Vickers Varsity

infobox Aircraft
name = Varsity
type = military trainer
manufacturer = Vickers-Armstrong



caption =
designer =
first flight = 17 July 1949 Thetford 1957, p. 448.]
introduced = 1951
retired =
status =
primary user = RAF
more users =
produced =
number built = 160
unit cost =
developed from = Vickers VC.1 Viking
variants with their own articles = The Vickers Varsity T.Mk 1 was a British twin-engined crew trainer operated by the Royal Air Force for 25 years from 1951.

Design and development

Developed by Vickers and based on the Vickers Viking, the main differences were the wider span wings, longer fuselage and tricycle undercarriage, the Type 668 Varsity prototype first flew in 1949.

Operational history

The Varsity was introduced to replace the Vickers Wellington T10 trainer.

The Royal Swedish Air Force operated an example in the 1950s and 1960s on electronic intelligence missions.

The Varsity was withdrawn from service with the RAF in May 1976, its role as a pilot and navigation trainer taken over by the Scottish Aviation Jetstream T1.

The last flying example (Serial "WL679") was operated by the Royal Aircraft Establishment; it was retired into preservation at the RAF Museum in 1992.

Operators

; JOR
* Royal Jordanian Air Force; SWE
* Royal Swedish Air Force; UK
* Royal Air Force
** No. 51 Squadron RAF
** No. 97 Squadron RAF
** No. 115 Squadron RAF
** No. 116 Squadron RAF
** No. 151 Squadron RAF
** No. 173 Squadron RAF
** No. 187 Squadron RAF
** No. 192 Squadron RAF
** No. 204 Squadron RAF
** No. 527 Squadron RAF
* Royal Aircraft Establishment

Specifications (T.Mk I)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Vickers Aircraft since 1908 Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.416.]
crew=four
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 67 ft 6 in
length alt= 20.57 m
span main= 95 ft 7 in
span alt= 29.13 m
height main= 23 ft 11 in
height alt= 7.29 m
area main= 974 sq ft
area alt= 90.5 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 27,040 lb
empty weight alt= 12 265 kg
loaded weight main= 37,500 lb
loaded weight alt= 17,010 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)= Bristol Hercules 264
type of prop=14-cylinder radial engines
number of props=2
power main= 1,950 hp
power alt= 1,455 kW
power original=
max speed main=250 knots
max speed alt= 288 mph, 464 km/h
max speed more =at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 2,302 NM
range alt= 2,648 mi / 4,263 km
ceiling main= 28,700 ft
ceiling alt= 8,750 m
climb rate main= 1,400 ft/min
climb rate alt= 426.72 m/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
* 600 lb (272 kg) practice bombs in an external pannier
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
lists=
*List of aircraft of the RAF
see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Andrews, C.F. and Morgan, E.B. "Vickers Aircraft since 1908". London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0 85177 815 1.
* Thetford, Owen. "Aircraft of the Royal Aircraft 1918-57", 1st edition. London: Putnam, 1957.

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=27 British Aircraft Directory entry Vickers Varsity]