When Gary Powers’ U2 was shot down, strategists realised that the height immunity of high altitude V-Force bombers was nullified, so the aircraft were switched to a low-level bombing role. This role change was the Valiant’s undoing, because together with the Vulcan and Victor, its design was optimised for high altitude operations, but now all three were being asked to tumble about in denser, low altitude air as opposed to careening around in the thinner air they had once enjoyed. The increased strain on the airframe proved more than the Valiant B1 could bear, and its enforced early retirement due to intercrystalline corrosion of the main spar attachment castings meant that Vickers was effectively hanging its collective head in shame, because the mighty Vulcan and Victor chewed up and spat out all that was thrown at them. To redeem faith in the company, Vickers management threw everything into a new aircraft that could outperform its contemporaries at both high and low altitude. They managed to persuade the Air Ministry that there was a case to answer, Specification B35/47 was issued, and the Vickers Vindicator was born.

The Vindicator was so named as it was designed to vindicate the good name of Vickers, and it did just that. In total secrecy – not hard in an environment where often the left hand had no idea what the right hand was doing – the Vickers design team beavered away to produce a totally new design, while keeping the clean lines of the Valiant alive. The four Rolls-Royce engines were once again buried in the wing root and gulped air through four monstrous intakes. A laser microdrilled “visor” was installed in the wing leading edge above the intakes, and the intakes themselves were bordered by flattened cones; these additions both energised the boundary layer and dissipated the shock wave generated by the supersonic airflow ducted into the engines. The maintenance problems of embedded engines were reduced by installing a catwalk above the bomb bay, which could be accessed from the crew compartment or via a large hatch in the upper fuselage when large components needed to be replaced. Maintenance personnel could service all ancillary systems and even release the entire engine section so it could be lowered to the ground for second line maintenance. Fire warning and suppression systems were installed in the engine bays, and containment rings installed around all engines to prevent flying debris after a catastrophic failure of an engine turbine/compressor damaging the engine installed alongside.

The crew of six, two Pilots, a Flight Engineer, a Navigator/ Observer, and two Weapons Systems Operators were positioned in two pressurised capsules within the forward fuselage. In case of emergency, the capsule housing the pilots and engineer was ejected upwards, and the crew capsule ejected downwards. Normal ingress/egress was through the crew hatch under the fuselage which accessed the crew compartment, and the command crew accessed the flight deck via an airtight door. A second airtight door led from the crew compartment to the fuselage catwalk above the bomb bay. All transparencies were treated with an Indium Tin Oxide and Gold coating to reflect nuclear detonation flashes, so they appear green/gold in colour. Air to Air refuelling capability was optimised and made less risky by routing the tank feed lines from the probe outside the pressurised crew compartments.

Armament capability was also impressive, with the aircraft capable of carrying a single nuclear stand-off bomb (or the equivalent weight in conventional bombs) in its fuselage bay, while eight underwing hardpoints ensured adequate stores capability for any mission. This version is carrying a “Blue Moon” stand off missile, four radar homing air to surface missiles, two standard 500lb dumb bombs and two AAMs.

Operations
In 1979 after a massive earthquake and early monsoons forced the Indian government to allocate troops to support relief operations, Pakistan saw the chance to finally take the Kashmir region. With the military equivalent of a nonchalant whistle, Pakistani forces poured across the now undefended border.
Delhi made disapproving noises at the UN, but to no avail. A clandestine telephone call asked the UK for help, and after a brief discussion about which curries were best, two Vindicators were dispached.

Later the following day, a Vindicator flew low over Karachi with its bomb bay open, showing off the “Blue Moon” stand-off bomb and the loaded hardpoints. At the same time the second aircraft overflew the Pakistani troops at the front line as they sipped their chai and contemplated making further incursions into Indian territory. Both Vindicators carried out various manoeuvres to show off their capabilities, then climbed at high speed to 80,000 ft before the Pakistanis could scramble their alert aircraft. Shortly after, footage of a Vindicator carrying out a secret “Live Fire” exercise, evading SAMs and even engaging defensive fighters was “leaked”. The clanging of dropped Pakistani jaws could be heard in Whitehall, and Pakistani soldiers were back at the border control post before you could say “Chicken Tikka Masala”.

Indian officials commenting the operation said that its impressive performance and payload led to the Vindicator being nicknamed the “Vindaloo”, due to the effect it had on enemy personnel.

This was the first of many clandestine missions carried out by the elite crews of 7 Squadron who converted from Valiants to Vindicators.

Controls

Steering on the stick (like all good performance aircraft)
VTOL open / close bomb bay;
AG1 + Landing Gear extended activates two barn door sized airbrakes;
AG2 will light up the night;
AG3 will release the “Blue Moon” weapon in the bomb bay (It’s a fat Cleaver, really). Do this before firing or you will shoot yourself where you sit down. If any smart buttocks can, or wants to make a real nuke to go in there, please make my day.

Cameras: Apart from the weapons cameras there is a bomb aimer/observer camera (1), a bomb bay condition camera (6), and a tail camera (7).

Performance:
Sea Level – 750 mph
15,000 ft – 950 mph
35,000 ft – 1,200 mph
Ceiling 88,000 ft
This build was a result of seeing the great fictional V-Bomber designs made by GhostHTX, EpicPigster, Tango5, et.al.

Have Fun and please comment.

My first featured aircraft! Don't know how it happened, but yay me!!