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

The Ministry of Aircraft Production agreed in 1944 to the Vickers-Armstrong Company developing a passenger carrying version of the Wellington for the post-war era. Although the original contract for three prototypes referred to Wellington Transports, on completion the name Viking was in use. The first of this batch flew on 22 June, 1945 and the third was delivered to 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 Commercial, 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 initial nineteen production aircraft (Mark 1A) contained 21 passenger seats in a metal fuselage but had fabric clad geodetic wings and tail units. The next fourteen examples, known as the Mark 1, featured stressed metal wings and tail units. The next variant, the 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. 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 toughened but externally-similar type ended in 1951, a flying classroom version with tricycle undercarriage was already being delivered to the RAF, called the Varsity. All but one of those entered RAF service, the other one going to the Royal 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.

The name Viking had been previously used during the 1918-1923 period when Vickers applied it to a single-engined Type 54 amphibian (see Vickers Viking).

Specifications (Viking 1B)

General Characteristics

• Crew: two pilots
• Capacity: 36 passengers
• Length: 65 ft 0 in (19.82 m)
• Wingspan: 89 ft 0 in (27.13 m)
• Height: ft in ( m)
• Wing area: ft² ( m²)
• Empty: lb ( kg)
• Loaded: lb ( kg)
• Maximum takeoff: 34,000 lb (15,454 kg)
• Powerplant: 2x Bristol Hercules 634, 1,690 hp (1,260 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 263 mph (420 km/h)
• Range: 1,700 miles (2,720 km)
• Service ceiling: ft ( m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: hp/lb ( kW/kg)

Related content

Related development: Vickers Wellington - Vickers Valetta - Vickers Varsity

Comparable aircraft:

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