Vickers Vildebeest

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Vildebeest

The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two-
to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and
used as light bombers, torpedo bombers and in army cooperation roles. While
first flown in 1928, it remained in service at the start of the Second World
War, with the last Vildebeests flying against Japanese forces over Singapore and
Java in 1942.

Designed against Air Ministry Specification 24/25 for the RAF, for a land-based
torpedo bomber to replace the Hawker Horsley, the prototype Vildebeest, an
all-metal fuselage aircraft with single-bay unstaggered fabric-covered wings and
tail, was first flown in April 1928 as the Vickers Type 132, powered by a
Bristol Jupiter VIII radial engine.

After initial evaluation, the Vildebeest was shortlisted for evaluation with the
Blackburn Beagle and Handley Page Hare. As the Jupiter VIII was prone to
vibration, a second prototype, the Vickers Type 204 was fitted with an Armstrong
Siddeley Panther IIA engine, and after further testing, the Vickers design was
confirmed as the winner of the contest but engine problems persisted until the
type was tested with a new version of the Jupiter, which later became known as
the Bristol Pegasus. An initial production order was placed in 1931 for nine
aircraft, with the first production aircraft flying in September 1932.

Further production ensued, with an improved version fitted with a 635 hp (474
kW) Pegasus IIM3 entering service but after only 30 examples had been produced
the Air Ministry requested a modification (Specification 15/34) which added a
third crew position, thus creating the Vildebeest MkIII, of which 150 examples
being built for the RAF.


Role
Torpedo Bomber / Army Co-operation

Manufacturer
Vickers

First flight
1928

Introduction
1933

Retired
1942

Primary users
Royal Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
Spain

Number built
209 (Vildebeest)
197 (Vincent)

The Vildebeest was purchased in moderately large numbers by the Royal Air Force
from 1931 and used as a torpedo bomber. It entered service with No. 100 Squadron
at RAF Donibristle in Scotland in October 1932, replacing the Hawker Horsley.
Four frontline torpedo-bomber squadrons were equipped with the Vildebeest, two
at Singapore (100 Squadron, which moved from the United Kingdom in 1933 and 36
Squadron, which replaced its Horsleys in 1935), and two more in the United
Kingdom.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, 101 Vildebeests were still in service
with the RAF. The two British-based squadrons flew coastal patrol and convoy
escort missions until 1940 when their Vildebeests were replaced by the Bristol
Beaufort. The two Singapore-based squadrons were still waiting for their
Beauforts when Japan invaded Malaya in December 1941 and the obsolete biplanes
had to be deployed against the Japanese attackers, making an abortive torpedo
attack on a Japanese cruiser off Kota Bharu on 8 December.

The Vildebeests continued to attack the Japanese as their forces advanced down
Malaya, sustaining heavy losses from Japanese fighters, particularly when no
fighter cover could be provided. On 26 January 1942, the Japanese landed at
Endau, 250 miles from Singapore, and 12 Vildebeests of 100 and 36 Squadrons were
sent to attack the landings. Despite an escort of Brewster Buffalo and Hawker
Hurricane fighters, five Vildebeests were lost. The attack was repeated later
that day by eight Vildebeests of 36 Squadron and three Fairey Albacores,
resulting in six more Vildebeests and two Albacores being shot down. The
surviving Vildebeests were withdrawn to Java on 31 January and attacked another
Japanese landing force off Rembang, claiming eight ships sunk but sustaining
further losses. The final two Vildebeests of 36 Squadron attempted to escape to
Burma on 6 March but were lost over Sumatra. The last Vildebeests in RAF
service, operated by 273 Squadron at Ceylon were retired in March 1942.

Specifications (Vildebeest III)

General characteristics
Crew: three, pilot, navigator, and observer
Length: 36 ft 8 in (11.18 m)
Wingspan: 49 ft 0 in (14.94 m)
Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.47 m)
Wing area: 728 ft² (67.7 m²)
Empty weight: 4,773 lb (2,170 kg)
Loaded weight: 8,500 lb (3,864 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Pegasus II-M3 air-cooled radial engine, 635 hp (474 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 143 mph (124 knots, 230 km/h)
Range: 1,250 mi (1,090 nmi, 2,010 km)
Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,800 m)
Rate of climb: 630 ft/min (3.2 m/s)
Wing loading: 11.7 lb/ft² (57.1 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.075 hp/lb (0.122 kW/kg)

Armament

Guns: 1 × fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and 1 ×
flexible, rearward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun
Bombs: 1,100 lb (500 kg) of bombs or 1 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo





*