Page 6 - RAFEW A

Vickers Wellington Mk IC

Origin: Vickers - Armstrong (Aircraft) Ltd.

Type: Long-range bomber with crew of 6.

Engine: Two 1,050 hp Bristol Pegasus 9 cylinder radials.

Dimensions: Span 86ft 2in (26.26m); length 64ft 7in

(19.68m); height 17ft 6in (5..33m).

Weight: Empty 18,556lb (8417kg); loaded 25,800lb (11,703kg)

Performance: Maximum speed 235 mph (379km/.h); initial climb 1,050 ft (320m/min); service
ceiling 22,000 ft (6710m): range with bomb load 1,500lb (680kg) 2,200miles (3540km)

Armament: Nash and Thompson turrets at the front and rear each with two 0.303in Browning
machine guns. Two Vickers K 0.303in Machine guns manually aimed from beam windows.
Bomb load up to 4,500lb (2041kg) internally.

History

Designed by the legendary Barnes Wallis the production Vickers Wellington Mk I was first
flown in December 1937 and was the RAFs best bomber at the start of the war. It had good range
and could carry a reasonable bomb load for the time. It was noted for the fantastic amount of
punishment it could withstand which was largely due to its revolutionary geodetic construction.
The Wellington operated successfully throughout the war in a variety of roles and was without
doubt one of the outstanding aircraft of the Second World War.