Thunder & Lightnings

Vickers Valiant - Photo Gallery

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Vickers advert from 1957. RAF recruitment advert from 1957. Illustrates a slightly panicky RAF I feel, underlining the need for manned bombers and aircrews to go with them, just after Duncan Sandys had made his famous announcement about the future being all-missile. RAF recruitment advert from 1962. Shows a Valiant in the main picture but then talks about stand-off missiles which the Valiants didn't carry (though they did carry 2/3 scale model ones for aerodynamic testing).

The Deacon Collection

These pictures were kindly donated by Ray Deacon. They are for your personal use only and may not be reproduced or redistributed in any form. Ray has a sizeable collection of photos of aircraft, taken throughout his service in the RAF and available for publication - contact him for details.

An early production Valiant B.1, WP223, was operated by 18 Squadron based at RAF Marham when this shot was taken of it visiting RAF Khormaksar, Aden, in 1962. Only a handful of Valiants were converted to the photographic reconnaissance role and all were operated by 543 squadron based at RAF Wyton. In this photograph, B(PR).1, WZ392, taxies towards the RAF Muhurraq (Bahrain) Station Flight pan in 1963. Following their downgrading from the nuclear bomber role, many Valiants were converted to airborne tankers and reclassified BK.1. They were to be seen all over the globe as illustrated in this view of RAF Honnington-based 90 Squadron's XD820 taxiing in at Embakasi Airport (Nairobi) in October 1963. Also based at RAF Honington were these three 90 squadron BK.1s, with XD867 nearest the camera. They were photographed during a stop-over at RAF Khormaksar in 1963 while escorting Javelin squadron to Singapore.

The Hitch Collection

These pictures have been kindly contributed by Gerry Hitch, an ex-Vickers employee, from his large collection. They are for your personal use only and may not be reproduced or redistributed in any form. From Peter Martin, an apprentice electrician at Vickers from 1952 to 1958: "The 'windows' in the bomb bay (seen in the second picture) provided access to cable, pipe and control runs between bomb bay and outer skin. The average man was too large to get into the area, but because I was a shrimp I could wriggle my way down and was required to install the wiring from front to rear of the bomb bays. It cost me a few bruised ribs I remember."

Valiants on the production line; the forward pressure bulkhead is very obvious. View inside the bomb bay of a Valiant - the window-shaped depressions provided access to cable, pipe and control runs between the bomb bay and outer skin. Maintenance being undertaken, giving us a good look at the heavyweight drop tank attachment. Superb shot of the Type 600 Valiant prototype, WB210. This aircraft was lost on 12th January 1952 after an engine fire broke out. The 3rd production Valiant B.1, WP201. The 3rd production Valiant B.1, WP201. WP201 was the first aircraft assigned to 1321 Flight (later C Flight of 138 Squadron) for the nuclear weapons release trials (using dummy bombs). WP201 was the first aircraft assigned to 1321 Flight (later C Flight of 138 Squadron) for the nuclear weapons release trials (using dummy bombs). WP201 was the first aircraft assigned to 1321 Flight (later C Flight of 138 Squadron) for the nuclear weapons release trials (using dummy bombs). Fifth production B.1 WP203. B.1 WP213 (I think - hard to tell!). Nice head-on shot of WP213. B.1 WP214 became quite an unusual aircraft, in that it was fitted with a lot of additional electronics, mainly ECM equipment, and spent most of its time with the Bomber Command Development Unit and Vickers themselves, serving only briefly in squadron service (with 138 Squadron). WP221 was the fourth B(PR).1, a dual role version with reconaissance capability. WZ365 formates on the camera ship with airbrakes extended. 365's sister ship WZ366 would be the first British aircraft to drop a live nuclear weapon. B.1 WZ376. This aircraft was soon put to use in flight refuelling trials. B(K).1 WZ376 again, demonstrating what the (K) is for! The other aircraft is probably WZ390. XD816 survives in part at the Brooklands Museum in Surrey; the nose section is displayed there in the Barnes Wallis-designed stratospheric test chamber. B(K).1 XD818 is another survivor, but a whole one, displayed at the RAF Museum at Hendon. WP204 lurks in the background of this shot. XD818 again; this aircraft dropped Britain's first hydrogen bomb. Great shot of XD823. The sole Valiant B.2, WJ954 in a marvellous shot that clearly shows the extended nose and undercarriage-holding fairings added to the wings. WJ954 sweeping in over the runway threshold to land.