Awesome blast from the past. Handley Page Victor Bomber.

Many thanks to Defense Matters for the pic!

Everyone talks about the demise of the British aviation industry but I believe that it really came about with the end of the V-Bombers.  When these planes were put into service I think they were world beaters.  Not only were they flying beauties that would put to shame any stripper in a night club anywhere but they were technological wonders.

Full disclosure I'm a huge fan of the V-Bombers...but even with my boyhood crush on them just think about the possibility.  What if the Brits had been doggedly determined to replace them?  What if they had chosen the path of relying not only on carriers but also strategic bombers to deliver expeditionary power?

What would a Handley Page Victor Bomber Mk4 look like today?  It had futuristic styling at conception.  What would happen with modern engines, a more streamlined fuselage and modern weaponry?  Perhaps its a good thing it turned out the way it did.  The British Empire might not have crumbled.