The term "V bomber" was used for the Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft during the 1950s and 1960s that comprised the United Kingdom's strategic nuclear strike force known officially as the V force or Bomber Command Main Force. The three strategic bombers, known collectively as the V class, were the Vickers Valiant, which first flew in 1951 and entered service in 1955; the Avro Vulcan, which first flew in 1952 and entered service service in 1956; and the Handley Page Victor, which first flew in 1952 and entered service in 1958. The V Bomber force reached its peak in June 1964 with 50 Valiants, 70 Vulcans and 39 Victors in service. They were also capable of dropping conventional bombs, and were used during the Suez Crisis. The Vulcan is well-remembered for its conventional Black Buck bombing raids during the 1982 Falklands War.
