Vickers F.B.27 Vimy
| Industry | Aviation, Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1828 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Vickers Vimy heavy bomber |
The Vickers Vimy was a British heavy bomber developed and produced by Vickers Limited. Conceived during the final phase of the First World War to serve the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), it was designed by Vickers' lead designer, Rex Pierson.
Only a limited number of Vimys were operational before the Armistice of 11 November 1918 ended hostilities, so the aircraft did not participate in combat during the war. Nevertheless, it became a foundational element of the Royal Air Force (RAF)'s heavy bomber fleet throughout the 1920s. The Vimy found success in both military and civilian roles, with the civilian version known as the Vimy Commercial. An offshoot transport model, the Vickers Vernon, was notable as the RAF’s inaugural troop-carrying aircraft.
In the period between wars, the Vimy established multiple long-distance flight records. Its most renowned achievement was completing the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919, piloted by John Alcock and Arthur Brown. Additional record-setting journeys included flights from Britain to South Africa and Australia. The aircraft remained in service for military and civilian purposes into the 1930s.
Background
During the First World War, both the Allied Powers and the Central Powers increasingly leveraged emerging technologies to attempt to overcome the deadlock of trench warfare. A significant advancement was made in fixed-wing aircraft, which rapidly evolved to fulfill combat roles.[1] On 23 July 1917, following a German bombing raid on London, the Air Board judged existing projects insufficiently ambitious and cancelled all ongoing experimental heavy bomber contracts. However, after objections from the Controller of Technical Department, within a week they commissioned 100 Handley Page O/100 bombers and placed orders for prototype heavy bombers from both Handley Page and Vickers Limited.[1]
On 16 August 1917, Vickers received a contract for three prototype aircraft[1] and Rex Pierson, head of Vickers’ aviation design team, began work on a large twin-engine biplane bomber. This design was initially intended to be powered by either two RAF 4d engines or a pair of 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano Suiza engines.[1] Pierson consulted with Major J. C. Buchanan of the Air Board to define preliminary specifications for an aircraft capable of night bombing missions targeting locations within the German Empire.[2][1]
Design
The Vickers F.B.27 Vimy features a twin-engine biplane configuration with equal span wings and four bays, equipped with balanced ailerons on both the upper and lower wings. Positioned mid-gap, the engine nacelles also housed the fuel tanks. Its tail assembly is a biplane empennage, incorporating elevators on both upper and lower surfaces alongside dual rudders. The main landing gear comprises two sets of wheels, each supported by a pair of tubular steel V-shaped struts. Additionally, the aircraft includes a tail skid and a forward skid beneath the nose to prevent tipping forward on landing.
Engineered to carry a crew of three along with a bomb load of 12 units, the Vimy’s pilot cockpit was situated just in front of the wings. The design incorporated two gunner stations: one located behind the wings and another at the nose, each equipped with twin Lewis guns mounted on Scarff rings. During the interwar years, the rear gunner position was frequently left unfitted. Ammunition capacity allowed for up to four spare drums at the nose station and as many as six drums at the rear gunner's post.
Most of the bomb payload, typically 250-pound bombs totaling 12 in number, was stored vertically inside the fuselage between the spars of the lower center wing section. Certain variants permitted carrying additional bombs externally, increasing total capacity to 18 bombs, contingent upon sufficient engine power. For maritime anti-surface operations, the Vimy could be armed with two torpedoes. To enhance bombing precision, it was equipped with the High Altitude Drift Mk.1a bombsight. Standard fittings also included two Michelin-manufactured Mk.1 flare dispensers.
The aircraft utilized various engines due to supply challenges during development. Prototype Vimys underwent testing with several engine types such as Sunbeam Maori units, water-cooled Salmson 9Zm radial engines, and Fiat A.12bis powerplants before production models were ordered with engines including the 230 hp BHP Puma, 400 hp Fiat, 400 hp Liberty L-12, and 300 hp Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII. A total of 776 units were ordered before World War I ended; however, only those powered by the Eagle engine—designated as Vimy IV—were delivered to the Royal Air Force. The diversity of engines employed has led to conflicting official records regarding production quantities for each sub-variant.
The design and manufacture of prototypes proceeded at remarkable speed; from detailed design work under the internal designation F.B.27 to completion of three prototypes took just four months.
Prototypes
At the time the initial prototype was finalized, the RAF 4D engine was not yet fully developed, resulting in the installation of an alternative Hispano Suiza powerplant. On 30 November 1917, Captain Gordon Bell piloted this first prototype on its inaugural flight from Royal Flying Corps Station Joyce Green in Kent. In January 1918, it was sent to RAF Martlesham Heath in Suffolk to undergo official evaluation. The F.B.27 reportedly impressed during these trials by achieving takeoff with a heavier load than the Handley Page O/400, despite possessing roughly half the engine power. However, engine reliability issues emerged during testing, prompting its return to Joyce Green on 12 April 1918.
Subsequent extensive modifications were made to the first prototype, including replacing the Hispano Suiza engines with Salmson water-cooled aero-engines. Additional alterations involved adopting a different exhaust stack design, implementing a 3-degree dihedral angle on the main wings, and revising the tail assembly. After these changes, the prototype remained in use for several years, surviving beyond the war and eventually receiving a civil registration. In August 1919, it was flown from Brooklands to Amsterdam as part of Vickers’ display at the Eerste Luchtverkeer Tentoonstelling Amsterdam.
The second prototype was completed in early 1918 and featured several design differences from its predecessor. It incorporated plain elevators and ailerons with reverse tapering, along with variations in the upper surfaces of the wings and tailplanes. Defensive armament was enhanced by equipping the rear gunner with two separate guns; these enhancements were later standardized on production models. This aircraft was powered by two Sunbeam Maori engines, which exhibited cooling system issues during initial tests at Joyce Green. On 26 April 1918, it was sent to RAF Martlesham Heath for official evaluation but was lost in a crash caused by engine failure during testing.
The third prototype also reached completion within the first half of 1918. It utilized two 400 hp (300 kW) Fiat A.12 engines and featured a redesigned nose and nacelles similar to those found on production aircraft. Performance assessments began on 15 August 1918 at RAF Martlesham Heath but were delayed due to a cracked propeller requiring replacement. Unfortunately, on 11 September 1918, this prototype was destroyed when its bomb payload detonated following a hard landing induced by a pilot-caused stall.
A fourth prototype was constructed specifically to test the Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engine. On 11 October 1918, it flew from Joyce Green to Martlesham Heath for official trials. Aside from its Eagle powerplant, this version closely resembled earlier prototypes but featured significantly increased fuel capacity and larger, reshaped rudders. By the time testing of this fourth prototype commenced, mass production of the Vimy had already started.
Production
Following the satisfactory results from the initial prototype, production commenced prior to the assessment of other prototypes. On 26 March 1918, the first production order for 150 units was placed, with manufacturing taking place at Vickers' Crayford facility in Bexley. Plans for production involvement by additional manufacturers were established early; by May 1918, subsequent contracts had been awarded to Clayton & Shuttleworth, Morgan & Co, and the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), alongside a separate production line at Vickers' Weybridge site. During wartime, orders for the aircraft exceeded 1,000 units. The aircraft was officially designated Vimy, named after the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
By the conclusion of 1918, Vickers had completed 13 aircraft—7 produced at Crayford and 6 at Weybridge. Production persisted beyond the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, resulting in Vickers finishing a total of 112 aircraft under wartime contracts. Morgan & Co fulfilled most, if not all, of their orders, while Westland Aircraft completed 25 out of their contracted 75 units. The exact production figures for the RAE remain unclear due to changes in serial number assignments and a fragmented manufacturing approach implemented shortly after the war’s end; their final Vimy was completed in February 1920.
Various engines powered production models, leading to multiple mark designations to differentiate between subtypes. Engine selection was often dictated by availability; Rolls-Royce Limited engines were scarce in 1918 due to limited output, and other manufacturers also faced challenges meeting engine demand that year. There was significant interest in equipping the Vimy with American Liberty L-12 engines because of their abundance; however, all Liberty-powered Vimy orders were canceled in January 1919 before any were completed. Similarly, plans to fit the Siddeley Puma engine were abandoned without any installations.
The Vimy’s role expanded beyond its initial bomber function. A variant with increased internal capacity, known as the Vimy Commercial in civil aviation circles, was developed. The RAF operated a version called the Vickers Vernon, which became its first dedicated troop transport aircraft. Additionally, some Vimys served as air ambulances for evacuating wounded soldiers and were adapted for record-setting long-distance flights. Between 1923 and 1925, limited batches were produced by Vickers, and from 1923 to 1931 at least 43 early production Vimys underwent refurbishment to prolong their operational lifespan; one particular aircraft was refurbished four times.
By October 1918, only three Vimys had been delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF), with one deployed to France for use by the Independent Air Force. The aircraft was intended for long-range bombing missions into Germany, capable of reaching Berlin from French bases; however, the Armistice halted any offensive deployment before these missions could occur. Post-war reductions in RAF size slowed the Vimy’s integration into service. It was not until July 1919 that the Vimy officially entered full service with No. 58 Squadron RAF in Egypt, replacing the older Handley Page O/400.
RAF service
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As reported in Flight International on 12 June 1918, the Air Board initially planned to deploy the first production Vimys primarily as maritime patrol aircraft outfitted for anti-submarine operations. Once this operational need was fulfilled, subsequent units were intended for night bombing missions launched from French bases.[3] This strategy aligned with a newly introduced directive aimed at significantly increasing the number of land-based aircraft assigned to anti-submarine patrols—from 66 in November 1917 to an anticipated total of 726—where the Vimy’s extended range made it a critical asset. In August 1918, experiments were conducted to assess fitting the Vimy with floats, although it remains unclear if any aircraft were ultimately modified in this way.[3]
During the 1920s, the Vimy served as the RAF’s principal heavy bomber; for several years it was the sole twin-engine bomber stationed within Britain.[4] On 1 April 1924, the establishment of No. 9 Squadron and No. 58 Squadron, both operating Vimys, effectively tripled the domestic heavy bomber strength. Earlier, on 1 July 1923, a Night Flying Flight equipped with Vimys was formed at RAF Biggin Hill; notably during the general strike of 1926, this unit undertook aerial distribution of the British Gazette newspaper nationwide.[4] Between 1921 and 1926, Vimys constituted the core fleet servicing the airmail route between Cairo and Baghdad.[4] The aircraft operated as a frontline bomber in both the Middle East and the UK from 1919 until being superseded by the more advanced Vickers Virginia in 1925.[5]
Although many squadrons transitioned to the Virginia after its introduction, the Vimy remained in service with a Special Reserve bomber squadron—502 Squadron—based at Aldergrove in Northern Ireland until 1929.[5][4] The type also continued fulfilling secondary duties such as training; numerous Vimys were re-engined with either Bristol Jupiter or Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar radial engines for these roles.[6] The last operational Vimys served as target aircraft for searchlight training exercises and remained active until 1938.[7]
Long-distance flights
Among the Vimy's numerous groundbreaking journeys, the most notable was the inaugural non-stop transatlantic flight accomplished by Alcock and Brown in June 1919. A specially designed Vimy was created for this mission, featuring enlarged fuel tanks to increase its range and an updated undercarriage. Only a single aircraft of this type was produced; it is currently conserved and exhibited at the London Science Museum.
In 1919, the Australian government announced a £10,000 prize for the first all-Australian crew to complete a flight from England to Australia. Pilots Keith Macpherson Smith and Ross Macpherson Smith, accompanied by mechanics Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers, successfully flew from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome to Darwin, stopping at Singapore and Batavia before arriving on 10 December 1919. Their aircraft, registered as G-EAOU, is preserved within a specially constructed, climate-controlled museum located on the grounds of Adelaide Airport in Smith's hometown, Adelaide, Australia. The return leg from Darwin to Sydney required nearly twice the time taken for the initial journey. In recognition of this historic event, Vickers Vimy Reserve in Northgate—a suburb of Adelaide—is named after the location where the plane landed upon its return to South Australia in 1920.
In 1920, Lieutenant Colonel Pierre van Ryneveld and Major Quintin Brand embarked on an attempt to complete the first flight from England to South Africa. Departing from Brooklands on 4 February 1920 in Vimy G-UABA, dubbed Silver Queen, they safely landed at Heliopolis. However, while en route to Wadi Halfa, engine overheating compelled them to make an emergency landing approximately 80 miles (130 km) short of their destination. At Heliopolis, the RAF provided them with a second Vimy aircraft named Silver Queen II. This replacement plane reached Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia, but suffered severe damage during a failed takeoff attempt. Consequently, Van Ryneveld and Brand continued their journey to Cape Town using a South African Air Force Airco DH.9. Both aviators received £5,000 awards from the South African government in recognition of their efforts.
Vimy Commercial
The Vimy Commercial was a civilian adaptation featuring a fuselage with a larger diameter, primarily constructed from spruce plywood. It was developed and made its maiden flight at the Joyce Green airfield in Kent on 13 April 1919. Initially assigned the temporary civil registration K-107, it was later re-registered as G-EAAV.
The prototype took part in the 1920 Cape Town race, departing Brooklands on 24 January 1920; however, it crashed near Tabora, Tanganyika on 27 February.
In 1919, the Chinese Government placed a substantial aircraft order with Vickers, including 100 Vimy Commercials. This order was reduced to 40 units when the final agreement was signed in 1920. Of particular note is the Chinese order for 100 aircraft; out of the 43 produced, forty were delivered to China, though most remained unused in their crates, with only seven entering civilian service.
The RAF received five air ambulance variants powered by Napier Lion engines, designated as the Vimy Ambulance. Additionally, fifty-five bomber-transport versions were produced for the RAF under the name Vickers Vernon.
Role in the Second Zhili–Fengtian War
Following the First Zhili–Fengtian War, twenty Vimy Commercials were covertly converted into bombers under orders from the Zhili clique warlord Cao Kun. These converted aircraft later took part in the Second Zhili–Fengtian War.
During this conflict, these bombers initially achieved considerable success using low-altitude bombing strategies. The Zhili clique’s air force chief of staff, General Zhao Buli (趙步壢), personally piloted numerous missions. However, on 17 September, while returning from a successful bombing sortie near Shanhai Pass, General Zhao’s plane was struck by ground fire from the Fengtian clique around Nine Gates (Jiumenkou, 九門口), forcing an emergency landing. Zhao managed to evade capture and return safely to base. Following this incident, bomber operations shifted to higher altitudes to avoid ground fire, significantly diminishing bombing precision and operational effectiveness.
After extensive clashes among Chinese warlords, all these aircraft came under control of the Fengtian clique and formed its First Heavy Bomber Group. At the time of the Mukden Incident, these bombers were being phased out and were subsequently seized by Japanese forces, who soon disposed of them.
Variants
- F.B.27 Vimy
- Initial prototype series; four units constructed, each equipped with a pair of 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8 piston engines.
- F.B.27A Vimy II
- Twin-engine heavy bomber designed for the RAF, powered by two 300 hp (220 kW) Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII piston engines.
- Vimy Ambulance
- Version adapted for air ambulance duties within the RAF.
- Vimy Commercial
- Civil transport adaptation featuring two 300 hp (220 kW) Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines initially, later upgraded to 360 hp (270 kW) Rolls-Royce Eagle IX piston engines.
- A.N.F. 'Express Les Mureaux'
- A modification of Vimy Commercial No.42, re-engined with two 370 hp (280 kW) Lorraine 12Da V-12 powerplants by ANF Les Mureaux.
Military operators
- Royal Air Force (operating Vimy, Vimy Ambulance, and Vernon variants).
Civil operators
- The Government of China (operated the Vimy Commercial).
- Grands Express Aériens (utilized the Vimy Commercial).
- Single aircraft in service.
- The Government of Spain (operated the Vimy).
- Imperial Airways (employed the Vimy Commercial).
- Instone Air Line (used the Vimy Commercial).
Aircraft on display
- Australia
- Vimy IV G-EAOU preserved at Adelaide Airport.
- United Kingdom
- Vimy IV – The aircraft flown by Alcock & Brown during their pioneering transatlantic flight, exhibited at the Science Museum London.
Replicas
In the early 1920s, Vickers constructed a replica cockpit section of the transatlantic Vimy for display at the London Science Museum. Additionally, three full-scale replicas have been produced. The first was a taxiable model commissioned by British Lion Films from Shawcraft Models Ltd of Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire; although the intended film about Alcock & Brown's transatlantic flight was never completed, the replica was finished and paid for. Its subsequent whereabouts are uncertain, but it was publicly exhibited at the Battle of Britain airshow held at RAF Biggin Hill in 1955 and may have been stored dismantled in East London up to the late 1980s. Components such as engine nacelles appeared in the film 'Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.', suggesting it may have deteriorated by that time.
In 1969, an airworthy replica bearing registration G-AWAU was constructed by the Vintage Aircraft Flying Association at Brooklands and first flown by D. G. 'Dizzy' Addicott alongside Peter Hoar. Following severe fire damage, it was displayed until February 2014 at the Royal Air Force Museum London, Hendon, before being relocated dismantled to storage at the RAF Museum facility in Stafford.
A second flying replica, NX71MY, was built in 1994 by an Australian-American team led by Lang Kidby and Peter McMillan. This aircraft successfully reenacted three significant historic flights: England to Australia piloted by Kidby and McMillan in 1994, England to South Africa flown by Mark Rebholz and John LaNoue in 1999, and Alcock and Brown's transatlantic crossing recreated in 2005 with pilots Steve Fossett and Mark Rebholz. Donated to Brooklands Museum in 2006, it remained airworthy to commemorate the 90th anniversaries of these landmark flights before retirement in late 2009. Its final journey involved pilots John Dodd, Clive Edwards, and Peter McMillan flying from Dunsfold to Brooklands on November 15, 2009; four days later, it was carefully dismantled and transported a short distance for reassembly inside the museum’s main hangar by a dedicated volunteer group. Shortly thereafter, a special Brooklands Vimy Exhibition was inaugurated by Peter McMillan, where this unique aircraft is now publicly accessible.
Specifications
See also
External links
- The Vickers Vimy-Commercial at Hendon, 1919
- Vickers Vimy exhibited in Adelaide, South Australia
- RAF Museum collection
- Alcock and Brown's Vickers Vimy at the Science Museum London – archived page
- Vickers Vimy digital archive – State Library of NSW
- Alcock and Brown's Vimy held by the Science Museum London
- National Geographic documentation of the 2005 Atlantic flight reenactment
- Video playlist of the Brooklands Vickers Vimy replica
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bruce 1965, p. 3.
- ↑ Jarrett 1992, p. 9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bruce 1965, p. 6.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Bruce 1965, p. 8.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mason 1994, p. 98.
- ↑ Bruce 1965, p. 9.
- ↑ Andrews & Morgan 1988, p. 93.