Victor Farewell by Michael Rondot  After three decades of frontline Squadron service with the Royal Air Force, two wars, and over 40 years since their conception, the last of the V-Bombers has retired. The Handley Page Victor played a significant role in the Falklands conflict of 1982 and in the Gulf War of 1991. The final flight by an RAF Victor was made in November 1993 when XH672 'Maid Marian' flew from its RAF Marham base destined for the RAF Museum at Cosford, thus drawing to a close the distinguished career of the Cold War big bomber. Michael Rondot spent many hours plugged into Victor tankers en-route to pleasant destinations such as Bermuda and the USA, and unpleasant ones such as downtown Kuwait and Iraq. He developed a respect and admiration for the Victor and its aircrews that can only come from being alone in a thunderstorm, short of fuel and navigation aids, with only a Victor between the pilot and an icy North Atlantic bath. Valiant, The Last Valiant by Michael Rondot  The Vickers Valiant was the first four-jet bomber of Britain's Cold War nuclear strike V-Force whose Valiants, Victors and Vulcans, painted in distinctive anti-flash white, were a familiar sight in the 1950s & 60s. Widely regarded as the best looking V-Bomber and the nicest to fly, the Valiant equipped nine squadrons during its brief career from 1955 to 1964, dropping bombs in anger during the Suez Crisis and Britain's first atomic and hydrogen bombs. A Valiant is portrayed taking off with black smoke pouring from its four Avon engines against a backdrop of a typical V-Force dispersal airfield. The aircraft is XD818, the H-bomb dropper, now displayed at the RAF Museum, Hendon as the last surviving example of Sir George Edward's classic design.  Signatories: Sir George Edwards OM CBE FRS, Sir Michael Beetham GCB CBE DFC AFC, Ken Hubbard OBE DFC AFC. Vulcan  XH558, The Loved One by Michael Rondot  "The noise was fantastic. The earth moved and shook as a huge trumpeting roar set off all the car alarms. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end; everyone stood still and listened and then it appeared. I fell in love and I knew I would never forget my first Vulcan display." Few aircraft have evoked such strong emotions with the airshow going public as Vulcan XH558, the subject of Michael Rondot's painting. Climbing almost vertically, with black smoke pouring from its thundering engines at full power, the Vulcan could bring any airshow to a complete standstill. Crowds watched in awe as the majestic delta-winged bomber created a deafening roar of smoke and noise, the sight and sound of its display an emotional and unforgettable experience for those who witnessed it.   Signatories: MRAF The Lord Craig of Radley, Sqn Ldr Martin Withers and Sqn Ldr David Thomas.