This Johnson Valiant had been stored in less than ideal conditions which is evident in the first photos. It looked so bad when I brought it home, it seemed it would be a parts rig.
The storage conditions were less than optimal. The "dust" looks like it contains flecks of automotive paint and some type of bead blasting media.
E.F. Johnson transmitters were available in a kit version or factory wired version. This Viking Valiant is factory wired. This is a view of the chassis under side. The condition was a pleasant surprise; unlike many of these transmitters found today, it has not been modified. Had it been stored properly over the years, it would have been a very nice example.
Here is the Valiant after airbrushing the the major flaws out of the front panel. Today, it is in excellent operating condition.
The Valiant paired with a Hammarlund SP-600 JX-17. The Valiant performs very well and is quite reliable. As of August, 2025, the Valiant shares the transmit duties with the Johnson Viking Five Hundred. When I am home, one or both of these transmitters are usually on for the entire day; paired with the Collins 75A-4, they keep the shack comfortably warm during wintertime.