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Vickers VC.1 Viking
The Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the war, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines pending the development of turboprop aircraft like the Viscount. An experimental airframe was fitted with Rolls-Royce Nene turbojets and first flown in 1948 as the world's first pure jet transport aircraft.
Contents
Design and development
The Ministry of Aircraft Production ordered three prototype Wellington Transport Aircraft to Air Ministry Specification 17/44 from Vickers-Armstrong Limited. The specification was for a peacetime requirement for a medium-short haul passenger aircraft. To speed development the aircraft used the wing and undercarriage design from the Wellington but the fuselage was new. Although the original contract referred to Wellington Transport Aircraft, on completion, the name Viking was chosen.
The prototype (designated the Type 491 and registered G-AGOK) first flew at Wisley Aerodrome on 22 June 1945.[1] Following successful trials of the three prototypes the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) ordered 19 aircraft. The first BOAC aircraft flew on 23 March 1946. The prototypes were then used for trials with the Royal Air Force which lead to orders for military versions (the Viking C2 (12 ordered as freighter/transports) and modified Valetta C1).
The initial 19 production aircraft (later designated the Viking 1A) carried 21 passengers, they had metal fuselages and fabric-clad geodetic wings and tail units. Following feedback from customers, the next 14 examples, known as the Viking 1, featured stressed-metal wings and tail units. The next variant, the Viking 1B, was 28 in (71 cm) longer, carrying 24 passengers with up-rated Bristol Hercules piston engines, achieved a production run of 115. One of this batch was changed during production to be fitted with two Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engines and upon its first flight on 6 April 1948 became the world's first entirely jet-powered airliner (albeit only a prototype). The Type 618 Nene-Viking flew Heathrow-Paris on the anniversary of Blériot's crossing of the Channel, 1948 taking only 34 minutes (c.210 mi/340 km, 370.6 mph/596.4 km/h). Some six years later, it was converted to a piston engined Viking.[2]
Production finished in 1948, including 16 for the RAF and the King's Flight, but in 1952 BEA adapted some to a 38-passenger layout, taking the maximum payload up from 5,500-7,200 lb (2,500-3,300 kg). All Vikings featured a tailwheel undercarriage.
The 158th Viking became the prototype of the military Valetta, of which 261 were sold. When production of this strengthened but externally-similar type ended in 1951, a flying classroom version with tricycle undercarriage was already being delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF), called the Varsity.[3]All but one of those entered RAF service, the other example going to the Swedish Air Force. The production of 161 Varsitys kept the Hurn works busy until January 1954, and they enjoyed a long service life. Examples are preserved at Brooklands Museum, the Imperial War Museum Duxford and the Newark Air Museum.
Operational history
The first Viking was flown from Vickers' flight test airfield at Wisley, Surrey, by chief test pilot Joseph "Mutt" Summers on 22 June 1945 and the third aircraft built was delivered to BOAC at Hurn near Bournemouth on 20 April 1946. Upon the delivery of nine examples to BOAC for development flying, including the two remaining prototypes, British European Airways (BEA) was established on 1 August, 1946 to operate airliners within Europe and these first VC.1 Vikings were transferred to the new airline.[4]
After a trial flight from Northolt to Oslo on 20 August 1946 by the newly formed BEA, the first regular Viking scheduled service commenced between Northolt and Copenhagen on 1 September 1946.
In all 163 Vikings were built. The initials "VC" stood for Vickers Civil, echoing the "DC" precedent set by the Douglas Aircraft Company of the USA, builders of the DC-1, DC-2 and DC-3 Douglas Dakota, the latter also bought by BEA and of a similar configuration to the Viking. Vickers soon ceased to use the 'VC' letters, instead using type numbers in the 49x and 600 series, which indicated the specific customer airline.
BEA operated their large fleet of Vikings on many European and UK trunk routes for eight years. From 1951, the remaining fleet was modified with 36, instead of 27 seats, and named the "Admiral Class". BEA operated the Viking until late 1954, when the last was displaced by the more modern and pressurised Airspeed Ambassador and Vickers Viscount.
BEA sold their Vikings to several UK independent airlines for use on their growing scheduled and charter route networks. Some were sold to other European operators. An ex-BEA Viking 1B was fitted out as a VIP aircraft for the Arab Legion Air Force, mainly for the use of the King of Jordan.[5] Most Vikings had been retired from service by the mid 1960s and the sole surviving example in the UK is owned by Brooklands Museum where it is under long term restoration.
Variants
- Viking
- Prototypes with two 1,675 hp (1,250 kW) Bristol Hercules 130 engines, three built.
- Viking 1A
- Initial production version with geodetic wings and two 1,690 hp (1,261 kW) Bristol Hercules 630 engines.
- Viking 1
- Production aircraft with stressed skin mainplanes and two 1,690 hp (1,261 kW) Bristol Hercules 634 engines.
- Viking 1B
- Viking 1 with "long nose", 113 built.
- Nene Viking
- One Viking 1B aircraft modified for trials with two 5,000 lbf (22.3 kN) Rolls-Royce Nene I turbojets.
- Viking C2
- British military designation of the Viking 1; VIP transport aircraft for the King's Flight of the RAF.
- Valetta C2
- Modified design with strengthened floor and large freight door.
- Varsity T1
- Modified Valletta design with tricycle undercarriage for navigation and crew training.
Type numbers
- Type 491
- First prototype
- Type 495
- Second protoype
- Type 496
- Third prototype
- Type 498
- Viking 1A for British European Airways
- Type 604
- Viking 1B for Indian National Airways with two Hecules 634 engines.
- Type 607
- Valetta prototype for Ministry of Supply with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 610
- Viking 1B for British European Airways
- Type 614
- Viking 1A for British European Airways
- Type 615
- Viking 1 for the Argentine government with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 616
- Viking 1 for Central African Airways
- Type 618
- Nene Viking for Ministry of Supply
- Type 620
- Viking 1 for the Argentine government with two Hercules 630 engines.
- Type 621
- Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 130 engines.
- Type 623
- Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines.
- Type 624
- Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines.
- Type 626
- Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines.
- Type 627
- Viking 1B for Airwork Limited
- Type 628
- Viking 1B for DDL with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 632
- Viking 1B for Air India with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 634
- Viking 1B for Aer Lingus with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 635
- Viking 1B for South African Airways with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 636
- Viking 1B demonstrator.
- Type 637
- Valletta C1 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 230 engines.
- Type 639
- Viking 1 for British European Airways
- Type 641
- Viking 1 for Suidair International
- Type 643
- Viking 1 for Suidair International with two Hercules 630 engines.
- Type 644
- Viking 1B for Iraqi Airways
- Type 649
- Viking 1B for Pakistan Air Force with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 651
- Valetta C1 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 634 engines.
Operators
Civil operators
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Argentine Civil Aeronautics Board
- Flota Aerea Mercante Argentina
- Aero Transport
- Aero Express Flug
- Aerotour
- Colombus Luftreederei
- Condor Flugdienst
- Deutsche Flugdienst
- LTU International
- Transavia Flug
- Iraqi Airways
- Iraq Petroleum Transport Company
- Bernado Pasquelle
- Government of Mexico
- African Air Safaris
- Air Ferry
- Air Safaris
- Airwork Limited
- Autair
- Bembridge Air Hire Limited
- BKS Air Transport
- British European Airways
- British Overseas Airways Corporation (used only by BOAC development flight)
- Eagle Aviation/Eagle Airways
- British International Airlines
- British Nederland Airservices
- Channel Airways
- Continental Air Services
- Crewsair Limited
- Decca Navigator Company
- Dragon Airways
- Eros Airlines (UK)
- Field Aircraft Services
- First Air Trading Company
- Hunting Air Transport
- Hunting Clan Air Transport
- Invicta Airways / Invicta International Airways
- Independent Air Travel
- James Stuart Travel Limited
- Maitland Drewery Aviation
- Meredith Air Transport
- Orion Airways
- Overseas Aviation
- Pegasus Airlines
- Tradair Limited
- Trans World Charter
- Vendair Limited
Military operators
- Royal Australian Air Force - One Viking C2 in service from 1947 to 1951.
Accidents and incidents
Of the 163 aircraft built 56 aircraft were lost in accidents – the following were the notable accidents:
- 5 April 1948 - G-AIVP operated by British European Airways collided with a Soviet Yak-3 near Berlin, 15 killed.
- 8 February 1949 – OY-DLU operated by DDL crashed into the sea off Oresund, Denmark, with the loss of all 27 occupants.
- 31 October 1950 – G-AHPN operated by British European Airways crashed on landing in bad visibility at London-Heathrow Airport, England, 25 passengers and three crew died.
- 17 February 1952 – G-AHPI operated by Hunting Air Travel flew into the La Cinta mountain range, Italy, with the loss of all 31 occupants.
- 5 January 1953 – G-AJDL operated by British European Airways crashed on approach at Belfast-Nutts Corner Airport, Northern Ireland, three crew and 24 passengers died.
- 1 May 1957 – G-AJBO operated by Eagle Aviation crashed after engine failure near Blackbushe Airport, England, five crew and 29 passengers died.
- 9 August 1961 – G-AHPM operated by Cunard Eagle Airways crashed into a hill on approach to Stavanger Airport with the loss of all 39 occupants.
- 11 September 1963 – F-BJER operated by Airnautic crashed into a mountain in the Pyrennes with the loss of all 40 occupants, the worst Viking accident.
Survivors
- Viking 1A G-AGRU - On display/under restoration at the Brooklands Museum, Surrey, England
- Viking 1A G-AGRW - On display near Vienna Schwechat airport, Austria
- Viking 1 G-AHPB - On display in Switzerland
- Viking 1 ZS-DKH - Preserved in South Africa
- Viking 1B T-9 - On display in Argentina
- Viking 1B J-750 - On display at the Pakistan Air Force Museum Karachi, Pakistan.
Specifications (Viking 1B)
Data from Vickers Aircraft since 1908 [6]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two pilots
- Capacity: 36 passengers
- Length: 65 ft 2 in (19.86 m)
- Wingspan: 89 ft 3 in (27.20 m)
- Height: 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m)
- Wing area: 882 ft² (82.0 m²)
- Empty weight: 23,000 lb (10,430 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 34,000 lb (15,420 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× Bristol Hercules 634 14-cylinder two-row radial engine, 1,690 hp (1,260 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 263 mph (229 kn, 423 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 210 mph[7] (183 kn, 338 km/h)
- Range: 1,700 mi (1,478 nmi, 2,740 km)
- Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,500 ft/min (7.6 m/s)
- Wing loading: 38.5 lb/ft² (127 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.099 hp/lb (0.16 kW/kg)
See also
Related development
Vickers Wellington -
Vickers Valetta -
Vickers Varsity
Lists relating to aviation | |
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| General | Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines |
| Military | Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft |
| Notable incidents and accidents | Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths |
| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.
- Green, William and Gerald Pollinger. The Aircraft of the World. London: Macdonald, 1955.
- Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972: Volume III. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-818-6.
- Martin, Bernard. The Viking, Valetta and Varsity. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1975. ISBN 0-85130-038-3.
- Taylor, H.A. "The Viking...Vickers Commercial One". Air Enthusiast, No. 21, April-July 1983, pp. 38–48. ISSN 0143-5450.
Lists relating to aviation | |
|---|---|
| General | Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines |
| Military | Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft |
| Notable incidents and accidents | Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths |
| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
de:Vickers VC.1 fr:Vickers VC.1 Viking ja:ビッカース ヴァイキング no:Vickers VC.1 Viking zh:維克斯VC.1維京
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