Vickers Valetta
Vickers-Armstrongs · United Kingdom · first flew 1947 · transport aircraft
The Vickers Valetta is a twin-engined military transport developed from the Viking airliner for the Royal Air Force.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 19.18 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- All-metal mid-wing monoplane
- Tailwheel undercarriage
- Two Bristol Hercules radial engines
A twin-radial, tailwheel transport with a mid-set wing. It carried 34 troops or 20 paratroops.
Specifications
- The Vickers Valetta has a length of 19.18 m (63 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 27.2 m (89 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 415 km/h (258 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Development began in the immediate postwar years. Changes from the Viking included more powerful Bristol Hercules 230 engines, a reinforced cabin floor and a strengthened undercarriage. It first flew on 30 June 1947.
Variants
Roles included troop transport, air ambulance, freighter, glider tug and paratroop carrier, plus a VIP model. The T.4 trainer had an enlarged nose for radar and was converted from the T.3. The Varsity was based on it.
Where you'll see it
It entered RAF service in 1948 and became a major element of Transport Command, taking part in the Suez Crisis, Aden and the Malayan Emergency. 262 were built.
Related aircraft
- Vickers Viscount
- Vickers Varsity
- Vickers Viking
- Vickers Viscount 700
- Antonov An-2
- Beriev Be-8
- Chyetverikov TA
- Convair XC-99
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