'The Short Bristol Seaplane being launched at Rochester today for tests. A flight over the 'Mountains of the Moon' to Lake Kivu, 5000 ft above sea level in the Belgian Congo, Central Africa, is to be undertaken shortly by Sir Alan Cobham and five other men.' The Bristol Jupiter-powered Short S.11 Valetta first flew in 1930 as a research aircraft. Cobham landed back at Rochester in September 1931, having flown 12,300 miles.

The sole Valetta was a research aircraft built to compare with flying boats, in particular the Short Calcutta. Made an African survey flight with Alan Cobham in 1931. Then converted to landplane and seen as such at Hendon in photo 571319. This photo was published in October 1930. Photo from: Biblioteca Central de Marinha