Vultee Vengeance II
Vultee Aircraft · United States · first flew 1942 · bomber
The Vultee Vengeance II (Mk II) was a production batch of the Vengeance dive bomber manufactured by Vultee Aircraft as a second source to supplement Northrop's output. It was essentially identical to the Northrop Vengeance Mk I in capability but built on Vultee's production lines.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Wide fuselage housing rear gunner with twin-gun position |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- British Mk II dive bomber built by Vultee rather than Northrop
- Single Wright Cyclone radial, large dive brake panels
- Wide fuselage housing rear gunner with twin-gun position
Outwardly identical to the Northrop-built Vengeance Mk I; the wide fuselage, perforated wing dive brakes, and single radial engine in a round cowling are the key recognition features shared across all Vengeance marks.
Specifications
- The Vultee Vengeance II has a length of 11.66 m (38 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.63 m (48 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 443 km/h (275 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
To accelerate delivery of the Vengeance to the Royal Air Force, production was split between Northrop and Vultee. Vultee manufactured the Mk II batch with minor detail differences from the Northrop-built Mk I. The aircraft served in the same theatres and roles, and the two marks are operationally interchangeable. Vultee's involvement also built on experience that would lead to the Valiant trainer.
Variants
The Vengeance II corresponds to the RAF's Mk II designation covering Vultee-built aircraft. Later marks (Mk III and IV) were further-refined production batches. The USAAF designation A-35B covered a subset of Vengeances retained for US training.
Where you'll see it
Served alongside Northrop-built Vengeances with RAF and Commonwealth squadrons primarily in the Burma theatre. Operations wound down from 1944 as the type was replaced by Thunderbolts and Hurricanes.
Related aircraft
- Vultee Vengeance IV
- Vultee A-31 Vengeance
- Vultee BT-15 Valiant
- Vultee Vengeance III
- Aichi B7A Ryusei
- Avro Lancaster B.III
- B-29 Superfortress
- Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress
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