The Vickers VC.1 Viking is a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. After the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines, pending the development of turboprop aircraft like the Viscount. An experimental airframe was fitted with Rolls-Royce Nene turbojets and first flown in 1948 as the world's first pure jet transport aircraft. Military developments were the Vickers Valetta and the Vickers Varsity.
Design and development
The Ministry of Aircraft Production ordered three prototype Wellington Transport Aircraft to Air Ministry Specification 17/44 from Vickers-Armstrongs Limited. The specification was for a peacetime requirement for an interim short-medium haul passenger aircraft to serve until the more advanced designs specified by the Brabazon Committee (in particular, the Airspeed Ambassador and Armstrong Whitworth Apollo) could be developed.Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 396–398.Taylor 1983, pp. 38–39. To speed development the aircraft used the wing and undercarriage design from the Wellington but the fuselage was new.Jackson 1988, p. 215. Although the original contract referred to Wellington Transport Aircraft, on completion, the name Viking was chosen.
The first prototype (designated the Type 491 and registered G-AGOK) was built by the Vickers Experimental Department at its wartime Foxwarren dispersal site and was first flown by 'Mutt' Summers at Wisley Airfield on 22 June 1945.Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 398. This aircraft crashed on 23 April 1946 due to a double engine failure; no fatalities occurred as a result of the crash. Following successful trials of the three prototypes the Ministry of Aircraft Production ordered 50 aircraft.Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 402. The first BOAC aircraft flew on 23 March 1946. The prototypes were then used for trials with the Royal Air Force which led to orders for military versions (the Viking C2 (12 ordered as freighter/transports) and the modified Valetta C1).
The initial 19 production aircraft (later designated the Viking 1A) carried 21 passengers, they had metal fuselages and - except for the wing inboard of the nacelles - fabric-clad geodetic wings and tail units. Following feedback from customers, the next 14 examples, known as the Viking 1, featured stressed-metal wings and tail units. The next variant, the Viking 1B, was 28 in (71 cm) longer, carrying 24 passengers with up-rated Bristol Hercules piston engines, achieved a production run of 115. One of this batch was changed during production to so that it could be fitted with two Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engines, with its first flight on 6 April 1948.
On 25 July 1948, on the 39th anniversary of Blériot's crossing of the English Channel, the Type 618 Nene-Viking flew Heathrow–Paris (Villacoublay) in the morning carrying letters to Bleriot's widow and son (secretary of the FAI), who met it at the airport. The flight of took only 34 minutes. It then flew back to London in the afternoon. It obtained a maximum speed of at and averaged . In 1954 it was bought from the Ministry of Supply and underwent the substantial conversion to Hercules 634 piston engines by Eagle Aviation to join their fleet.
Production finished in 1948, including 16 for the RAF of which four were for the King's Flight, but in 1952 BEA adapted some to a 38-passenger layout, taking the maximum payload up from . All Vikings featured a tailwheel undercarriage.
The 58th Viking (c/n 158) became the prototype of the military Valetta, of which 262 were produced for the RAF. When production of this strengthened but externally similar type ended in 1952, a flying classroom version with tricycle undercarriage was already being delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF), called the Varsity.Green and Pollinger 1955, p. 184. All but one of those entered RAF service, the other example going to the Swedish Air Force. The production of 161 Varsities kept the Hurn works busy until January 1954, and they enjoyed a long service life. Six examples are preserved, including at Brooklands Museum, and the Newark Air Museum.
Operational history
The first Viking was flown from Vickers' flight test airfield at Wisley, Surrey, by chief test pilot Joseph "Mutt" Summers on 22 June 1945 and the third aircraft built was delivered to BOAC at Hurn near Bournemouth on 20 April 1946. Upon the delivery of nine examples to BOAC for development flying, including the two remaining prototypes, British European Airways (BEA) was established on 1 August 1946 to operate airliners within Europe and these first VC.1 Vikings were transferred to the new airline.Taylor 1983, p. 39.
After a trial flight from Northolt to Oslo on 20 August 1946 by the newly formed BEA, the first regular Viking scheduled service commenced between Northolt and Copenhagen Airport on 1 September 1946.Chorlton Aeroplane Monthly Winter 2013, p. 81.
In all 163 Vikings were built. The initials "VC" stood for Vickers Commercial,Flight 24 May 1945 echoing the "VC" precedent set by the earlier Vimy Commercial of 1919. Vickers soon ceased to use the 'VC' letters, instead using type numbers in the 49x and 600 series, which indicated the specific customer airline.
BEA operated their large fleet of Vikings on many European and UK trunk routes for eight years. From 1951, the remaining fleet was modified with 36, instead of 27 seats, and named the "Admiral Class". BEA operated the Viking until late 1954, when the last was displaced by the more modern and pressurised Airspeed Ambassador and Vickers Viscount.
BEA sold their Vikings to several UK independent airlines for use on their growing scheduled and charter route networks. Some were sold to other European operators. An ex-BEA Viking 1B was fitted out as a VIP aircraft for the Arab Legion Air Force, mainly for the use of the King of Jordan.Martin 1975, p. 26. Most Vikings had been retired from service by the mid-1960s and there are now only six extant worldwide with two surviving examples in the UK, both being under long-term major restoration.
Variants Viking Prototypes with two 1,675 hp (1,250 kW) Bristol Hercules 130 engines, three built. Viking 1A Initial production version with geodetic wings and two 1,690 hp (1,261 kW) Bristol Hercules 630 engines. Viking 1 Production aircraft with stressed skin mainplanes and two 1,690 hp (1,261 kW) Bristol Hercules 634 engines. Viking 1B Viking 1 with "long nose", 113 built. Nene Viking One Viking 1B aircraft modified for trials with two 5,000 lbf (22.3 kN) Rolls-Royce Nene I turbojets. Viking C2 British military designation of the Viking 1; VIP transport aircraft for the King's Flight of the RAF. Valetta C1 & C2 Modified design with strengthened floor and large freight door. Varsity T1 Highly modified Valetta design with tricycle undercarriage for navigation and crew training.
Type numbers Type 491 First prototypeTaylor 1983, p. 42. Type 495 Second prototype Type 496 Third prototype Type 498 Viking 1A for British European Airways. Three later to Argentine Air Force. Type 604 Viking 1B for Indian National Airways with two Hercules 634 engines.Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 501. Type 607 Valetta prototype for Ministry of Supply with two Hercules 230 engines. Type 610 Viking 1B for British European Airways. Type 613 Projected fuel transport variant, not built. Type 614 Viking 1 for British European Airways. Type 615 Viking 1 for the Argentine government with two Hercules 634 engines. Type 616 Viking 1 for Central African Airways. Type 618 Nene Viking for Ministry of Supply. Type 620 Viking 1 for the Argentine government with two Hercules 630 engines. Type 621 Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 130 engines. Type 623 Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines. Two ordered for use by the King's Flight for a royal tour of South Africa, one aircraft for the King and one for the Queen.Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 405, 501.Taylor 1983, p. 44. Type 624 Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines. One ordered for use by the King's Flight for a royal tour of South Africa for use by the state officials in 21-seat configuration. Type 626 Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines. One ordered for use by the King's Flight for a royal tour of South Africa as a mobile workshop support aircraft. Type 627 Viking 1B for Airwork Limited. Type 628 Viking 1B for DDL with two Hercules 634 engines. Type 631 Projected 34-seat variant, not built. Type 632 Viking 1B for Air India with two Hercules 634 engines. Type 634 Viking 1B for Aer Lingus with two Hercules 634 engines. Type 635 Viking 1B for South African Airways with two Hercules 634 engines. Type 636 Viking 1B demonstrator. Type 637 Valetta C1 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 230 engines. Type 639 Viking 1 for Hunting Air Transport. Type 641 Viking 1 for Suidair International Type 643 Viking 1 for Suidair International with two Hercules 630 engines. Type 644 Viking 1B for Iraqi Airways. Type 649 Viking 1B for Pakistan Air Force with two Hercules 634 engines.Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 502. Type 651 Valetta C1 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 634 engines. Type 657 Viking 1A conversions from Type 498 for BSAAC.
Operators
Civil operators
Aerolíneas Argentinas Argentine Civil Aeronautics Board Flota Aérea Mercante Argentina LADE
Aero Transport
Aviameer Airlines
DDL
MisrairTaylor 1983, p. 48.
Airnautic Air Dauphine Air Inter Air Sahara Europe Aero Service Transportes Aeriens Reunis
Aero Express Flug Aerotour Colombus Luftreederei Condor Deutsche Flugdienst LTU International Transavia Flug
Air India Indian Airlines Indian National Airways
Iraqi Airways Iraq Petroleum Transport Company
Aer Lingus
Kuwait Oil Company
Bernado Pasquelle Government of Mexico (Portuguese India) Transportes Aéreos da Índia Portuguesa
Governor General of Pakistan. Personal plane of Quaid E Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Protea Airways South African Airways Suldair International Airways Trek Airways United Airways
Central African Airways
Balair
British West Indian Airways
African Air Safaris Air Ferry Air Safaris Airwork Services Autair Bembridge Air Hire Limited BKS Air Transport Blue-Air British European Airways British Overseas Airways Corporation (used only by BOAC development flight) Eagle Aviation/Eagle Airways British International Airlines British Nederland Airservices Channel Airways Continental Air Services Crewsair Limited Decca Navigator Company Dragon Airways Eros Airlines (UK) Falcon Airways Field Aircraft Services First Air Trading Company Hunting Air Transport Hunting-Clan Air Transport Invicta Airways / Invicta International Airways Independent Air Transport James Stuart Travel Limited Maitland Drewery Aviation Meredith Air Transport Orion Airways Overseas Aviation Pegasus Airlines Tradair Limited Trans World Charter Vendair Limited
Military operators
Argentine Air Force - 30 aircraft.The Illustrated Catalogue to Argentine Air Force Aircraft, Gaceta Aeronautica, 2013 (accessed 2019-02-16) One (T-64, ex LV-XFM) used as presidential aircraft from 1948 to 1952.La corta vida de un Viking, Roll Out website, 2011 (accessed 2019-02-16)
Royal Australian Air Force - One Viking C2 in service from 1947 to 1951. No. 2 Squadron RAAF No. 34 Squadron RAAF
Arab Legion Air Force Royal Jordanian Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
Royal Air Force Empire Test Pilots' School The King's Flight, RAF
Accidents and incidents
Of the 163 aircraft built 56 aircraft were lost in accidents – the following were some notable accidents:
The aircraft carried 34 boys and 2 members of staff from The Archbishop Lanfranc School in Croydon.
Aircraft on display