Vickers Type 607
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense |
| Headquarters | Brooklands , United Kingdom |
| Products | Aircraft, including Vickers Valetta military transport aircraft |
The Vickers Valetta represents a twin-engine military transport aircraft designed and manufactured by the British firm Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd. Evolving from the Vickers VC.1 Viking, a compact civilian airliner, this aircraft featured an all-metal mid-wing monoplane configuration with a traditional tailwheel undercarriage.
Development of the Valetta began in the immediate post-World War II period, driven by the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) demand for a military transport adaptation of the Viking. The aircraft was required to swiftly switch between multiple functions such as troop transportation, air ambulance duties, cargo hauling, glider towing, and paratrooper deployment. To meet these versatile roles, its interior fittings were designed for quick removal and replacement with alternative setups. Key modifications from the Viking included installation of more robust Bristol Hercules 230 radial engines, reinforcement of the cabin floor, and strengthening of the landing gear.
Following its inaugural flight on 30 June 1947, the Valetta entered RAF service within the subsequent year. It rapidly became a cornerstone of Transport Command operations, participating in numerous British military campaigns throughout the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Suez Crisis, Aden, and the Malayan Emergency. The aircraft was further adapted into various versions including a VIP transport and several training variants. Notably, it served as the foundation for the Vickers Varsity, a specialised military trainer plane.
Origins
The Valetta’s lineage is directly linked to its predecessor, the Vickers VC.1 Viking, a civilian airliner that itself was derived from the Second World War-era Vickers Wellington medium bomber. Towards the end of the Viking’s development phase, it underwent comprehensive evaluation by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Several RAF officials expressed interest in acquiring a military transport version of this aircraft to equip RAF Transport Command, aiming to replace aging wartime transport fleets.
This interest led the Air Ministry to formalise requirements by issuing Specification C.9/46, explicitly targeting Vickers’ design. According to aviation historian C. F. Andrews, this specification was notably progressive for its time, mandating rapid adaptability between multiple roles including troop carriage, medical evacuation, freight transport, glider towing, and parachute drops of both personnel and equipment.
Into flight
The initial Valetta prototype, originally constructed as a standard Viking (c/n 158), was finalized in early 1947. On 30 June 1947, this prototype undertook the aircraft type's maiden flight at Brooklands, with Vickers' test pilot Mutt Summers at the controls.
Although the aircraft was named after Malta's capital city Valletta, its designation uses only one "l" in the spelling. Both the Viking and Valetta models served as the foundation for the development of the Varsity. While bearing similarities, the Varsity was somewhat larger, featured a tricycle undercarriage, and included a distinctive under-fuselage pannier designed to house a bomb-aimer and carry up to 24 practice bombs.
Design
The Vickers Valetta was designed as a twin-engine military transport aircraft. Its main distinctions from the Viking included more powerful engines, a reinforced cabin floor, and a pair of large, strengthened double-doors on the fuselage’s side to facilitate loading and unloading cargo. The need for stronger engines arose primarily due to the Valetta’s approximately 2,000 lb increase in maximum takeoff weight compared to the Viking. The powerplants selected were two Bristol Hercules 230 radial engines, each delivering up to 2,000 horsepower.
To meet its role as a versatile transport, the Valetta’s interior was engineered to accommodate military cargoes of various sizes, including bulky items. The floor was constructed to withstand concentrated loads of up to 1,500 lb at any single point and featured numerous securing points for cargo restraint. Additionally, many interior components were designed for rapid removal to enable swift role changes; these included different seating arrangements, a loading winch, vehicle ramps, floor rollers, glider-towing equipment, auxiliary fuel tanks, and sidewall soundproofing installations. In troop transport configuration, it could carry up to 34 fully equipped soldiers; as an air ambulance, it accommodated 20 stretcher patients along with two medical attendants; and in paratroop setup, it could transport 20 paratroopers plus nine air-droppable supply containers weighing 350 lb each.
Externally, several features supported diverse payload handling capabilities. Twin racks mounted beneath the central fuselage allowed carriage of supply containers. For glider towing operations, a pyramid-shaped structure at the rear fuselage served both as an attachment point and release mechanism. Optional flexible bag tanks could be fitted to extend operational range. To handle anticipated heavier loads from Viking missions and endure rougher landings more effectively, the undercarriage was significantly strengthened.
Operational history
The Valetta C.1 was introduced into RAF service in 1948. Its widespread deployment quickly led to the replacement of the wartime Douglas Dakota aircraft within RAF Transport Command, including numerous transport squadrons based in the Middle East and Far East regions. The Valetta actively operated in conflict zones, notably executing multiple parachute drops over Egypt during the 1956 Suez Crisis. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, it frequently served in a transport role supporting various British military campaigns, such as the Malayan Emergency and operations in Aden.
While the majority of Valettas operated were of the C.1 variant, several specialized versions were also introduced. The Valetta C.2 served as a dedicated VIP transport, offering similar performance characteristics but with enhanced range capabilities.
The Valetta T.3 variant was designed specifically as a navigational trainer for use by the RAF College at RAF Cranwell and by No.1 and No.2 Air Navigation Schools. This model can be identified by multiple astrodomes installed along the fuselage roof. Production delivered 40 units between August 1951 and September 1952, with WJ487 being the final aircraft produced. Subsequently, 18 T.3 aircraft were converted into the T.4 variant, which incorporated an enlarged nose housing a radar system to facilitate training for aircraft interception (AI) radar operators.
A number of Valettas underwent modifications as part of experimental projects conducted by Vickers. Various alternative landing gear configurations were tested; however, these trials showed minimal improvement in ground handling compared to the standard undercarriage arrangement.
Variants
- Valetta C.1 – cargo transport version, with 211 units produced
- Valetta C.2 – configured for VIP transportation, total of 11 manufactured
- Valetta T.3 – designed as an aircrew trainer, 40 aircraft completed
- Valetta T.4 – modified from the T.3 model, equipped with a nose-mounted radar system
Operators
Accidents and incidents
- On 18 February 1951, an RAF Valetta executed an emergency belly landing near Stockholm-Bromma Airport due to engine failure combined with radio malfunctions. The situation was exacerbated by airframe icing. Among the 22 passengers and crew, one fatality occurred. The aircraft was completely destroyed.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
- On 15 January 1953, Valetta C.1 VX562 was involved in a mid-air collision over the Mediterranean Sea with an RAF Lancaster, resulting in the deaths of all 19 individuals aboard the Valetta and seven crew members on the Lancaster.[17]
- VX490 vanished on 11 November 1953 during an air test flight after leaving RAF Changi. All seven occupants perished. It is believed that the aircraft disintegrated within a thunderstorm.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
- On 6 January 1954, Valetta T.3 WJ474 crashed near Aldbury, Hertfordshire, shortly after taking off from RAF Bovingdon in adverse weather conditions. The aircraft was transporting a rugby team; 17 people died while one survived.[18][19]
- On 21 February 1954, Valetta C.1 WJ494, arriving from Hong Kong, crashed approximately 2.4 km (1.5 mi) from Singapore's Changi RAF base during a single-engine approach. It was reported that the pilot mistakenly feathered the wrong engine while preparing to land. The aircraft lost altitude, struck trees, and caught fire; three of the twelve people on board died.[20]
- Valetta C.1 VW832 crashed at Queria, Jordan, on 17 April 1957, five minutes after departing from King Hussein International Airport. The left wing detached following turbulence encounter, causing the loss of all 26 passengers and crew.[21]
- On 22 August 1957, RAF Valetta VX491 'Y' went down in jungle terrain near Tanjong Malim, Malaya. Three RAF crew members lost their lives; four servicemen from 55 Coy RASC AD survived and were rescued. Engine failure was considered a possible cause.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
Aircraft on display
- VX573 – Valetta C.2 is held in storage at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, located in Cosford, Shropshire.[22]Template:Fix/category[better source needed]
- VX580 – This Valetta C.2 is exhibited statically at the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum in Flixton, Suffolk.[23][24]
- A cockpit from a Valetta T.3 is on display at the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum in Doncaster. Although its exact identity cannot be confirmed definitively, it is believed to have belonged to WJ476.
Specifications (Vickers Valetta C.1)
Notable appearances in media
The Valetta T3 is prominently featured in an extended sequence of the 1957 motion picture High Flight, where it serves as an airborne navigation classroom at RAF College Cranwell.
See also
Citations
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 38.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jefford 2001, p. 44.
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 49.
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 51.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Jefford 2001, p. 53.
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 58.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jefford 2001, p. 60.
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 71.
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 74.
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 77.
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 102.
- ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 105.
- ↑ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 227.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 49.
- ↑ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 197.
- ↑ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 208.
- ↑ "Accident Description: Valetta C1." aviation-safety.net.
- ↑ "Accident Description: Valetta T3." aviation-safety.net.
- ↑ Service Aviation Flight 15 January 1954
- ↑ "ASN Aircraft accident Vickers Valetta C.1 WJ494 Singapore-Changi RAF Station" aviation-safety.net.
- ↑ "ASN Aircraft accident Vickers Valetta C.1 VW832 Queria" aviation-safety.net.
- ↑ "Vickers Viking/Valetta/Varsity". Oldprops. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ↑ "OUR AIRCRAFT". Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ↑ "Valetting the Valetta". Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
Bibliography
- Andrews, C.F. Vickers Aircraft Since 1908. London: Putnam, 1969.
- Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.
- Bridgman, Leonard. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1951–52. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd, 1951.
- Jefford, C. G. (2001). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Martin, Bernard. The Viking, Valetta and Varsity. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. 1975. ISBN 0-85130-038-3.
- Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.
- Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57. London: Putnam, 1st edition, 1957.
External links
- Newest RAF Transport Flight 1947
Template:Vickers aircraft Template:ADF aircraft designations