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Valentia - Aircraft Profile - British biplane cargo aircraft built by Vickers : Valentia

Valentia

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Manufacturer : British biplane cargo aircraft built by Vickers
Number Built : 28
Production Began : 1934
Retired : 1944
Type :

The Valentia first entered service with No. 70 Squadron RAF at Hinaidi, Iraq in 1934,[2] equipping British forces in India, Persia and Iraq. Like the preceding Vernons and Victorias, the Valentias were extensively used for transport operations in the Middle East, and when necessary used for bombing operations with bomb racks under the wings. Valentias were also experimentally fitted with loudspeakers used to address people being overflown (in this case potentially rebellious tribes during air policing duties). The Valentia was also used for experiments with aerial refuelling by Alan Cobham. Valentias were used for night bombing operations over the Western Desert in 1940 and remained in service with the Iraq and Persia Communications Flight until 1944. The South African Air Force pressed a Valentia into service as a bomber in the East African Campaign in 1940-41

Valentia


Latest Valentia Artwork Releases !
  On the night of  Friday 26th November 1943,  97 Squadron Bombers on there way to bomb targets in Stuttgart, Germany were intercepted by Night Fighters.  The painting shows Halifax Mk V   LK946 MP-F being attacked by the night fighter pilots Major Wilhelm Herget of the Stab I./NJG 4 (flying a Bf 110 G-4 from Florennes airfield, Belgium) and Hauptmann Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin of the Stab II./NJG 1 (flying a Bf 110 G-4 from St Trond (Sint-Truiden) airfield, Belgium).  6 of the crew managed to parachute from the stricken aircraft but the mid upper gunner Sgt. Berndt was killed while returning fire.

Tragedy by Moonlight by Ivan Berryman. (PC)
 It is the Battle of Trafalgar, 21st October 1805 and the British 2nd rater Temeraire with 98 guns, having followed HMS Victory through the Franco-Spanish line, finds herself alongside the Spanish flagship, La Santisima Trinidad. This giant was by some measure the largest warship in the World, boasting four full gun decks and 130 guns. Undaunted, Captain Eliab Harvey took on the Santisima Trinidad, delivering a number of blows into the enemy’s massive red and black hull. However, Temeraire was largely out of control by this time, having taken much punishment as she had approached the enemy fleet. Her main topgallant mast had been shot away, as well as the mizzen topgallant. Her fore yard had crashed down onto her deck and her fore topsail had caught fire and been extinguished. Taking fire from both sides, the Temeraire lumbered on, eventually colliding with Le Redoutable, which was engaged with Victory. Between them, the two British three-deckers poured fire into the French ship until it struck its colours

Tugging the Tiger's Tail by Ivan Berryman. (PC)
 As Nelson’s column of ships began their approach to the French and Spanish fleet at the start of the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805, the first four ships to break through were to be HMS Victory at the head of the line, HMS Temeraire, HMS Neptune and the 74 gun two-decker HMS Leviathan. Afraid for his admiral’s safety in the lead ship, Captain Harvey of the Temeraire decided to break away from the line in order to overtake Victory and be the first ship through, thus taking the worst of the gunfire from the enemy line as they approached. However, it was Admiral Nelson’s habit always to lead from the front and, as Temeraire manoeuvred alongside Victory, Nelson took up his speaking trumpet, went to his ship’s side, and sternly shouted, 'I will thank you, Captain Harvey, to maintain your proper station which is astern of the Victory'. Harvey complied at once and fleet continued into battle as originally planned.

Line of Battle by Ivan Berryman. (PC)
 Few ships availed themselves better at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805 than HMS Temeraire. Here, she is depicted engaging the French Fougeuex, the two ships inflicting the most terrible damage upon one another in the early stages of the battle. Some crew members can be seen on Temeraire’s foredeck, trying to cut away the fallen fore yard and sail while her fore topsail flaps helplessly above after being set on fire. The acrid gun smoke soon became so bad that Captain Harvey ordered the Temeraire’s larboard guns to stop firing briefly so that he could check that he was not firing on his own ships. Temeraire would eventually take both the Fougeuex and The Redoutable as prizes, at one point having one enemy ship lashed to each side of her hull. As an aside, Temeraire was most likely the only ship at Trafalgar to have no figurehead. Having been built during a more austere period, she lacked much of the decoration of her contemporaries. It is believed, however, that her crew funded a figurehead after the battle from their own prize money, as a ship with no figurehead was considered a ship with no eyes and no soul. A modest crowned head featured at her bow until she was broken up at Beatson’s Yard in Rotherhithe between 1838 and 1839.

The Fighting Temeraire by Ivan Berryman. (PC)

Squadrons for : Valentia
A list of all squadrons from known to have used this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

No.216 Sqn RAF


Country : UK
Founded : 1st April 1918

CCXVI dona ferens - 216 bearing gifts

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No.216 Sqn RAF

Full profile not yet available.

No.244 Sqn RAF


Country : UK
Founded : 25th July 1918
Fate : Disbanded 1st May 1945

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.244 Sqn RAF
No.244 Sqn RAF

Full profile not yet available.

No.31 Sqn RAF


Country : UK
Founded : 11th October 1915

In caelum indicum primus - First into Indian skies

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No.31 Sqn RAF

Full profile not yet available.

No.70 Sqn RAF


Country : UK
Founded : 22nd April 1916

Usquam - Anywhere

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No.70 Sqn RAF

Full profile not yet available.
Signatures for : Valentia
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
NameInfo

Air Commodore W Bill Pitt-Brown DFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Commodore W Bill Pitt-Brown DFC
Air Commodore W Bill Pitt-Brown DFC

After Cranwell Bill Pitt-Brown was posted to India where he saw service on the North-West Frontier with 31 Squadron flying Wapatis and Valencias. When the Japanese attacked in the far east he was posted to command 5 Squadron flying H75A Mohawk fighters in Assam and on the Imphal and Arakan fronts. Returning to the UK he was given command of 174 Squadron with Typhoons which he led through the Normandy Invasion. In August 1944 he became Wing Leader of 121 Wing. He was rested in October 1944 after a total of more than 100 operational sorties. He went on to high command of the RAF after the war.

Memories of Normandy are coloured by the enemy speed of reaction to our air supremacy. In the first few days after D-Day the enemy rushed forward to confront the Allies. We created havoc by picking off targets to jam the traffic and then methodically flaming the lot. Very large losses of German tanks and MT were inflicted in the fluid situation. Then suddenly by day nothing in the area was immediately visible. The German guns and tanks had dug in hull-down in the deep bocage country hedges which were perfect for camouflage. MT moved cautiously in shade and shadow. The vicious close-quarter tank and infantry fighting was largely unseen. Air attacks on map references were acknowledged by the Army to be effective but were frustrating since results were seldom seen except for transport brew ups. The picture was transformed when the Allies burst out of the bridgehead primarily through sheer force of numbers. the whole area east of Avranches - Vire, Mortain, Flers, Falaise, Argentan erputed and became a seething mass of enemy trying to retreat. The air forces smashed, burnt and killed. It seemed unbelievable that so much enemy force could have been concealed; now that they were all in the open, the slaughter, explosions, and fires burning from endless daily air attack obliterated everything. It was deadful; dead horse-drawn transport, bloated farm animals and humans all contributed to the sickly sweet smell of death. The enemy escaped annihilation by being highly disciplined even after such a defeat. Their losses were appalling but their retreat was never a rout.


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