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Subject: Vickers Wellington
Date: 26 Aug 2016 08:52:25 -0700
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It
was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, led by
Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer Rex Pierson; a key feature of the aircraft is
its geodesic fuselage structure, principally designed by Barnes Wallis.
Development had been started in response to Air Ministry Specification B.9/32;
issued in the middle of 1932, this called for a twin-engined day bomber capable
of delivering higher performance than any previous design. Other aircraft
developed to the same specification include the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and
the Handley Page Hampden. During the development process, performance
requirements such as for the tare weight changed substantially, as well as the
powerplant for the type being swapped.
The Wellington was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the
Second World War, performing as one of the principal bombers used by Bomber
Command. During 1943, it started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger
four-engined "heavies" such as the Avro Lancaster. The Wellington continued to
serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly as an anti-submarine
aircraft. It holds the distinction of being the only British bomber to be
produced for the duration of the war and of being produced in a greater quantity
than any other British-built bomber. The Wellington remained as first-line
equipment when the war ended, although it had been increasing relegated to
secondary roles. The Wellington was one of two bombers named after Arthur
Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the other being the Vickers Wellesley.
Role
Medium bomber
anti-submarine aircraft
Manufacturer
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.
First flight
15 June 1936
Introduction
October 1938
Retired
March 1953
Primary users
Royal Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
Fleet Air Arm
Polish Air Forces
Produced
Number built
11,461[1] or 11,462
Variants
Vickers Warwick
Vickers VC.1 Viking
On 3 September 1939, the eve of the outbreak of the Second World War, No. 3
Group of Bomber Command comprised eight squadrons (No. 9, No. 37, No. 37 No. 38,
No. 99, No. 115 and No. 149 Squadrons), alongside two reserve squadrons (No. 214
and No. 215 squadrons), that were equipped with a mixture of Wellington Mk I and
Mk IA aircraft.
On 4 September 1939, less than 24 hours after the commencement of hostility, a
total of 14 Wellingtons of No. 9 and No. 149 Squadrons, alongside a number of
Bristol Blenheim aircraft, performed the first RAF bombing raid of the war,
diminished by a combination of poor weather and high amounts of anti-aircraft
fire, in additional, the bombing of the harbour itself had not been permitted by
the Chamberlain War Cabinet in fear of injuring civilians. During this opening
raid, a pair of Wellingtons became the first aircraft to be lost on the Western
Front.
On 3 December 1939, 24 Wellingtons of No. 38, No. 115 and No. 147 Squadrons
attacked the German fleet moored at Heligoland. The bombing commenced from high
altitude and, while results of the bombing itself proved negligible in terms of
damage, the ability of a formation of Wellingtons to adequately penetrate
strongly defended hostile airspace was validated. On 14 December 1939, 12
Wellingtons of No. 99 Squadron conducted a low-level raid upon German shipping
at the Schillig Roads and Wilhelmshaven. Encountering enemy fire from warships,
flak, and Luftwaffe aircraft, the Wellington formation lost five aircraft, along
with another that crashed near its base, while only one enemy fighter was
downed.
Specifications (Wellington Mark IC)
General characteristics
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)
Empty weight: 18,556 lb (8,435 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 28,500 lb (12,955 kg)
each
Performance
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)
Rate of climb: 1,120 ft/min (5.7 m/s)
Power/mass: 0.08 hp/lb (0.13 kW/kg)
Armament
Bombs: 4,500 lb (2,041 kg) bombs
*
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