Vickers Valparaiso
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = Valparaiso
|image = Vickers Valparaiso III.jpg
|caption = Vickers Valparaiso III in Portuguese service.
|type = Light bomber
|manufacturer = Vickers
|designer =
|first_flight = 1923
|introduction =
|retired = 1936
|status =
|primary_user = Portugal
|more_users = Chile
|produced =
|number_built = 28
|unit cost =
|developed_from = Vickers Vixen
|variants =
}}
The Vickers Valparaiso was a British light bomber biplane of the 1920s. It was designed by Vickers as a development of its Vixen for export, being sold to Portugal and Chile.
Development and design
The Vickers Valparaiso was a derivative of the Vixen I for export purposes. It was renamed Valparaiso to distinguish it from the Vixen, which as it used classified government equipment, was unavailable for export. Two versions were available, one powered by the same Napier Lion as the Vixen, known as the Type 93 Valparaiso I, while the Type 92 Valparaiso II was powered by the Rolls-Royce Eagle engine Donald 1997, p.892. Other than their engines, the Valparaisos were very similar to the Vixen I, both being single-bay biplanes with wooden wings and steel tube fuselages. Both versions were purchased by Portugal, which ordered ten Valparaiso Is and four Valparaiso IIs, with the Lion-powered aircraft to serve as reconnaissance bombers and the lower powered Valparaiso IIs to serve as advanced trainers.Lopes 1985, p.46. In 1928, Portugal decided to license-produce a modified Valparaiso powered by a Gnome et Rhône Jupiter radial engine, and a single Valparaiso was modified by Vickers to use the Jupiter, followed by the production of 13 aircraft, designated Type 168 Valparaiso III by OGMA (Oficinas Gerais de Material Aeronáutico).Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.181.
Operational history
The Portuguese aircraft proved to be successful in service, with two carrying out a long distance tour from Portugal to its African colonies of Angola and Mozambique and back in 1928, with the success of the aircraft resulting in the decision to license-produce the Valparaiso III. The radial-powered Valparaisos also proved successful in Portuguese service, remaining operational until 1943, finally being replaced by Westland Lysanders.Lopes 1985, p.48.
A single Valparaiso I (actually the prototype), was sold by Vickers to Chile in 1924.Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.180. It was successful in Chilean service, resulting in an order for a further 18 modified aircraft, which reverted to the original name of Vixen, as the Vixen V.Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.184.
Variants
;Type 93 Valparaiso I
:Napier Lion-powered export version of Vickers Vixen. 11 built.
;Type 92 Valparaiso II
:Rolls-Royce Eagle-powered version. Four built.
;Type 168 Valparaiso III
:Version powered by Jupiter radial for Portugal. 13 licensed-built by OGMA.
Operators
Specifications (Valparaiso I)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Vickers Aircraft Since 1908 Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.193.
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=2
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=29
|length in=0
|span m=
|upper span ft=40
|upper span in=0
|lower span ft=34
|lower span in=6
|height m=
|height ft=11
|height in=8
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=526
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=3128
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=4720
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Napier Lion
|eng1 type=12-cylinder water-cooled W-block
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=468
|more power=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=136
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at {{convert|10000|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|cruise speed kmh=177
|cruise speed mph=
|range km=
|range miles=550
|range nmi=
|range note=at {{convert|10000|ft|m|abbr=on}} and {{convert|110|mph|kn km/h|abbr=on}}
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=19500
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|time to altitude=10 min 15 s to {{convert|10000|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|more performance=
|guns=
- 2 × forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun
- 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun in observers cockpit
|bombs=
|rockets=
|missiles=
|hardpoints=
|hardpoint capacity=
|hardpoint rockets=
|hardpoint missiles=
|hardpoint bombs=
|hardpoint other=
|avionics=
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last= Andrews|first=E.N. |author2=Morgan, E.B. |title= Vickers Aircraft Since 1908 |edition= Second |year= 1988 |publisher= Putnam|location= London |isbn=0-85177-815-1 }}
- {{cite book|editor=Donald, David|title = The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft|year = 1997|publisher = Aerospace Publishing|isbn = 1-85605-375-X}}
- {{cite magazine |last= Lopes|first=Eng. Mario Canongia |year=1985 |title=Vixen, Venture, Valpariso: A Forgotten Family of Vickers Biplanes |magazine=Air Enthusiast |issue= 27 (March June 1985)|pages=43–51|publisher=Pilot Press |location=Bromley, Kent, UK|issn=0143-5450}}
{{refend}}
External links
{{commons category|Vickers Valparaiso}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090805185655/http://geocities.com/aeromodelismoemportugal/vickers.htm Vickers Valparaiso I e II (in Portuguese)]
{{Vickers aircraft}}
Category:1920s British military reconnaissance aircraft
Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear