Vickers Vimy
Vickers Limited · United Kingdom · first flew 1917 · bomber
A British twin-engined biplane heavy bomber, famous for making the first non-stop transatlantic flight in 1919.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large twin-engined biplane bomber (drawn as single wing pair, note)
- Two Rolls-Royce engines mounted between the wings
- Twin-fin tail and open cockpit, classic First World War lines
A large twin-engined biplane with engines slung between the wings and a twin-fin tail. The open cockpit and wire-braced biplane structure place it firmly in the early post-WWI era.
Specifications
- The Vickers Vimy has a length of 13.3 m (44 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 20.5 m (67 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 166 km/h (103 mph).
- Typical crew: 3 (bomber configuration).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown on 30 November 1917, the Vimy arrived too late to see meaningful combat in the First World War. Its enduring fame came on 14-15 June 1919, when Alcock and Brown flew a Vimy non-stop from Newfoundland to Ireland in under 17 hours; another Vimy made the first England-to-Australia flight later that year.
Variants
Built as a bomber (Mk IV the main service version) and in the civil Vimy Commercial and Vernon transport derivatives. Two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines powered the standard machine.
Where you'll see it
Backbone of the RAF heavy bomber force through the 1920s. Alcock and Brown's original transatlantic Vimy is preserved in the UK at the Science Museum in London, and an airworthy reproduction has flown at British events.
Related aircraft
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