The Valiant, first of the three V-bombers, beat its two stablemates in a number of ways.
First to drop a nuclear bomb, first to go into action (against the Egyptian airfields in the Suez Crisis)
but also first to leave service. The Valiant was a simpler design and less able to stand up to the
change in role to low-level penetration (forced upon the V-force by the improvement of Soviet air
defences) so had a short life, much of it spent as a tanker. Today, only one complete example
survives and the Vickers name can only be found on tanks and ships.
