Having performed its maiden flight on 30 June 1947, the Valetta was quickly introduced to RAF service during the following year. The type promptly became a major element of Transport Command's activities and participated in various British military operations conducted during the 1950s and 1960s, including the Suez Crisis, Aden, and the Malayan Emergency. It was further developed into multiple variants, including a VIP model, and multiple training models. Most extensively, the Valetta was the basis for the Vickers Varsity, a dedicated military trainer aircraft.