144-003 VICKERS VALIANT MK.I

The Vickers Valiant was a British jet strategic bomber from the Cold War period. The drive was provided by 4 Rolls-Royce Avon RA28 engines. The flight of the prototype took place in 1951, and serial production continued in 1952-1957, ending with the production of 107 copies of this aircraft. The plane did not have permanent weapons. It could carry up to 9,534 kg of bombs or a single Blue Danub atomic bomb weighing 4,500 kg. In 1947, the British Air Force Command decided to retrofit its strategic component with modern jet bombers, capable of penetrating the airspace of the USSR and carrying out a nuclear attack. Inquiries directed at companies led to the creation of the famous "V" series, which are three very successful strategic bombers: Avro Vulcan, Handley Page Victor and Vickers Valiant. The Vickers machine had a more conservative design and was ordered first to act as a transition machine between the old piston-powered bombers and the new jet bombers. Several versions of the Vickers Valiant were produced in the course of serial production. The first, mass-produced, was the Vickers Valiant B.1, which served as a strategic bomber. A version of the Valiant B (PR) .1 was also created, which was a reconnaissance version. Some Valiant planes were also created as air tankers - designation Valiant B (K). 1. Due to the introduction of Vulcan and Victor aircraft to the line, Vickers Valiant machines were withdrawn from service by 1965.