARIANTS AND MARKINGS | Vulcanmodellingguide

Colour Schemes

Summary:

Prototypes - All over white

Vulcan B1 (straight wing)- Silver

Vulcan B1 (Phase 2 kinked wing)- Silver or white

Vulcan B1a- White or camouflage (top surfaces only)

Vulcan B2- White, camouflage (top surfaces only), camouflage (wrap around)

Vulcan K2- Camouflage (top surfaces only), camouflage (wrap areound)

Full Shade Markings (Type D, 1:2:3 ratio)

Fuselage roundel diameter: 54"

Wing roundel diameter: 84"

Fin Flash size: 24" vertical by 36" horizontal (12" bands)

Fin Serials: 18", black

Pale Shade Markings (Type D, 1:2:3 ratio)

Fuselage roundel diameter: 54"

Wing roundel diameter: 84"

Fin Flash size: 24" vertical by 36" horizontal (12" bands)

Fin Serials: 18", pale blue

Full Shaded Low Viz Markings (Low Viz, 1:2 ratio)

Fuselage roundel diameter: 54"

Wing roundel diameter: 84"

Fin Flash size: 24" vertical by 36" horizontal (18" bands)

Fin Serials: 18", black

1:144 Vulcans - Rob Hayes

1:144 Vulcan B2 (left) and Vulcan B1a (right) - Adam Poultney

XL319, North East Land, Sea and Air Museums, Sunderland, under restoration with Type D roundels

For more images of real aircraft, go to the Photos page

Paint Colours:

Silver- High Speed Silver (dull aluminium), not bare metal

White- Anti Flash White, a slightly off white but pure white will look fine on a model.

Halford's acrylic spray cans over a white primer are good for this

Camouflage (top surfaces only)- Medium Sea Grey and Dark Green (dark green here is different to the dark green used in WW2).

I recommend Tamiya XF 81 Dark Green 2 (RAF) and XF83 for the Medium Sea Grey 2 (RAF) if you use an airbrush

Undersides (for camouflage)-

White - Same as Anti Flash White
Grey - Light Aircraft Grey, I recommend Tamiya XF80 Royal Light Grey if you are using an airbrush

Camouflage (wrap around) - Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green

I recommend Tamiya XF 81 Dark Green 2 (RAF) and XF54 Dark Sea Grey if you are using an airbrush

Avro_Vulcan_tail_configuration_silhouett

Tail configurations, approximate shape - wikimedia commons, public domain

Vulcan Wings - wikimedia commons

Vulcan B1 (straight wing)

The first five production aircraft retained the straight wing seen on the prototype Avro 698. These were XA889-893. These were later refitted with the kinked Phase 2 wing.

All five aircraft were painted in silver during this time with the radome and fin cap painted black, plus an additional section painted in grey. These had full shade Type D roundels and fin flashes both in the standard sizes. 48" serials were applied under the wings.

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Vulcan B1 XA890 with the original pure delta wing in September 1955- Wikimedia Commons

Wing shapes, approximate shape - wikimedia commons, public domain

I made this template for a Phase 2 wing from a set of drawings I was given by another modeller. For the straight wing version, the whole leading edge is at the initial 40 degree sweep.

There is some debate as to the trailing edge angle, here I made my template with a 93 degree sweep, but the correct angle may be 95 degrees.

Vulcan B1 (Phase 2/Kinked wing)

The remaining Vulcan B1s were built with the Phase 2 kinked wing, this solved some aerodynamic shortcomings of the pure delta. Aircraft up to XA901 were initially painted in silver, the same as the straight wing version. All further ones were painted in Anti Flash White with the radome and fin cap painted black. 48" serials were applied under the wings.

1:96 Frog Vulcan B1 - Rob Hayes

Vulcan B1a

As Vulcan B2s entered service, some Vulcan B1s were refitted wit the ECM gear of the B2. They are easily recognisable by the enlarged tailcone in combination with the smaller Phase 2 wing. At first these were painted in Anti Flash White with pale shade markings (note that the 48" underwing serials were not applied), but were soon given the camouflaged top surfaces over a white underside featuring the full shade markings. On camouflaged aircraft using Type D markings, the right wing did not have a roundel.

1:200 Vulcan b1a conversion - Rob Hayes

1:144 Vulcan B1a conversion - Adam Poultney

Vulcan B2

The second major variant of the Avro Vulcan was the B2. These feature the enlarged Phase 2C wing, more powerful engines, different landing gear and a set of ECM gear amongst other notable differences. The first ten produced (Xh533-539, XH554-556) featured the thinner intakes of the Vulcan B1 and a few were not initially fitted with the ECM gear, so had the B1 style tailcone (this was later replaced with the enlarged one).

Earlier aircraft were fitted with Olympus 201 engines, later ones with the Olympus 301. The jetpipes are noticeably different so check what an aircraft you plan to model had and what kit the you will use has. The Airframes tab should have the engine types listed.

All but the latest Vulcan B2s first wore the Anti Flash White scheme out of the factory. A number of early XH5xx aircraft had full shade markings, however most white B2s had pale shade markings. Check online or in books for reference photos. Today XM603 is preserved in white at the Avro Heritage Museum in Woodford, the only Vulcan in such a scheme today.

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Vulcan B2- wikimedia commons, public domain

XM603 - Rhys Jones-Ager

Later they switched to camouflaged top surfaces over a white underside, often the camouflage was gloss or had soft (feathered) edges to each colour, so check reference photos. These had Type D markings, so no roundel on the right wing.

The underside colour was later replaced with Light Aircraft Grey. The Type D roundels were phased out and replaced with two shade Low Viz roundels. The black radome was also phased out and the fin cap was sometimes not painted black. There was a lot of variation on these aircraft so check reference photos.

1:200 Cyberhobby Vulcan B2 - Adam poultney

1:200 Cyberhobby Vulcan B2 XM607, Black Buck aircraft- Adam poultney

Toward the end of service, some Vulcan B2s were repainted in wrap around camouflage. They used Dark Sea Grey instead of the regular Medium Sea Grey. The wrap around Vulcans in service were XH561, XL318, XL359, XL389, XL425, XL426, XL427, XL444, XL445, XM575, XM605, XM648, XM652 and XM657. On these aircraft the intakes were also painted in the camouflage colours, all had two shade Low Viz roundels and fin flashes with black serials. Some had the fin cap painted black (such as XM575), but none retained the black radome.

XH558's wrap around camouflage is medium sea grey and dark green, in gloss with soft (feathered) edges. This is best achieved on models with an airbrush.

XH558 Medium Sea Grey wrap around camouflage

XM575 in wrap around camouflage at the East Midlands Aeropark, August 2013 - wikimedia commons

Vulcan B2MRR

The Vulcan B2MRR variant was fitted with Maritime Radar Reconnaissance equipment. Due to the nature of the role, the TFR blister was removed from these aircraft (this is why XH558 lacks this feature). Nine aircraft were converted for this role, the only surviving B2MRR is XJ823, although Xh558 was a B2MRR before the K2 role, and other B2MRRs survive as cockpit sections.

Some of these had only one roundel on the wings, unusual for the low viz markings, check reference photos of individual airframes.

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XH534, a Vulcan B2MRR in July 1977, note the narrow intakes of the early Vulcan B2s- Wikimedia Commons

XJ823, the last complete Vulcan B2MRR - @Gecc_Aviator (Insta)

Vulcan K2

In 1982 following the Falklands War, it became apparent that an interim tanker was needed due to many Victors from Black Buck having used up much of their remaining airframe life. Only 51 days after the order for the Vulcan tanker, the first K2 was delivered. These were one point tankers with a box under the tailcone with refuelling equipment, and the bomb bay had three large fuel tanks fitted. Externally the air scoop on the tailcone was removed as it was no longer necessary due to the ECM equipment there being removed (this is why XH558 does not have this). Large areas under the wings and fuselage were painted white to help receiving aircraft line up properly.

In total, six Vulcans were converted to the k2 role, these were XH558, XH560, XH561, XJ826, XL445 and XM571, all of which had Olympus 202 engines, an upgraded version of the 201 (identical jetpipes).

Two main schemes were worn by these aircraft. XH558, XH560, XJ825 and XM751 had standard 1980s camouflage over light grey, with the addition of a large area painted white towards the rear. XH561 and XL445 had dark sea grey/dark green wrap around camouflage with the same white area towards the rear.

XH558 is the only one of these to survive today in complete form, although the refuelling equipment is long gone. The cockpits of XL445 and XH560 both also survive.

XH560, one of the six Vulcan K2s, in July 1983. You can see where the refuelling unit is and where the underside goes from grey to white- Wikimedia Commons