8th Dec 1964. Carrying out refuelling training on the racetrack with Leconfield Lightnings. Drogue come unscrewed and deposits itself on Lightening probe. Lightning loses at least one engine owing to fuel ingestion and darts off to relight it and return to Leconfield. We ventilate the bomb bay for twenty minutes before closing up and returning to Marham. When we landed Valiant Tanker operations ceased.
The Lightning had it's own problem. The Valiant's basket was a good deal heavier and more solid than the illustration. It caused all sorts of problems when landing as it prevented the aircraft lining up properly but he managed in the end.