Hi Firstly sorry to adam for going off his thread subject , you have some cracking shots from a very good day. I've watch the discussion on Tina with interest and I agree with Damien B no Victor ever wore desert pink, they did not need to as the first hemp aircraft appeared in 1983 that was XL160. Also I saw most victors just after they returned from the gulf they were definitley Hemp. I also saw and photographed the temporary pink colour applied to the 2 tristars and it looked nothing like what tina currently wears. below is the tempory scheme applied to tristars Its a pity the scheme is wrong as they have done a very good job of painting her the finish looks good, just not the correct colour.
Ian
Last edited by ianf on Thu 03 Jun 2010, 11:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Obviously it is a contentious issue. Hats off to all who keep these aircraft alive. The issue is that the new colour is being attributed to ‘war colours’. XM715 nor any other Victor participated in Operation Granby in anything other than hemp.
"After quite a bit of research we discovered that all of these aircraft were painted in ‘Desert Pink".
That research requires to be highlighted if history is to be re-written. Not even the RAF website on Op Granby colours states anything other than hemp. The photographic evidence of Op Granby shows all Victors operating in hemp.
XM715 in hemp going home from the Middle East - copyright John Cotterill
'The Nimrods, Victors and VC10s remained in their overall "Hemp" schemes, but several of the Tristar tankers were given a coat of "Desert Sand" on their fuselages.'
Direct links to Op Granby images showing Victors in hemp.
"...Anyway, here is what I have - all were taken in 1991, with XL164, XL231 and XM715 being shot at Marham on the day that several of the Victors came home.."
The eight aircraft of No 55 Squadron deployed to Bahrain during December 1990 and January 1991 to provide AAR for RAF and other coalition aircraft. They remained in their overall Hemp scheme, but had a variety of nose art, largely featuring a variety of ladies with the 55 Squadron emblem, a spear, added in theatre by the Squadron artist.'
T.S.W wrote:Remember that a lot of the shots you see of Hemp aircraft are after the Gulf War and look lighter.Sorry for stating the obvious here.
The Victors started to be repainted in Hemp from 1983 the first aircraft was XL160 and the last XL512 They were all repainted at RAF St Athan as part of the Major Servicing
Full details of the Hemp and other coulour schemes on the Victor is in the Volume 2 of Roger Brooks book on the Victor Published by Pen and Sword They never were painted "Pink" it was the two Tristars of 216 Sdn that were pink named Pink Pigs
I do not actually care anymore what every one thinks of the colour on Tina. She belong to us, and we will paint her, and any of our aircraft whatever colour we wish! We had many complaints about the Jag, and I am sure we will have plenty about the Comet once done, but we are looking after them to a very high standard so that they can be seen for many years to come.
Right, my take on the controversial Hemp scheme debate, which will hopefully put it to bed!
I have a pictorial book, 'RAF Airpower Today' by Lindsay Peacock (a man) and Micheal (someone) which came out in about 1983. (Anyone else got this just out of interest?).
Anyway, this was when the Hemp scheme was just making its appearance on Victors, Nimrods and VC10s. There is a shot of a Victor in it, in which the hemp colour appears to be of a brownish tint, very similar to this new coat of paint on Tina. This is the only pic I've seen of that tint of Hemp.
There are also Nimrod shots, but the tint of Hemp there is quite yellow. And I have seen other Nimrod pics in this tint. The VC10 looks similar to the Victor, if slightly more yellow. I also have the VC10 book, 'Slient Swift Superb' which shows the prototype K4 taking off, looking yellowy, although the sun is shining on directly on it.
Now, in latter years, probably from about the late '80s the Hemp colour became a concrete tint and this is noticable on all types in this scheme, including the PR Canberras. You might say that it just faded into this tint over the years, but I would say it looks definately repainted. And anyway, Aircraft always get repainted in their careers.
So, I think they were experimenting with the colour in the '80s, to get the appropriate camouflage for concrete aprons but also for hazy skies. And the latter colour does seem the best.
So as for Tina, I'd say it is in the original tint used just on Victors, but definately not in Desert pink, as I am also positive that no Victors wore that colour. (The Hemp was close enough to desert pink.)
