Vickers Victoria

Vickers

Industry	Aerospace, Defence
Founded	1828
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft, including Vickers Type 56 Victoria

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The Vickers Type 56 Victoria was a British twin-engine biplane designed for cargo and troop transport, operated by the Royal Air Force. Its maiden flight occurred in 1922, and it was chosen for production ahead of the competing Armstrong Whitworth Awana.

Design and development

The Victoria featured a twin-engine biplane configuration with conventional landing gear and a tailskid. Its design combined the fuselage of the earlier Vernon transport with the wing structure of the contemporaneous Virginia bomber. Propulsion was provided by two Napier Lion engines. The enclosed cabin accommodated up to 24 soldiers seated on collapsible canvas benches aligned along the fuselage sides.

In April 1921, the Air Ministry commissioned two prototypes under Specification 5/20. The first prototype, bearing serial number J6860, was constructed as a Type 56 and designated Victoria I, while the second, J6861, was a Type 81 Victoria II. The Type 56 was equipped with two 450 hp (340 kW) Napier Lion engines fitted with prominent frontal radiators mounted directly on the lower wings; fuel tanks were located beneath the inner section of the lower mainplane. Prototype J6860 completed its initial flight at Brooklands, Surrey on 22 August 1922. The Type 81 took to the air in January 1923, initially differing only by having fuel tanks installed under the upper mainplane. Subsequent modifications included replacing the flat-sided engine cowlings with streamlined nacelles featuring radiators positioned between the undercarriage legs, as seen on the Virginia II bomber.

By March 1925, an order was placed for fifteen production units. During this period, wing design had evolved with swept-back wings adopted from developments in the Virginia model; these were incorporated into the production Victoria III aircraft. Another advancement introduced from the Virginia lineage was transitioning from entirely wooden airframes to metal structures. A prototype Victoria featuring this metal construction (serial number J9250) was ordered in September 1927 and delivered in October 1928. The metal airframe demonstrated superior durability in hot and humid climates where the Victoria operated extensively. Consequently, Victoria IV and V variants with metal structures were produced through conversion or new manufacture. The final iteration, Mark VI, replaced Napier Lion engines with more modern and powerful Bristol Pegasus radial engines. An enhanced variant known as the Vickers Valentia incorporated a reinforced airframe capable of supporting increased payloads.

A total of ninety-seven Victorias were manufactured, many subsequently converted into Valentias.

Operational history

File:THE ROYAL AIR FORCE 1919 - 1939 H(AM)345.jpg

Troops boarding a Vickers Victoria.

The initial deliveries of the Victoria III commenced on 23 February 1926, with this model replacing the Vernons and Vimys within 70 Squadron stationed in Iraq and 216 Squadron based in Egypt during the same year. During the Kabul Airlift from November 1928 to February 1929, eight Victorias from 70 Squadron were instrumental in evacuating diplomatic personnel, their families, and members of the Afghan royal family amid harsh winter conditions and a civil war triggered by reforms under Amānullāh Khān. The Victoria aircraft also transported troops to regions of unrest, including deployments to Palestine in 1929, Jordan in 1930, and Cyprus from Egypt in 1931.

The two operational squadrons' Victorias undertook several extended training missions, such as round trips between Cairo and Aden in 1931, and contributed to establishing air routes for Imperial Airways’ Handley Page HP.42 airliners. One particular Victoria was adapted by the Central Flying School as a trainer for blind flying, equipped with dual controls and instruments inside a sealed cabin. Although the Victoria remained operational until 1935, numerous airframes were converted into Valentias, which continued service well into the Second World War.

Variants

Type 56 Victoria Mk I

The initial prototype featuring two 450 hp (340 kW) Napier Lion IAX W12 engines.

Type 81 Victoria Mk II

The second prototype developed.

Type 117 Victoria Mk III

The first production batch designed as military transport aircraft for the RAF, powered by 450 hp Napier Lion II engines. A total of 46 units were manufactured.

Type 145 Victoria Mk IV

Featured a metal wing structure; one prototype was equipped with Bristol Jupiter radial engines. Additionally, thirteen earlier models with Lion engines were converted to this standard.

Type 169 Victoria Mk V

Newly produced aircraft incorporating metal structure and powered by two 570 hp (430 kW) Napier Lion XIB engines. Thirty-seven units were newly constructed.

Type 262 Victoria Mk VI

The final production variant utilized 660 horsepower (490 kW) Bristol Pegasus IIL3 engines instead of the Napier Lions. Eleven new units were built, with an additional twenty-three converted from previous models.

Operators

File:Vickers Victoria 2.jpg

Vickers Victoria

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• Royal Air Force
  • No. 70 Squadron RAF (stationed at RAF Hinaidi, Iraq from 1924 to 1935)
  • No. 216 Squadron RAF (based at RAF Heliopolis, Egypt between 1925 and 1935)

References

Bibliography

• Sims, Charles. "Talkback". Air Enthusiast. No. 13, August–November 1980. p. 79. Template:ISSN