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VICKERS VALIANT
PICTURES - FUSELAGE

[History] [Memories] [Survivors & Leading Particulars] [Pictures] [References & Credits]
This page last updated on 4th March 2004

[Survivors 1] [Gallery 1] [Gallery 2] [Cockpit] [Fuselage] [Wings] [Undercarriage] [Weapons]

Most of the pictures on this page have been kindly supplied by Bryan Ribbans; they are for your personal use only and you may not republish them without his permission.

NOSE

  1. XD818 at Hendon. In common with the Vulcan and Victor the view from the cockpit is not exactly panoramic, but the Valiant has a particularly complex arrangement of canopy framing as can be seen at the top of this picture.
  2. Closeup of the 49 Squadron badge and crew names on XD818.
  3. XD818 again. The oval in the centre marked with yellow dashes is the entry hatch with the rear crew's only view out being the small oval window to the right. The complex arrangement of small windows at the side of the canopy is noteworthy; the pipe running along the fuselage below the canopy is part of the in-flight refuelling system and was only seen on Valiants fitted with the plumping for a probe. Having the plumbing meant there was at least a small stub on the nose (as seen here), if not the full probe.
  4. Closeup of the visual bomb aiming blister on XD818. These days it's hard to imagine somebody peering down through the bombsight inside, preparing to drop a nuclear weapon, but that's precisely what this aircraft was designed for.
  5. XD875 at Bruntingthorpe. No entry hatch on this side, but the small porthole is in the middle of a removable emergency exit. With the crew hatch on one side, this emergency exit and a ditching exit through the top of the canopy, the Valiant crew was in some ways a little better provided for than the rest of the V-Force.

FUSELAGE

  1. Port tail, I'll let you guess which aircraft. Note the small fences on the tailplane and fin.
  2. Starboard tail, XD818 again of course. Fences more noticeable this time, along with the large trim tab on the rudder.

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