Vickers Type 163
Vickers-Armstrong · United Kingdom · first flew 1931 · bomber
The Vickers Type 163 was a prototype British biplane bomber design of the 1930s, built by Vickers-Armstrong. Only one was produced.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 20.35 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large biplane with four engines mounted in pairs
- Four Rolls-Royce F.XIVS V-12 engines
- Nose and tail gunner positions
A large four-engined biplane with a wingspan of 27.43 m, its engines arranged in pairs, and gunner positions in the nose and tail.
Specifications
- The Vickers Type 163 has a length of 20.35 m (67 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 27.43 m (90 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 260 km/h (162 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was based on the Vickers Vanox (Type 150), scaled up to take four engines mounted in pairs. It was submitted to Air Ministry specifications B.19/27 as a bomber and C.16/28 as a troop carrier, and first flew on 12 January 1931.
Variants
It was submitted both as a bomber and as a troop carrier, with provision for ten armed troops. Only one aircraft was built.
Where you'll see it
It remained a prototype built for the Air Ministry specifications. Armament was two Lewis guns in nose and tail positions, with up to twelve 250 lb bombs under the fuselage.
Related aircraft
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