Vickers Vireo
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1828 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
The Vickers Vireo represented an experimental, low-wing, all-metal monoplane designed to investigate the viability of entirely metal service aircraft as well as the concept of catapult-launched fighters deployed from ships. Only a single unit was ever constructed.
Development
The construction technique employed by Vickers-Wibault originated from patents held by Michel Wibault, who began collaborating with Vickers in 1922. This approach enabled the manufacture of an all-metal aircraft structure using straightforward, unmachined metal components, which were then covered with extremely thin corrugated light alloy sheets approximately 0.4 millimetres (0.016 in) thick. On the wings, these corrugations ran along the chord, whereas on the fuselage they were oriented longitudinally. The fuselage structure was internally supported rather than monocoque, and the wing skin did not bear structural loads. The panels were fastened together and to the internal framework by riveting. Vickers’ initial application of this method was with the licensed production of the Wibault Scout, with the Vireo being their first original design to utilize this construction.
Named after a Latin term believed to mean Greenfinch, the Vireo was developed in response to Air Ministry specification 17/25, which sought to evaluate both all-metal aircraft and low-powered fighters launched via catapult from carriers. The aircraft featured a low-wing, single-engine monoplane configuration with a notably angular profile, including a flat-sided and deep fuselage except just behind the engine. The nose tapered forward of the open cockpit located above the wing, giving it a somewhat humped silhouette. All flying surfaces lacked external bracing; the tapered wing had a deep cross-section and housed twin machine guns. The horizontal stabilizer had a straight leading edge with a tapered trailing edge, while the rudder was square-topped and balanced but there was no fin.
Propulsion came from an uncowled 230 horsepower (170 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV radial engine driving a two-bladed propeller. The specification required adaptability for either wheeled or float undercarriage, both of which were fitted during its development; however, Ministry testing was conducted with it as a landplane. These trials commenced at RAF Martlesham Heath in April 1928, roughly one month following its maiden flight in March 1928. The considerable delay between submitting the tender in December 1925 and first flight was partly due to extensive structural and aerodynamic evaluations carried out at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. While testing revealed some minor issues, a more significant problem was its tendency to drop heavily upon landing, causing damage to the rear fuselage. This behavior was later linked to root interference effects caused by the highly cambered wing resulting in challenging stall characteristics. Despite this, by July the Vireo underwent deck landing trials aboard HMS Furious.
The Air Ministry’s enthusiasm for low-powered carrier-based fighters launched by catapult diminished after it became evident that the Vireo offered no speed advantage over traditional shipborne aircraft such as the Fairey IIIF. Nonetheless, experience gained from the Vireo project provided Vickers with sufficient confidence in all-metal fighter construction to advance subsequent designs like the Jockey and Venom.