New Rapier, Handley Page Victor 4-jet bomber

Jul. 07, 1953 - First Picture Released Of Bomber Command's New Rapier: The Handley Page Victor 4 jet crescent-wing bomber, more powerful than 25 express locomotives, makes its public debut before the Queen next Wednesday at the RAF Coronation Review. Since its maiden flight last Christmas Eve it has been carrying out an exhaustive test flying programme and was airborne no less than six times in one day recently. The Victor was ordered in quantity from the drawing board and is now in super priority production for RAF Bomber Command. Its revolutionary crescent wing enables it to cruise at high altitude with near-sonic speed. It flies so fast that it is protected by the sound barrier; conditions near the speed of sound render attacking fighters ineffective. The Victor is the outstanding example of the modern concept of a bomber as a rapier, an atomically hard-hitting and accurate weapon able to paralyse an enemy's nerve centres and yet, by outstanding performance, avoid interception. Photo shows the first air-to-air shot of the aircraft, and the picture is the first to be released

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Able Accurate Airborne Altitude Avoid Barrier Centres Crescent Debut Enables Example Exhaustive Flies Handley Hitting Ineffective Interception Less Locomotives Maiden Nerve Ordered Outstanding Paralyse Priority Protected Quantity Rapier Render Review Sonic Wednesday

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