VILLIERS VINDICATOR from the Ian Fleming novel ‘Thunderball’ (1961).
The Villiers Vindicator is a fictional nuclear bomber from the Ian Fleming James Bond novel THUNDERBALL. This is my design of the plane and I referenced the three real V Bombers of the day - Vickers Valiant, Handley Page Victor and the Acro Vulcan. I wanted this design to be credible as a 4th V Bomber.
I have given the aircraft the all-white RAF ‘anti-nuclear blast’ scheme seen during the 1950s. It is flying over the English countryside.
Icidentally, in the feature film ‘Thunderball’ - starring Sean Connery as James Bond - the villain’s plan has them hijacking an Avro Vulcan and stealing the nuclear bombs instead od the Villiers Vindicator. I imagine the change to a Vulcan in the movie is to give the film some real-world credibiiity and maintain focus on the threat. But it would have been fun had they created a fake aeroplane. Given that most of the action (slow underwater action it must be said) involving the bomber is depicted with wither a full size mock-up or miniatures, it wouldn’t have been that much extra work to fabricate something new. We can only imagine what Ken Adam might have come up with as an original design for a V-Bomber.
Designed by Matthew Teevan
This design is featured in the ‘What If Model Kits #10’ video.