Vickers VC.1 Viking

 
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Vickers VC.1 Viking

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VC.1 Viking
Vickers_Viking_1a_-_G-AGRN.jpg
Vickers Viking 1A, G-AGRN
Type airliner
Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrong
Maiden flight 22 June 1945
Introduced 1946
Primary user British European Airways
Number built 163
Developed from Vickers Wellington
Variants Vickers Valetta
Vickers Varsity
This article is about the post World War Two airliner. For the single-engined amphibian Vickers Viking of 1918, see Vickers Viking.

The Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engined short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber.

Design and development

The Ministry of Aircraft Production agreed in 1944 to the Vickers-Armstrong Company developing a passenger carrying version of the Wellington for the postwar era. Although the original contract for three prototypes referred to Wellington Transports, on completion, the name Viking was chosen.

Operational history

The first of this batch flew on 22 June, 1945 and the third was delivered to British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) at Hurn near Bournemouth on 20 April, 1946. Upon the delivery of nine examples to BOAC, including these two prototypes, British European Airways was established on 1 August, 1946 to operate airliners within Europe and these first VC.1 Vikings were transferred to the new airline. In all 163 Vikings were built. The initials 'VC' stood for Vickers Civil, echoing the 'DC' precedent set by the Douglas corporation of the USA, builders of the DC-1, DC-2 and DC-3 Douglas Dakota the latter also bought by BEA, and of a similar configuration to the Viking.

The jet-powered Vickers Nene Viking G-AJPH
Enlarge
The jet-powered Vickers Nene Viking G-AJPH

The initial nineteen production aircraft (Viking 1A) carried 21 passengers, they had metal fuselages and fabric clad geodetic wings and tail units. The next 14 examples, known as the Viking 1, featured stressed metal wings and tail units. The next variant, the Viking 1B, was 28 inches (710 mm) longer, carrying 24 passengers with up-rated Bristol Hercules piston engines, achieved a production run of 115. One of this batch was for a time fitted with two Rolls-Royce Nene engines and upon its first flight on 6 April 1948 became the world's first entirely jet-powered airliner (albeit only a prototype). Production finished in 1948, including sixteen for the RAF and the King's Flight, but in 1952 BEA adapted some to a 38-passenger layout, taking the maximum payload up from 5,500 to 7,200 pounds (2,500 to 3,300 kg). All Vikings featured a tailwheel undercarriage.

The 158th Viking became the prototype of the military Valetta of which 261 were sold. When production of this strengthened but externally-similar type ended in 1951, a flying classroom version with tricycle undercarriage was already being delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF), called the Varsity. All but one of those entered RAF service, the other example going to the Swedish Air Force. The production of 161 Varsities kept the Hurn works busy until January 1954 and they enjoyed a long service life. An example is preserved at the Newark Air Museum.

Civil Operators

Military Operators

Accidents and Incidents

Of the 163 aircraft built 56 aircraft were lost in accidents – the following were the notable accidents:

  • 8 February 1949 – OY-DLU operated by DDL crashed into the sea off Oresund, Denmark, with the loss of all 27 occupants.
  • 31 October 1950 – G-AHPN operated by British European Airways crashed on landing in bad visibility at London-Heathrow Airport, England, 25 passengers and three crew died.
  • 17 February 1952 – G-AHPI operated by Hunting Air Travel flew into the La Cinta mountain range, Italy, with the loss of all 31 occupants.
  • 5 January 1953 – G-AJDL operated by British European Airways crashed on approach at Belfast-Nutts Corner Airport, Northern Ireland, three crew and 24 passengers died.
  • 1 May 1957 – G-AJBO operated by Eagle Aviation crashed after engine failure near Blackbushe Airport, England, five crew and 29 passengers died.
  • 9 August 1961 – G-AHPM operated by Cunard Eagle Airways crashed into a hill on approach to Stavanger Airport with the loss of all 39 occupants.
  • 11 September 1963 – F-BJER operated by Airnautic crashed into a mountain in the Pyrennes with the loss of all 40 occupants, the worst Viking accident.

Specifications (Viking 1B)

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two pilots
  • Capacity: 36 passengers
  • Length: 65 ft 2 in (19.86 m)
  • Wingspan: 89 ft 3 in (27.20 m)
  • Height: 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m)
  • Wing area: ft² (m²)
  • Empty weight: 23,000 lb (10,430 kg)
  • Loaded weight: lb (kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 34,000 lb (15,420 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2× Bristol Hercules 634 14-cylinder two-row radial engine, 1,690 hp (1,260 kW) each

Performance

References

External links

Related content

Related development

Vickers Wellington - Vickers Valetta - Vickers Varsity

Designation sequence

Vickers Wellington - Vickers Warwick - Vickers Type 432 - Windsor - Viking - Valetta - Viscount - Varsity - Valiant - Vanguard - VC-10

Lists relating to aviation
General Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines
Military Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft
Notable incidents & accidents Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths
Records Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft

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