Vickers Valentia Bomber Transport

Designed as a replacement for the Vickers Victoria, the Valentia was a bomber and transport aircraft. The Valentia replaced the Victoria’s Lion engines with more powerful Pegasus radial engines, while the airframe and wings were strengthened. Other improvements included a strut rather than wire-braced landing gear, wheel brakes and a tailwheel in place of a skid.

Twenty eight new-built Valentias were ordered, with 54 more rebuilt from Victorias.

Used extensively in the Middle East pre-war, they were still in service at the start of the Second World War. In the Western Desert, Valentias were used as night bombers, and were operated during the Siege of RAF Habbaniya in 1941. The South African Air Force used them during it’s campaign in East African Campaign in 1941.