Vickers VC1

Viking

The Vickers Aircraft VC1 Viking was designed by Vickers-Armstrong Limited as an interim civil airliner for British European Airways (BEA), ahead of the emergence of the civil types identified by the Brabazon Committee Reportas being required to meet the needs of British post-war commercial aviation.

 

Initially known as the ‘Wellington Transport Aircraft’, the Vickers Commercial 1 or Vickers VC1 was a twin engine short-range airliner which made use of the outer wings, engine nacelles and undercarriage of the Wellington bomber.

 

Three prototypes were constructed to Specification 17/44 and were allocated civil registrations (G-AGOK, G-AGOL and G-AGOM).  The first prototype (G-AGOK) was built at Foxwarren   between Weybridge and Wisley (now demolished as part of the Silvermere Golf Complex), which housed Vickers Experimental Department. It was flown for the first time from Wisley on 22nd June 1945, by Chief Test Pilot Joseph (Mutt) Summers.

 

The new aircraft featured a stressed-skin over an unpressurised fuselage which seated 21 passengers, together with four crew, comprising two pilots, a radio operator and a cabin steward.

 

 

Nineteen production aircraft were ordered with the first (G-AGON) flying on 23rd March 1946.

 

Two of the prototypes and three production aircraft were used for trials by the RAF, leading eventually to the procurement of the Vickers Valetta (which is described elsewhere on its own web page).

 

Twelve VIP configured aircraft were also ordered for the RAF King’s Flight as the Vickers Type 621 Viking C. Mk 2 (VL226-233, VL245-8).

 

 

Five of the early production aircraft were delivered to British West Indian Airways (BWIA) and eleven then entered passenger service with BEA, the first scheduled Viking Service being flown on 1st September 1946.

 

The first 19 aircraft retained the fabric-covered geodetic wings of the Vickers Wellington but subsequent production aircraft featured new, stressed skin wings and were designated the Vickers Viking 1.

 

The early production machines (with the fabric-covered wings) were then retrospectively designated as Vickers Viking 1As, although many of these aircraft were later upgraded to Vickers Viking 1 standard.

 

The Vickers Viking 1B variant, of which the first example (VT-AZA) was for Indian National Airways, featured a 28-inch stretch of the forward fuselage allowing three additional passengers to be carried. This variant also featured eight cabin windows on each side, whilst capacity was later increased to a maximum of 27 passengers.

 

 

A total of 163 Vickers Viking aircraft were built and the aircraft operated on many of the European routes of BEA, as well as flying with many British independent airlines on charter services. Those operators included Airwork Ltd, Autair, BKS Air Transport, Eagle Aviation, Channel Airways, Hunting Air Transport, Invicta Airways and many others.

 

Meanwhile, the aircraft saw success with overseas airline customers such as Aer Lingus, Central African Airways, Air India, Indian National Airways, DDL of Denmark, Iraqi Airways, South African Airways and Sudair International Airways.

 

 

In addition to airline use, the Vickers Viking saw service in the RAF King’s / Queen’s Flight as did its subsequent Vickers Valetta and Vickers Varsity developments.

 

The Vickers Viking was sold for use as a military transport by the Argentine Air Force, who purchased twenty aircraft. Another military user was the Pakistan Air Force, who purchased a single example (J750) for use as an executive transport.

 

 

One aircraft (G-AJPH / VX856) was modified to be powered by two Rolls-Royce Nene engines and after being first flown on 6th April 1948, it became the first British transport aircraft to fly under turbojet power.

 

The Rolls-Royce Nene powered aircraft subsequently travelled the 222 miles between London Airport and Villacoublay (Paris) in 34 min 7 sec on 25th June 1948. It was carrying letters to the widow of Louis Bleriot to commemorate the 38th anniversary of his crossing of the English Channel in 1909.  On its return flight it achieved a maximum speed of 415 mph.

 

In 1954, the turbo-jet Vickers Viking was sold to the Ministry of Supply and after being retrofitted with a Bristol Hercules 634 piston engine, it was sold to Eagle Aviation. After its trials flying, it was converted to a standard Vickers Viking 1B and sold to Eagle Aviation Ltd.

 

 

Vickers’ practice of allocating a new type number for each customer variant resulted in a confusing plethora of type numbers for the Vickers Viking, ranging from the prototype (G-AGOK) designation as a 'Type 491' to the Pakistan Air Force’s 'Type 649'. Thankfully however, the original Vickers Viking 1As (when converted to Viking 1 standard) were all known as the Type 657.

 

The 58th Vickers Viking became the prototype for the military Vickers Valetta (named after the Maltese capital but with two 'L's rather than one) and subsequently, 262 of the type were produced for the RAF