https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Vildebeest
The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two-
to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and
used as light bombers, torpedo bombers and in 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.
Designed against Air Ministry Specification 24/25 for the RAF, for a land-based
torpedo bomber to replace the Hawker Horsley, the prototype Vildebeest, an
all-metal fuselage aircraft with single-bay unstaggered fabric-covered wings and
tail, was first flown in April 1928 as the Vickers Type 132, powered by a
Bristol Jupiter VIII radial engine.
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, the Vickers Type 204 was fitted with an Armstrong
Siddeley Panther IIA engine, and after further testing, the Vickers design was
confirmed as the winner of the contest but engine problems persisted until the
type was tested with a new version of the Jupiter, which later became known as
the Bristol Pegasus. An initial production order was placed in 1931 for nine
aircraft, with the first production aircraft flying in September 1932.
Further production ensued, with an improved version fitted with a 635hp (474kW)
Pegasus IIM3 entering service but after only 30 examples had been produced the
Air Ministry requested a modification (Specification 15/34) which added a third
crew position, thus creating the Vildebeest MkIII, of which 150 examples being
built for the RAF.
Role
Torpedo Bomber / Army Co-operation
Manufacturer
Vickers
First flight
1928
Introduction
1933
Retired
1942
Primary users
Royal Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
Spain
Number built
209 (Vildebeest)
197 (Vincent)
The Vildebeest 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
at RAF Donibristle in Scotland in October 1932, replacing the Hawker Horsley.
Four frontline torpedo-bomber squadrons were equipped with the Vildebeest, two
at Singapore (100 Squadron, which moved from the United Kingdom in 1933 and 36
Squadron, which replaced its Horsleys in 1935), and two more in the United
Kingdom.
While the Vincent had started to be replaced by more modern aircraft such as the
Vickers Wellesley and Bristol Blenheim bombers, 84 remained in service with the
RAF on the outbreak of the Second World War. Vincents were used for bombing
missions against Italian forces in the East African Campaign and for coastal
patrols from Aden, one attacking the Italian submarine Galileo Galilei. Other
Vincents bombed Iraqi forces during the Anglo-Iraqi War of 1941. The last
frontline Vincents retired in January 1943, with the type continuing in second
line service (which included pesticide spraying against locusts in Iran) until
1944.
Specifications (Vildebeest III)
General characteristics
Crew: three, pilot, navigator, and observer
Length: 36 ft 8 in (11.18 m)
Wingspan: 49 ft 0 in (14.94 m)
Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.47 m)
Empty weight: 4,773 lb (2,170 kg)
Loaded weight: 8,500 lb (3,864 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: 143 mph (124 knots, 230 km/h)
Range: 1,250 mi (1,090 nmi, 2,010 km)
Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,800 m)
Rate of climb: 630 ft/min (3.2 m/s)
Power/mass: 0.075 hp/lb (0.122 kW/kg)
Armament
flexible, rearward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun
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