RAF Gaydon

The RAF Bomber Command V-force deployed the four-engined Valiant jet bomber from RAF Gaydon, near Stratford-upon-Avon. All original V-bomber fields had nuclear bomb store for V-bombers, known as a `clutch'. The first Valiant B.1s entered service with 232 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Gaydon in June 1954. Gaydon had been a bomber training station in World War II and had been re-opened to be the first V-Force base. While the first Valiant crews were being trained the first operational squadron was formed. The first of the new V-Bombers, the Vickers Valiant, entered service with No. 138 Sqn at RAF Gaydon, Warwickshire in January 1955. 138 moved to RAF Wittering and became fully operational in July 1955.

RAF Gaydon opened on 13 June 1942, was placed in Operational/Care and Maintenance in April 1972 and closed on 31 October 1974. The site is currently in use by British Leyland.