Vickers Viking
With its two Bristol Hercules 630 engines, the Viking is the first post war English transport plane to make a successful career. Very reliable, the Viking derives in a lot of points from the Wellington (engines and landing gear) and of its derivative, the Warwick (Tail surfaces).
Responding to an English air ministry specification, the project received the designation VC1 (Vickers Commercial 1). The first flight took place on June 22, 1945 under the 1A designation of which 24 exemplars were built. The 1B version entered service in April 1947, this one having a capacity of 27 passengers reaching 36 on the last models.
The English company BEA operated 49 Vikings from the end of 1946. The plane has also been used by foreign companies like Aer Lingus, Danish Airlines, South African Airways, Indian National Airways and Iraqi Airways.
Of the 163 Vikings constructed, some flew until 1971.
A military version affected to the transport, the Valetta, was constructed to 251 exemplars.
Variants
- Viking : Prototypes with two 1,675 hp (1,250 kW) Bristol Hercules 130 engines, three built.
- Viking 1A : Initial production version with geodetic wings and two 1,690 hp (1,261 kW) Bristol Hercules 630 engines.
- Viking 1 : Production aircraft with stressed skin mainplanes and two 1,690 hp (1,261 kW) Bristol Hercules 634 engines.
- Viking 1B : Viking 1 with "long nose", 113 built.
- Nene Viking : One Viking 1B aircraft modified for trials with two 5,000 lbf (22.3 kN) Rolls-Royce Nene I turbojets.
- Viking C2 : British military designation of the Viking 1; VIP transport aircraft for the King's Flight of the RAF.
- Valetta C2 : Modified design with strengthened floor and large freight door.
- Varsity T1 : Highly modified Valetta design with tricycle undercarriage for navigation and crew training.
Type numbers
Type 491 : First prototype
- Type 495 : Second prototype
- Type 496 : Third prototype
- Type 498 : Viking 1A for British European Airways
- Type 604 : Viking 1B for Indian National Airways with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 607 : Valetta prototype for Ministry of Supply with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 610 : Viking 1B for British European Airways
- Type 613 : Projected fuel transport variant, not built.
- Type 614 : Viking 1A for British European Airways
- Type 615 : Viking 1 for the Argentine government with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 616 : Viking 1 for Central African Airways
- Type 618 : Nene Viking for Ministry of Supply
- Type 620 : Viking 1 for the Argentine government with two Hercules 630 engines.
- Type 621 : Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 130 engines.
- Type 623 : Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines. Two ordered for use by the King's Flight for a royal tour of South Africa, one aircraft for the King and one for the Queen.
- Type 624 : Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines. One ordered for use by the King's Flight for a royal tour of South Africa for use by the state officials in 21-seat configuration.
- Type 626 : Viking C2 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 134 engines. One ordered for use by the King's Flight for a royal tour of South Africa as a mobile workshop support aircraft.
- Type 627 : Viking 1B for Airwork Limited
- Type 628 : Viking 1B for DDL with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 631 : Projected 34-seat variant, not built.
- Type 632 : Viking 1B for Air India with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 634 : Viking 1B for Aer Lingus with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 635 : Viking 1B for South African Airways with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 636 : Viking 1B demonstrator.
- Type 637 : Valletta C1 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 230 engines.
- Type 639 : Viking 1 for British European Airways
- Type 641 : Viking 1 for Suidair International
- Type 643 : Viking 1 for Suidair International with two Hercules 630 engines.
- Type 644 : Viking 1B for Iraqi Airways
- Type 649 : Viking 1B for Pakistan Air Force with two Hercules 634 engines.
- Type 651 : Valetta C1 for the Royal Air Force with two Hercules 634 engines.
Type 657 : Viking 1A conversions from Type 498 for BSAAC.
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