Vickers Virginia

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Vickers Virginia
Vickers Virginia in flight.jpg
Type: Night bomber
Design country:

United KingdomUnited Kingdom United Kingdom

Manufacturer:

Vickers

First flight:

November 24, 1922

Commissioning:

1924

Number of pieces:

124

The Vickers Virginia was a four-seat biplane built by Vickers as a heavy night bomber for the British Royal Air Force .

The Virginia replaced the Vickers Vimy as a bomber and formed the core of the British bomber fleet from 1924 to 1937. In the bomber role she was later replaced by the Handley Page Heyford and the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley .

Versions

The 124 copies produced were used in ten versions.

Type 57 Virginia Mk I
Was the first prototype for the RAF. It was powered by two Napier Lions with 450 hp (340 kW) each. Quantity: 1 prototype
Type 96 Virginia Mk I.
In the first prototype 57 Virginia, two Rolls-Royce-Condor piston engines with 650 HP (490 kW) each were installed.
Type 115 Virginia Mk VIII
The prototype 96 Virginia was rebuilt and received a longer fuselage and new machine gun stands.
Type 129 Virginia Mk VII
Type 115 Virginia converted to the prototype of the Virginia Mk VII.
Type 76 Virginia Mk II
The second Virginia prototype was powered by two Napier-Lion piston engines and had a longer bow. Quantity: 1 prototype
Type 79 Virginia Mk III
Was equipped with a double steering wheel and two 468 HP (349 kW) Napier Lion II engines and was able to carry bombs at underwing stations. Number of pieces: 6
Type 99 Virginia Mk IV
Twin-engine heavy night bomber, derived from the Type 76 Virginia Mk II, it carried an even greater bomb load and again had the third vertical tail surface of the original Virginia.
Type 100 Virginia Mk V
Twin-engine heavy night bomber equipped with a triple vertical tail. Number of items: 22
Type 108 Virginia Mk VI
Twin-engined heavy night bomber, was equipped with folding wings. Number of pieces: 25
Type 112 Virginia Mk VII
This version had a redesigned bug. It also shows a positive V-position and a clear sweep of the upper and lower outer surfaces. Quantity: 11 built and 38 retrofitted
Type 128 Virginia Mk IX
In this version, a rear gun was introduced. Quantity: 8 built and 27 retrofitted
Type 139 Virginia Mk X
In this version, the supporting structure was made entirely of metal and a tail wheel was introduced instead of the grinding spur. Quantity: 50 built and 53 retrofitted.

production

Acceptance of Vickers Virginia by the RAF:

version 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 total
Mk.I 1                     1
Mk.II   1                   1
Mk.III     6th                 6th
Mk.IV     4th                 4th
Mk.V     7th 15th               22nd
Mk.VI       25th               25th
Mk.VII           11           11
Mk.IX           8th           8th
Mk.X                   19th 31 50
total 1 1 17th 40 0 19th 0 0 0 19th 32 128

Military users

United KingdomUnited Kingdom United Kingdom

Technical specifications

Parameter Vickers Virginia Mk X
crew four men
length 18.97 m
span 26.72 m
Wing area 202.4 m²
height 5.54 m
Empty mass 4,377 kg
Flight mass Max. 7,983 kg
drive two Napier Lion V piston engines with 425 kW (578 hp) each
Top speed 174 km / h at 1,500 m (4920 feet ) altitude
Range 1,585 km
Service ceiling 4,210 m
Rate of climb 1,520 m in 10 min
Armament three 7.7 mm machine guns , up to 1,452 kg bombs in the internal weapon bay

swell

  • CF Andrews, EB Morgan: Vickers Aircraft since 1908. Putnam, London 1989, ISBN 0-85177-815-1 .
  • Encyclopedia of Airplanes. Weltbild Verlag GmbH, Augsburg 1994, ISBN 3893500553 .
  • Jim Winchester: Bombers of the 20th Century. Airlife Publishing Ltd., London 2003, ISBN 1-84037-386-5 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Halley, James J .: The K File. The Royal Air Force of the 1930s, Tunbridge Wells, 1995, pp. 386 ff .; Thompson, Dennis: Royal Air Force Aircraft J1-J9999, Tonbridge 1987