AA39403 -- Vickers Valiant B Mk.1, WZ404, 207 Sqn, RAF Luqa, Malta, Suez Crisis 1956

Following President of Egypt Gamal Abdel Nasser’s decision on 26th July 1956 to nationalise the Suez Canal, Britain, France and Israel all declared war on Egypt almost simultaneously on October 25th 1956.

While carrier borne aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm struck at various targets throughout the Canal Zone, it was left to the RAF to attack Egyptian bases and installations further afield. It was during these attacks that the RAF’s V bomber force first saw action, rather than a nuclear strike against the Soviet Union. The force attacked Egyptian airfields dropping conventional bombs on their runways and taxiways, putting them briefly out of action. This machine attacked Kabrit on the night of October 31st.

The Valiant, while being the most conventional of the three V bombers, also saw the shortest amount of service. Proved to be unsuited to the low level role, the V bomber force was transferred in the early 1960s, suffering fatigue cracks in its wing spars. The fleet was retired in 1964.