VICKERS VILDEBEEST
- Two/three-seat
coastal defence biplane designed by RK Pierson to meet Specification 24/25
and first flown in April 1928. Production initiated late-1931 to Specification
22/31, with successive batches covering Mks I, II, III and IV to Specifications
20/33, 15/34 and 41/35, bringing the total for RAF to 173.
Vickers Vildebeest I: Vickers Type 244. 600 hp Pegasus IM3. Two-seat torpedo-bomber.
22 built; none on strength in 1939.
Vickers Vildebeest II: Vickers Type 258. 635 hp Pegasus IIM3 and detailed improvements.
Two-seat torpedo-bomber. Thirty built for RAF.
Vickers Vildebeest III: Vickers Type 267. As Mk II but with third seat added for
observer. Total 193 built for RAF and 12 for RNZAF (latter with folding
wings; Vickers Type 277).
Vickers Vildebeest IV: Vickers Type 286. 825 hp Bristol Pegasus VIII. Two-seat
torpedo-bomber. Eighteen built for RAF; found unsuitable for overseas
use through engine overheating.
Service use of Vickers Vildebeest Is began with No 100 Sqn at Donibristle in October
1932; four other front-line units, Nos 22, 36, 42 and 273, equipped with
Vickers Vildebeests subsequently and all five still flying these biplanes operationally
when war began, with 101 Vickers Vildebeests in RAF inventory. In the UK, No 22
with Mk Ills and No 42 with Mks III and IV, flew on shipping reconnaissance
and convoy escort duties until April 1940. Nos 36 and 100 Sqns had six
Mk Us and 46 Mk Ills in Singapore in December 1941, used in torpedo and
bombing roles until withdrawn to Java and finally retired in March 1942.
Six Mk Ills served with No 273 Sqn in Ceylon, also until March 1942. The
RNZAF purchased 12 Vickers Vildebeest Ills from Vickers in 1935, supplemented
by 10 Mk Ills and 17 Mk IVs, ex-RAF, in 1940-41. These were used by several
general reconnaissance squadrons and by No 2 FTS for training, with a
few surviving as target tugs into 1944.
Data for Vickers Vildebeest III: Max speed, 143 mph (230 kmlh). Initial rate of
climb, 630 ftlmin (3.2 ml sec). Range, 630 mis (1,014 km). Service ceiling,
17,000 ft (5,182 m). Empty weight, 4,773 Ib (2,165 kg). Gross weight,
8,500 Ib (3,856 kg). Span, 49 ft 0 in (14.94 m). Length, 36 ft 8 in (11.18
m). Wing area, 728 sqft (67.6 m2).
