Vickers Varsity#Aircraft on display
{{Short description|1949 military trainer aircraft based on the Vickers Viking}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = Varsity
|image = File:Vickers Varsity T.1 WJ907 Q AAITS WFD 26.06.71 edited-2.jpg
|caption = Varsity T.1 of No.1 Air Electronics School in 1971
|type = military trainer
|manufacturer = Vickers-Armstrongs
|designer =
|first_flight = 17 July 1949Thetford 1957, p. 448.
|introduction = 1951
|retired = 1976
|status =
|primary_user = RAF
|more_users =
|produced =
|number_built = 163
|unit cost =
|developed_from = Vickers VC.1 Viking
|variants =
}}
The Vickers Varsity is a retired British twin-engined crew trainer operated by the Royal Air Force from 1951 to 1976.
Design and development
The Varsity was developed by Vickers and based on the Viking and Valetta to meet Air Ministry Specification T.13/48 for a twin-engined training aircraft to replace the Wellington T10 and the Valetta T3 and T4. The main differences were the wider-span wings, longer fuselage and tricycle undercarriage. There was also a ventral pannier to allow a trainee bomb aimer to lie in a prone position and a bomb bay with a capacity for 24 x 25lb smoke & flash bombs.
The first prototype Type 668 Varsity VX828 was first flown by J 'Mutt' Summers and G R 'Jock' Bryce from Wisley on 17 July 1949.
A civil version the VC.3 was planned but with the success of the VC.2 Viscount the idea was abandoned.
Operational history
File:Vickers Varsity T.1 WL689 RAFC NE COLT 14.09.68 edited-2.jpg in 1968]]
The Varsity was introduced to replace the Wellington T10 trainer. Following deliveries to trials units the first production aircraft were delivered for operational use in 1951 to No. 201 Advanced Flying School at RAF Swinderby, where they were used to train pilots to fly multi-engined aircraft. It also equipped two Air Navigator Schools in 1952, and the Bomber Command Bombing school, with the job of training crews for RAF Bomber-Command's V-bomber crews.Rawlings 1971, pp. 172–173.
The Swedish Air Force operated a single Varsity from January 1953 to 1973 mainly for electronic intelligence missions. The Swedish military designation was Tp 82.
The Varsity was withdrawn from service with the RAF in May 1976, its role as a pilot trainer being taken over by the Scottish Aviation Jetstream T1, and as a navigation trainer by the Hawker Siddeley Dominie 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}}
; {{SWE}}
; {{UK}}
- Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment
- 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
- Bomber Command Bombing School RAF
- Central Navigation and Control School RAF
- Royal Air Force College Cranwell
- Central Flying School
- No. 4 Flying Training School RAF
- No. 5 Flying Training School RAF
- No. 6 Flying Training School RAF
- No. 201 Advanced Flying School RAF later named No. 11 Flying Training School RAF
- No. 1 Air Navigation School RAF
- No. 2 Air Navigation School RAF
- No. 3 Air Navigation School RAF
- No. 6 Air Navigation School RAF
- No. 1 Air Electronics School RAF
- No. 1 Radio School RAF
- Royal Aircraft Establishment
- Empire Test Pilot's School
Aircraft on display
=Germany=
=Sweden=
- 82001 – Tp 82 on static display at the Swedish Air Force Museum in Linköping, Östergötland.{{cite web|title=TP 82|url=http://www.flygvapenmuseum.se/samlingar/flygplan/flygvapenmuseum-linkoping/tp-82--vickers-varsity-t.1|website=Flygvapenmuseum|access-date=6 June 2017}}{{cite web|title=Flygplan [82001]|url=http://www.kringla.nu/kringla/objekt?referens=S-FV/object/FVM100038|website=Kringla|access-date=6 June 2017}}
=United Kingdom=
- WF369 – Varsity T.1 on static display at the Newark Air Museum in Newark, Nottinghamshire.{{cite web|title=Aircraft List|url=http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/Aircraft-List|website=Newark Air Museum|access-date=6 June 2017}}
- WF372 – Varsity T.1 on static display at the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey.{{cite web|title=Vickers 668 Varsity T.1|url=http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/explore/our-collection/aircraft/varsity|website=Brooklands Museum|publisher=Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd|access-date=6 June 2017}}
- WJ903 – Varsity T.1 nose section on static display at Aeroventure in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.{{cite web|title=Aircraft List|url=http://www.southyorkshireaircraftmuseum.org.uk/aircraftlist|website=AeroVenture|publisher=South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum|access-date=6 June 2017}}
- WJ945 – Varsity T.1 on static display at the Classic Air Force in Newquay, Cornwall.{{cite web|title=A NEW KIND OF WELLINGTON|url=http://www.classicairforce.com/varsity-info|website=Classic Air Force|publisher=Classic Air Force|access-date=6 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908120413/http://www.classicairforce.com/varsity-info|archive-date=8 September 2015}}
- WL626 – Varsity T.1 on static display at the East Midlands Airport Aeropark in Castle Donington, Leicestershire.{{cite web|title=Aeropark Exhibits|url=http://www.eastmidlandsaeropark.org/exhibits.htm|website=East Midlands Aeropark|publisher=Aeropark Heritage Aircraft Collection|access-date=6 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512012034/http://www.eastmidlandsaeropark.org/exhibits.htm|archive-date=12 May 2017|url-status=dead}}
- WL679 – Varsity T.1 on static display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in Cosford, Shropshire.{{cite web|title=Vickers Varsity T Mk I|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/vickers-varsity-t-mk-i|website=Royal Air Force Museum|publisher=Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum|access-date=6 June 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Simpson|first1=Andrew|title=INDIVIDUAL HISTORY [WL679]|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/1993-0860-A-Varsity-WL679.pdf|website=Royal Air Force Museum|publisher=Royal Air Force Museum|access-date=6 June 2017|date=2012}}
Specifications (T Mk 1)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Vickers Aircraft since 1908.Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 416.
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=four
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=67
|length in=6
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=95
|span in=7
|span note=
|width m=
|width ft=
|width in=
|width note=
|height m=
|height ft=23
|height in=11
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=974
|wing area note=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=27040
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Bristol Hercules 264
|eng1 type=14-cylinder radial engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=1950
|eng1 shp=
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|more power=
|prop blade number=
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|prop dia m=
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|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=288
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at {{convert|10000|ft|m}}
|cruise speed kmh=
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|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
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|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=2648
|range nmi=
|range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=28700
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1400
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
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|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|bombs= {{convert|600|lb|kg}} practice bombs in an ventral pannier
|avionics=
}}
See also
{{aircontent
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References
=Notes=
=Bibliography=
- Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. {{ISBN|0-85177-815-1}}.
- Bagshaw, R. Deacon, R. Pollock, A. and Thomas, M. RAF Little Rissington: The Central Flying School years 1946 - 1976. Pen & Sword, 2006 {{ISBN|1-84415-381-9}}
- Ellis, Ken. Wrecks & Relics. Manchester, UK: Crécy Publishing, 21st edition, 2008. {{ISBN|978-0-85979-134-2}}.
- {{cite journal |last1=Holmes|first1=Mike|title=She Was Great!: Homage to the Vickers Varsity|journal=Air Enthusiast |date=January-February 2004 |issue=109 |pages=60–65 |issn=0143-5450}}
- Martin, Bernard. The Viking, Valetta and Varsity. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1975. {{ISBN|0851300383}}.
- Rawlings, J.D.R. "Vickers Varsity". Air Pictorial, Vol. 33, No. 5, May 1971, pp. 172–176.
- Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Aircraft 1918–57. London: Putnam, 1st edition, 1957.
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1950/1950%20-%200622.html "Aircrew Trainer," Flight, 30 March 1950, pp. 406–410]
{{Vickers aircraft}}
{{British military aircraft since World War II}}
{{Swedish military aircraft designations}}
Category:1950s British military trainer aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1949