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Valiant Units of the Cold War

Andrew Brookes author Mr Chris Davey illustrator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:20th Aug '12

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Valiant Units of the Cold War cover

The Valiant was the first V-bomber to see combat when examples dropped bombs on Egyptian airfields at the very start of the Suez campaign in October 1956.

The RAF's first Cold War strategic bomber, the Vickers Valiant, was procured as an insurance measure in case either the Vulcan or Victor was found to have a serious flaw. The Valiant was the equivalent of the US B-47 Stratojet.The RAF's first Cold War strategic bomber, the Vickers Valiant, was procured as an insurance measure in case either the Vulcan or Victor was found to have a serious flaw. The Valiant was the equivalent of the US B-47 Stratojet, and it blazed the trail for the British airborne nuclear deterrent as the aircraft enjoyed a far more active service career than later V-bombers. It was the launch platform for all British free fall nuclear weapons tests both in the Pacific and in central Australia, it took part in the Suez campaign in 1956 and it was the only V-bomber to drop (conventional) weapons in anger until the Falklands operation in 1982. The Valiant was modified to serve in the electronic warfare, strategic reconnaissance and airborne tanker role, but it had to be grounded in early 1965 when the aircraft succumbed to metal fatigue.

ISBN: 9781849087537

Dimensions: 248mm x 184mm x 7mm

Weight: 309g

96 pages