Wotan, Wimpy stuff, Wellington data for the rest of you.

[Karnak]

Vickers Wellington
   
Conceived in the early 1930s to meet Air Ministry Specification B.9/32 (for what was then considered to be a heavy bomber) the Vickers Wellington formed the backbone of RAF Bomber Command until the 4 engined Lancasters and Halifaxes replaced it in that role in 1943.  It was Wellingtons and Blenheims that made the first British bomber raids on German targets when 14 Wellingtons and 10 Blenheims attacked warships and Brunsbuttel; their crews encountered bad weather and heavy flak and two Wellingtons and four Blenheims failed to return. In 1942 the first of the 'thousand-bomber' raids occured, hitting Cologne on May 30th; and 599 of the bombers were Wellingtons. A Wellington Mk Ic was the first bomber to drop a 4,000lb 'blockbuster' or 'cookie' during a raid on Emden on April 1st, 1941. Wellingtons served in every theatre of the war, from the Atlantic, Coastal Command Wellington GR.Mk VIIIs, GR.Mk XIs and GR.Mk XIIs droping mines, depth charges and torpedoes on German targets from 1942 on, to the Far East where Wellington Mk Ics arrived in April 1942 and operated as the sole RAF 'heavy bomber' force in South East Asia until September 1944.

Wellington's suffered heavy losses in their initial daylight operations, but proved a success at night when night operations were approved. The Wellington would never operate over Europe in daylight after 1940.

Wellington crews liked the "Wimpy" because of its ablility to absorb tremendous damage and remain flying.  It owed this capability to its unusual geodetic form of construction. Developed by Barnes Wallis, of bouncing bomb fame, for the Vickers Wellesley, the geodetic construction consisted of a diagonally fabricated lattice of alloy members to provide torsional and bending strength, the structure was fabric covered, thereby keeping weight to a minimum.

11,462 Wellingtons were produced, with the last Wellington trainers leaving RAF service in 1953.

Vickers Wellington B.Mk III

Type: six-crew medium bomber
Powerplant: two 1,500hp Bristol Hercules XI air-cooled 14-cylinder radial engines
Performance: maximum speed 255mph at 12,500ft; initial rate of climb 930ft per minute; service ceiling 22,000ft; range 2,085 miles with 1,500lbs of bombs, or 1,470 miles with 4,500lbs of bombs
Weights: empty 18,556lbs; maximum take-off 29,500lbs
Dimensions: span 86ft 2in; length 60ft 10in; height 17ft 5in; wing area 840sq ft
Armament: two 0.303in machine guns in nose turret, four 0.303in machine guns in tail turret, one 0.303in machine gun in each rear fuselage beam position, plus a maximum bombload of 4,500lbs or one 4,000lb bomb


Significant Versions of the Wellington

Wellington Mk Ia
Role: Medium Bomber
Number Built: 187
Service Entry: 1939
Engines: 2 x 1,050hp Pegasus XVIII engines
Loaded Weight: 25,800lbs
Maximum Speed: 235mph
Normal Range: 1,805 miles
Max Range: 2,550 miles
Ceiling: 19,000ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 2 .303s in the tail turret
Ordinance: 4,500lbs of Bombs

Wellington Mk Ic
Role: Medium Bomber
Number Built: 1,685
Service Entry: 1940
Engines: 2 x 1,050hp Pegasus XVIII engines
Loaded Weight: 25,800lbs
Maximum Speed: 235mph
Normal Range: 1,805 miles
Max Range: 2,550 miles
Ceiling: 19,000ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 2 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 4,500lbs of Bombs

Wellington B.Mk II
Role: Medium Bomber
Number Built: 400
Service Entry: 1940
Engines: 2 x 1,145hp Merlin X engines
Loaded Weight: 27,600lbs
Maximum Speed: 247mph
Normal Range: 1,570 miles
Max Range: 2,220 miles
Ceiling: 23,500ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 2 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 4,000lbs of Bombs

Wellington B.Mk III
Role: Medium Bomber
Number Built: 1,517
Service Entry: 1941
Engines: 2 x 1,370hp Hercules III or 1,500hp Hercules XI engines
Loaded Weight: 29,500lbs
Maximum Speed: 255mph
Normal Range: 1,470 miles
Max Range: 2,085 miles
Ceiling: 22,000ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 4 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 4,500lbs of Bombs

Wellington B.Mk IV
Role: Medium Bomber
Number Built: 220
Service Entry: 1942
Engines: 2 x 1,200 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S3C4G Twin Wasp engines
Loaded Weight: 31,600lbs
Maximum Speed: 229mph
Normal Range: 1,510 miles
Max Range: 2,180 miles
Ceiling: 21,250ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 2 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 4,500lbs of Bombs

Wellington GR.Mk VIII
Role: General Reconnaissance Bomber for Coastal Command
Number Built: 397
Service Entry: 1942
Engines: 2 x 1,050hp Pegasus XVIII engines
Loaded Weight: 25,800lbs
Maximum Speed: 235mph
Normal Range: 1,805 miles
Max Range: 2,550 miles
Ceiling: 19,000ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 2 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 4,500lbs or Depth Charges, or 4,500lbs of Mines, or 2 x 18in. Torpedoes or a Leigh Light

Wellington B.Mk X
Role: Medium Bomber
Number Built: 3,803
Service Entry: 1943
Engines: 2 x 1,370hp Hercules VI or XVI engines
Loaded Weight: 29,500lbs
Maximum Speed: 255mph
Normal Range: 1,470 miles
Max Range: 2,085 miles
Ceiling: 22,000ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 4 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 4,000lbs of Bombs

Wellington GR.Mk XI
Role: General Reconnaissance Torpedo Bomber
Number Built: 180
Service Entry: 1943
Engines: 2 x 1,370hp Hercules VI or XVI engines
Loaded Weight: 29,500lbs
Maximum Speed: 255mph
Normal Range:
Max Range: 2,020 miles
Ceiling: 19,000ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 4 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 4,500lbs of Depth Charges, or 4,500lbs of Mines, or 2 x 18in. Torpedoes and Leigh Light

Wellington GR.Mk XII
Role: Coastal Reconnaissance Bomber
Number Built: 58
Service Entry: 1943
Engines: 2 x 1,370hp Hercules VI or XVI engines
Loaded Weight: 36,500lbs
Maximum Speed: 256mph
Normal Range: 1,435 miles
Max Range: 1,810 miles
Ceiling: 18,500ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 4 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 5,100lbs of Bombs, or 5,100lbs of Depth Charges, or 5,100lbs of Mines and Leigh Light

Wellington GR.Mk XIII
Role: General Reconnaissance Bomber
Number Built: 844
Service Entry: 1943
Engines: 2 x Hercules XVII engines
Loaded Weight: 31,000lbs
Maximum Speed: 250mph
Normal Range: 1,390 miles
Max Range: 1,760 miles
Ceiling: 16,000ft
Armament: 2 .303s in the nose turret, 4 .303s in the tail turret, 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 5,000lbs of Bombs

Wellington GR.Mk XIV
Role: General Reconnaissance Bomber
Number Built: 841
Service Entry: 1943
Engines: 2 x Hercules XVII engines
Loaded Weight: 31,000lbs
Maximum Speed: 250mph
Normal Range: 1,390 miles
Max Range: 1,760 miles
Ceiling: 16,000ft
Armament: 4 .303s in the tail turret and 1 .303 in each beam position
Ordinance: 5,000lbs of Bombs

[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: Karnak ]

[wells]

If you're really into this plane, you might want to order this document from the PRO in the UK

AVIA 18/673 (Performance and Handling Trials)

Just make sure you share with the rest of us if you do!  
 http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk

[Karnak]

I'm not.  Its simply the most appropriate early war RAF bomber and the most appropriate RAF medium bomber.  After I expressed that to GRUNHERTZ, Wotan said he wanted data on it.

Thus this post.

[Wotan]

Thanks Karnak...........

and wells........

[brady]

Yes this is One of the most important early war brit bomber's would be a nice adation if AH realy starts adding early war stuff.

[Replicant]

Although not as sturdy as the Wellington, I would prefer to see the Hampden too which was used in VAST numbers, flew like a fighter but lack of defensive armament meant it was very easy prey.
 

Regards

Nexx

[Wotan]

please dont hijack the wimpy thread..............

[pdog_109]

ill, the flying frying pan.

[Replicant]

Originally posted by Wotan:
please dont hijack the wimpy thread..............

I don't see how my post hijacked the wimpy post considering it's 'supposed' to be the most important early war RAF bomber (which I don't totally agree with).

But, oh well, don't get your leather pants in a twist meinen fuhrer...

Sigh

Nexx

[Wotan]

nexx

read the title of the thread.............

someone else will pop in about some other buff from some other country in some other time in another galaxy etc...........

this thread actually began in another thats was vulched.

Heck ya I am interested in the Hampden but this thread is about the wimpy alone  

Thanks in advance .......

[Replicant]

No problem Wotan, but I did say that "I would prefer to see the Hampden too" meaning as well as the Wellington.... hell I'd like all early war aircraft both allied & axis.  My mentioning it is purely because that's all the RAF had between 1939 and 1942 (along with the Stirling and awful Whitley) and although not a very sucessful plane, it was probably the most used (wouldn't last 5 minutes in the MA, but perhaps for scenarios...).  

Regards

Nexx

[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: Replicant ]

[Replicant]

Hmm weird alien stuff going on!

[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: Replicant ]

[Replicant]

double post

[BenDover]

Originally posted by Replicant:
Although not as sturdy as the Wellington, I would prefer to see the Hampden too which was used in VAST numbers, flew like a fighter but lack of defensive armament meant it was very easy prey.

if it doesn't have any guns,it worn't be used,it would be more avoided than a c47(which is only used cos we don't have a choice)

[juzz]

It had guns, just not many. The "flying suitcase" would be pretty cool though.