Vickers Varsity T1 - WL626 (G-BHDD)
Varsity Specifications
Length: 20.06m (67ft 10in)
Wingspan: 29.15m (95ft 8in)
Height: 7.28m (23ft 11in)
Power Plant: Two 1,950 hp Bristol Hercules 264 fourteen
cylinder two row radial air cooled sleeve valve engines.
Maximum Speed: 250 mph at 10,000ft
Service Ceiling: 8,229m (27,000ft)
Range: 4,264km (2,650 miles)
Accommodation: Flight deck in forward fuselage seating
student pilot and instructor side by side, with student
signaller and instructor behind. Side by side bomb aiming
station for instructor and student in nose of underslung
nacelle. Station for instructor and two navigator students in
rear fuselage aft of main spar.
History of the Varsity
The Varsity is a contemporary of the Vickers Viking airliner and the Valetta military
transport. All three aircraft are in turn descended from the famous Vickers
Wellington bomber, a design that was the brainchild of the inventor and aircraft
designer Barnes Wallace.
The type 648 Varsity differs
from the standard Viking by
having an increased wingspan,
tricycle landing gear and an
under fuselage pannier to
accommodate a bomb aimer
and 24 practice bombs. A total
of 163 Varsity T.Mk.1s were built
for the RAF. Production ended
in 1954.
The prototype first flew on
17th July 1949 from Wisley
Aerodrome and the Varsity first
saw squadron service at RAF
Swinderby on the Nottinghamshire
/ Lincolnshire border.
The Varsity was used in principle as a pilot conversion and navigational trainer for multiengined
aircraft prior to transfer to such types as the Hastings, Shackleton, B29 Washington
and Britannia. Varsities also took part in blind landing trials conducting research into
automatic landings during the development of the Trident airliner.
The Aeropark Varsity
The aircraft was operated by No.201 Advanced
Flying Training School, based at RAF Swinderby
and took part as a static display at the Queens
Review of the Royal Air Force at RAF Odiham on
the 15th July 1953. It departed Swinderby for No.2
Air Navigation School at Thorney Island in 1955.
After five years it moved to No.1 ANS at Topcliffe in
Yorkshire. For a short period WL626 was stationed
at Stradishall before arriving at RAF Finningley
(now Robin Hood International Airport) on the Notts
/ Yorkshire border in 1970.
In April 1976 the aircraft was purchased by Mr G and Mr F.W. Vale
from the Ministry of Defence and flown from Finningley to Coventry
Airport. Three years later the Varsity (now registered G-BHDD) arrived
here at the Airport to complete its flying career.
