Vickers Warwick

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Warwick
Warwick B/ASR Mk.I BV285
Type	Maritime reconnaissance, air-sea rescue, transport
Manufacturer	Vickers-Armstrongs
Maiden flight	13 August, 1939
Primary users	RAF Polish Air Force in exile BOAC
Number built	712
Developed from	Vickers Wellington

The Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose British aircraft used during the Second World War. Built by Vickers-Armstrongs, the Warwick was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a transport, air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance platform and by the civilian British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).

[edit] Design and development

A section of the rear fuselage from a Warwick showing the geodesic construction in duralumin. On exhibit at the Armstrong & Aviation Museum at Bamburgh Castle.

The Warwick was designed to Air Ministry specification B.1/35 for a two-engined heavy (by the standards of the day) bomber in parallel with the Wellington. The prototype orders were cancelled in 1936 when it was decided to standardise on four-engined bombers. Vickers-Armstrongs completed two prototypes, one with Rolls-Royce Vulture liquid-cooled "X" engines - withdrawn due to engine cooling difficulties - and one with the air-cooled Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp.

The Warwick used Barnes Wallis' geodesic airframe construction pioneered in the Wellesley and Wellington. In this system, a network of intersecting structural members made from duralumin were covered by wired-on fabric. The load was distributed amongst the structure, providing great redundancy in the event of damage, at the expense of complexity of construction. A total of 219 Warwick Mark Is were built, the last 95 with 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) R-2800-47 engines.

[edit] Operational history

The Warwick was ordered by RAF Coastal Command for anti-submarine reconnaissance. From 1943 Warwicks were loaded with the 1,700 lb (770 kg) Mk IA lifeboat and used for air-sea rescue. The lifeboat, designed by yachtsman Uffa Fox, laden with supplies and powered by two 4 hp (3 kW) motors, was aimed with a bombsight near to ditched air crew and dropped on parachutes into the sea from an altitude of about 700 ft (320 m). Warwicks were credited with rescuing crews from Halifaxes, Lancasters, Wellingtons and Fortresses and during the Arnhem landings from Hamilcar gliders.

[edit] Variants

A rigged airborne lifeboat in front of a Warwick with D-Day identification stripes.

Air-sea rescue Warwick with an airborne lifeboat under the fuselage

[edit] Warwick Mark I

• Warwick B Mk I — original production bomber, of 150 ordered, only 16 aircraft were built. They were used for a variety of tests.
• Warwick C Mk I or Vickers Type 456 — transport version for BOAC, for use on its Mediterranean and North African routes.
• Warwick B/ASR Mk I — 40 aircraft converted from the Warwick B.Mk I bomber. The Warwick ASRs were used as air/sea rescue aircraft. They could carry two sets of Lindholme lifesaving equipment.
• Warwick ASR (Stage A) — Ten aircraft converted from the Warwick B Mk 1 bomber. The Warwick ASR (Stage A) was used for air/sea rescue. They could carry one airborne lifeboat and two sets of Lindholme lifesaving equipment.
• Warwick ASR (Stage B) — 20 aircraft converted from the Warwick B Mk 1 bomber. The Warwick ASR (Stage B) were air/sea rescue aircraft, carrying the same equipment as the Warwick ASRs and ASR (Stage As).
• Warwick ASR Mk I or Type 462 was an air/sea rescue version, it could carry an airborne lifeboat. The aircraft was powered by two 1,850 hp (1380 kW) Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp R-2800-S1A4G radial piston engines. 205 built.

[edit] Warwick Mark II

• Warwick B Mk II or Vickers Type 413 — bomber prototype, only one machine was ever built, converted from a Warwick B Mk I.
• Warwick GR Mk II or Vickers Type 469 — anti-submarine, general reconnaissance version. It was equipped to carry torpedoes and bombs. It was powered two 2,500 hp (1,864 kW) Bristol Centaurus VI radial piston engines; 118 built.
• Warwick GR Mk II Met — meteorological reconnaissance version of the Warwick GR Mk II; 14 built.

[edit] Warwick Mark III

• Warwick C Mk III or Vickers 'Type 460 — transport version. It had a pannier-like extension below the central fuselage, the normal loaded weight being raised to 45,000 lb (20,400 kg). It could carry 24 equipped troops or eight to ten passengers in the VIP version. No armament was carried; 100 built.

[edit] Warwick Mark IV

• Warwick ASR Mk VI or Vickers Type 485 — final air/sea rescue version. The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp R-2800-2SBG radial piston engines. 94 built.

[edit] Warwick Mark V

• Warwick GR Mk V or Vickers Type 474 — anti-submarine, general reconnaissance aircraft. It was powered by two Bristol Centaurus VII radial piston engines, armed with 7 machine guns and could carry 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) of bombs, mines or depth-charges. A Leigh light was fitted ventrally. It arrived too late to see service. 210 built.

[edit] Operators

[edit] Military Operators

 Poland

• Polish Air Forces in exile
  • No. 301 Polish Bomber Squadron
  • No. 304 Polish Bomber Squadron

 South Africa

• South African Air Force

 United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force
  • No. 38 Squadron RAF
  • No. 167 Squadron RAF
  • No. 179 Squadron RAF
  • No. 251 Squadron RAF
  • No. 269 Squadron RAF
  • No. 275 Squadron RAF
  • No. 276 Squadron RAF
  • No. 277 Squadron RAF
  • No. 278 Squadron RAF
  • No. 279 Squadron RAF
  • No. 280 Squadron RAF
  • No. 281 Squadron RAF
  • No. 282 Squadron RAF
  • No. 283 Squadron RAF
  • No. 284 Squadron RAF
  • No. 292 Squadron RAF
  • No. 293 Squadron RAF
  • No. 294 Squadron RAF
  • No. 353 squadron RAF
  • No. 520 Squadron RAF
  • No. 525 Squadron RAF
  • No. 621 Squadron RAF

[edit] Civil Operators

 United Kingdom

• BOAC

[edit] Specifications (Warwick I)

General characteristics

• Crew: six
• Length: 72 ft 3 in (22.00 m)
• Wingspan: 96 ft 8 in (29.50 m)
• Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.6 m)
• Wing area: 1,006 ft² (93.5 m²)
• Empty weight: 35,400 lb (16,057 kg)
• Loaded weight: 38,000 lb (17,230 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 46,000 lb (20,860 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney R-2800/S.1A4-G Double Wasp radials, 1,850 hp (1,380 kW each) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 244 mph (393 km/h)
• Range: 1,988 miles (3,200 km)
• Service ceiling 19,000 ft (5,800 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,250 ft/min ^[1] (6.35 m/s)
• Wing loading: 38 lb/ft² (184 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.10 hp/lb (160 W/kg)

Armament

• Guns: * 8 x .303 (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Category:Vickers Warwick

Related development Vickers Wellington
Comparable aircraft Avro Manchester

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] External links

• British Aircraft of World War II: The Vickers Warwick]
• British Aircraft Directory entry
• Uboat.net entry