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The Vickers Wellington was a British bomber and anti-submarine aircraft used by the RAF, RAAF, Fleet Air Arm, and Polish Air Force in WWII. It first flew on 15 June 1936 and entered military service in October of 1938. This aircraft was not retired until March of 1953. Production was from 1936 to 1945 with a total of 11,461 built.

Contents 1 Variants 2 History 3 Specifications 4 References 4.1 Notes

VariantsEdit

(Company type numbers are from Famous Bombers of the Second World War. All other variant information is from the Illustrated Directory of Fighting Aircraft of World War II)

Mk I (Type 285, later Type 290) - Standard early bomber. Pegasus X engines Mk IA (Type 408) - Pegasus XVIII engines. Twin Brownings in nose and tail.^{[N 1]} Mk IC - As Mk IA plus additional guns in beam positions. 24 volt electrics in place of 12 volt. Mk II (Type 298) - Mk IC with Merlin engines. 400 built. Mk III (Type 299) -Hurcules III or XI. Four gun tail turret. 1,519 built Mk IV - Twin Wasp R-1830-S3C4-G. Flown by two Polish squadrons. 220 built. Mk V - Experimental high altitude version. Pressure cabin. Turbocharged Hercules VIII. 3 built. Mk VI - Long span pressurised bomber. Merlin R6SM. No guns. used as Gee trainers. 63 built. Mk Vii - Single aircraft used to test 40mm Vickers S Gun turret for P.92 fighter. Later fitted with twin tail fins. Mk VIII - Mk IC aircraft converted for coastal reconnaissance. ASV radar, Leigh light and either two 18in torpedoes or anti-submarine weapons. Some examples fitted with giant hoops for detonating magnetic mines. Mk IX - Special trooping conversion of Mk IC. Mk X - As Mk III but with Hercules VI XVI. Some later converted for training duties. 3,804 built ^[3]

HistoryEdit

SpecificationsEdit

(Vickers Mk IC Wellington)

• Crew: Six
• Length: 64 ft 7 in (19.69 m)
• Wingspan: 86 ft 2 in (26.27 m)
• Height: 17 ft 5 in (5.31 m)
• Wing area: 840 ft² (78.1 m²)
• Empty weight: 18,556 lb (8,435 kg)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 28,500 lb (12,955 kg)
• Powerplant: Twin Bristol Pegasus Mk XVIII radial engines, rated at 1,050 hp (783 kW) each
• Maximum speed: 235 mph (378 km/h) at 15,500 ft (4,730 m)
• Range: 2,550 mi (2,217 nmi, 4,106 km)
• Service ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,490 m)
• Climb rate: 1,120 ft/min (5.7 m/s)
• Wing loading: 34 lb/ft² (168 kg/m²)
• Power to mass ratio: 0.08 hp/lb (0.13 kW/kg)
• Gun armament: Six to eight 0.303 caliber Browning MGs
  • Two in the nose turret
  • Two in the tail turret
  • Two in the waist positions
• Bombload:
• Can carry up to 4,500 lb (2,041 kg) of unguided bombs

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ Album War 2
2. ↑ Green, William. Famous Bombers of the Second World War. Purnell Book Services. 1975. Page 93
3. ↑ Gunston, Bill. Illustrated Directory of Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Salamander Books. 1988. ISBN 0-86101-390-5

NotesEdit

1. ↑ Aircraft for No 75 (N.Z.) Squadron were given type numbers 403 (MK I) and 412 (Mk IA).^[2]

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