Valiants pioneered long-range, deep-penetration reconnaissance – in the February 2016 issue of FlyPast Vic Flintham revealed the shadowy world of 543 Squadron
As the early post-war years unfolded there was increasing anxiety over Soviet intentions, underpinned by poor Western military intelligence. Strategic reconnaissance of the USSR and the Eastern ‘bloc’ was critically important. Additionally for the UK, there was considerable demand for thorough surveys of some of its colonies. Tasked with meeting these diverse requirements were 58 and 540 Squadrons with the Mosquito PR.34 (strategic recce) and 82 Squadron’s Lancaster PR.1 (survey), all based at Benson, Oxfordshire.
There was an urgent need for faster and higher-flying types, and the first was the Canberra PR.3 which was rushed into service in late 1952. Although it could not fly as high as the English Electric twin-jet, the Valiant V-bomber offered considerable advantages: it could carry more cameras and had a 1,500-mile greater range.
A specification for a photo-reconnaissance (PR) version of the Valiant had been issued in June 1950 as B9/48 and, in due course, early B.1 WP205 was converted to meet the requirement. It made its first flight as a B(PR).1 on June 28, 1955 a…
