Vickers Vildebeest

:"Vildebeest redirects here. You may be looking for Wildebeest."

infobox Aircraft
name = Vildebeest / Vincent
type = Torpedo Bomber / Army Co-operation
manufacturer = Vickers

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caption = Vickers Vildebeest aircraft in Java, 1942.
designer =
first flight = 1928
introduction =1933
retired = 1942
status =
primary user = Royal Air Force
more users = Royal New Zealand Air Force
Spain
produced =
number built =
program cost=
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large 2- to 3-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles. While first flown in 1928, it remained in service at the start of the Second World War, with the last Vildebeests flying against Japanese forces over Singapore and Java in 1942.

Design and development

Designed against RAF specification 24/25, for a land based torpedo bomber to replace the Hawker Horsley the prototype Vildebeest, the Vickers Type 132, was first flown in April 1928, powered by a Bristol Jupiter VIII radial engine. Cite book |author=Mason, Francis K |title=The British Bomber since 1914 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |location= London |year=1994 |pages=p,200-203|isbn= 0 85177 861 5 After initial evaluation, the Vildebeest was shortlisted for evaluation with the Blackburn Beagle and Handley Page Hare. As the Jupiter VIII was prone to vibration, a second prototype was fitted with a Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine, and this was selected as the winner of the contest.

The Vildebeest had an all metal, fabric covered airframe, with single bay unstaggered wings. An initial production order was placed in 1931 for nine aircraft, with deliveries starting in September 1932.

Vildebeest Variants

The Vildebeest was built in progressive Marks.

;Mark I:22 for RAF.;Mark II:30 for RAF.;Mark III:193 for RAF, 10 of which were diverted to the RNZAF as well as 12 originally ordered by the RNZAF, which had folding wings and the ability to carry drop tanks.;Mark IV:18 for RAF, 17 of which were diverted to the RNZAF, receiving Bristol Pegasus engines of higher power. It was initially intended to replace the Fairey IIIF.

Vincent

The Vincent was developed from the Vildebeest as a Westland Wapiti replacement to satisfy operational requirement 16/34. Differences were minimal. All had the 660 hp Bristol Pegasus IIM3A. Early Vincents carried a message pick-up hook and fuel links for a drop tank and deleted the torpedo attachments. Between 1934 and 1936, 196 Vincents were built for the RAF or converted from Vildebeest - 60 or 62 of these machines, (depending on source), were passed on to the RNZAF.

Operation history

United Kingdom

The type was purchased in moderately large numbers by the Royal Air Force from 1931 and used as a torpedo bomber. It entered service with No. 100 Squadron in 1932. Trials were conducted in India with a Vildebeest in the Army co-operation role leading to the 'development' of the Vincent, by deleting the torpedo equipment and adding provision for a drop tank instead. 101 Vildebeest and Vincents remained in service at the outbreak of World War II, serving in Aden, Iraq, Sudan and Egypt. British machines in Singapore saw action against the Japanese invasion fleet off Malaya in December 1941. Operational use ended in 1942, and the last hacks were retired in 1944.

Spain

The Vildebeest was ordered by Spain in 1934 and licence production of 27 Vildebeest was undertaken in Spain by CASA most receiving the Hispano-Suiza HS 600 inline engine, though some other engines were also used. Around 20 survived to fight on the Republican side of the Spanish Civil War, some equipped with floats. A Vildebeest was the first victim of Francoist ace Joaquin Garcia-Morato.

New Zealand

99 were purchased by the Royal New Zealand Air Force for coastal defence from 1935. Kiwi Vildebeest were also used for photo mapping. A few were used for maritime patrols against German surface raiders, and Japanese submarines, (a handful were based in Fiji in December 1941), but the main war time role of the New Zealand aircraft was as particularly unwieldy pilot trainers, until replaced by North American Harvards in 1942.

Operators

;NZL
*Royal New Zealand Air Force
**No. 1 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 2 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 3 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 4 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 5 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 6 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 7 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 8 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 22 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 30 Squadron RNZAF
**No. 42 Squadron RNZAF;UK
*Royal Air Force
**No. 5 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 7 Squadron RAF - Vildebeests used for trials
**No. 8 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 22 Squadron RAF - Vildebeest
**No. 27 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 28 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 31 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 36 Squadron RAF - Vildebeest
**No. 42 Squadron RAF - Vildebeest
**No. 45 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 47 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 55 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 84 Squadron RAF - Vincent. Vildebeests used for tropical trials
**No. 100 Squadron RAF - Vildebeest
**No. 207 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 223 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 244 Squadron RAF - Vincent
**No. 273 Squadron RAF - Vildebeest
** No. 1430 Flight RAF

urvivors

A Vildebeest/Vincent composite airframe is being restored by the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum at Wigram from the substantially complete remains of Vildebeest Mark III NZ102, but incorporating parts identified as coming from Vildebeest NZ105 and Vincents NZ355 and 357. A Vincent (NZ311) has nearly completed restoration to static display by the Subritzky family near Auckland, New Zealand. A Spanish Vildebeest is rumoured to have survived.

pecifications (Vildebeest III)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=three, pilot, navigator, and observer
length main=36 ft 8 in
length alt=11.18 m
span main=49 ft 0 in
span alt=14.94 m
height main=14 ft 8 in
height alt=4.47 m
area main=728 ft²
area alt=68 m²
empty weight main=4,773 lb
empty weight alt=2,165 kg
loaded weight main=8,500 lb
loaded weight alt=3,856 kg
max takeoff weight main=lb
max takeoff weight alt= kg
engine (prop)=Bristol Pegasus II-M3
type of prop= radial
number of props=1
power main=635 hp
power alt=474 kW

max speed main=143 mph
max speed alt=230 km/h
range main=630 mi
range alt=1,014 km
ceiling main=17,000 ft
ceiling alt=5,182 m
climb rate main=630 ft/min
climb rate alt= 3.2 m/s
loading main=12 lb/ft²
loading alt=57 kg/m²
power/mass main=0.07 hp/lb
power/mass alt=0.12 kW/kg

armament=
* 1× fixed, forward-firing .303 Vickers machine gun
* 1× flexible, rearward-firing .303 Lewis machine gun
* 1,000 lb (454 kg) of bombs "or"
* 1 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo

ee also

aircontent
related=
*Vickers Type 132
*Vickers Type 204
*Vickers Type 245

similar aircraft=
*Fairey III
*Fairey Gordon
*Blackburn Baffin
*Vickers Vincent

lists=
*List of aircraft of the RAF
see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.rcaf.com/aircraft/bombers/vildebeast/index.php?name=Vildebeest RCAF]
* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=335 British Aircraft Directory]