Vickers Warwick

In 1935, the RAF issued Specification 1/35 concerning an average bomber capable of reaching the northeastern coasts of Germany and returning. Vickers then proposed to build a twin-engine on the principle of geodetic architecture, as on the Wellesley and the brand-new Wellington. The design difficulties and the priority given to devices considered to be priorities, following the German operations in Spain and the Anschluss, caused the program to lag behind. So much so that when the prototype flew on 13 August 1939 for the first time, the war was imminent.

The plane received the name of Warwick baptism. The first Warwick Mk-I arrived in the Bomber Command in April 1940. Despite its obvious intrinsic qualities, the Warwick was massively rejected by the crews. The Blenheim remained on the front line, awaiting the arrival of the American planes whose first Martin B-26. Warwick Mk-I bombers were retired from service in January 1943. They were all converted into a training machine under the Warwick Mk-IA designation.

The Warwick presented itself as a twin-engine bomber with a geodetic architecture and a median wing. Its general shape strongly recalls the Wellington of the same aircraft manufacturer. It is equipped with two Bristol Centaurus engines and a fairly substantial defensive armament. Its classic landing gear is fully retractable, including the tail wheel.

In January 1943, after the bombing missions were halted, a part of the crews was reassigned to the Coastal Command, in order to follow the convoys sailing in the North Atlantic, where the U-boats reigned supreme. A first batch of 275 Warwick ASR Mk-I was then delivered. These planes were responsible for the search for sunken ship crews, pilots whose aircraft would have been damaged at sea, and possible enemy buildings. For the latter mission, the Warwick ASR Mk-I were weakly armed to carry the most SAR equipment and larger electronic equipment, which was particularly cumbersome and heavy at the time. The rescue Warwicks participated in more missions than the Coastal Command's entire seaplanes, including Sunderland Short.  

In July 1943, the first versions of the Coastal Command, the Warwick GR Mk-II, followed a few weeks later by the GR Mk-IV. The first version was built with 132 copies and the second with 210. Some Warwick GR Mk-IV participated in the preparations for Operation Overlord in the days preceding June 6, 1944. One of them sank a U Who tried to cross the Irish Sea on the night of the 25th to the 26th of June. During these operations, the Vickers twin-engineers flew under the protection of Fighter Command. In September 1944, two Warwick GR Mk-II squadron 502 took part alongside the French Armored Battleship Lorraine in a mission to hunt U-boot 27 in the Dieppe area. The submersible disappeared, but was eventually spotted a few weeks later by a Liberator from the same Coastal Command, who this time did not let him escape.

Among the most special missions that were provided to the Warwicks of the RAF were those of search for submarines of the Third Reich in order to "capture" Enigma encryption machines.

One of the most surprising versions of this twin-engine was prior to the reconnaissance machines, since the market was launched in November 1942. The BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) ordered a transport version of personnel, also suitable for transporting high personalities And the transport of mail. In this mission, the Warwick C Mk-I replaced the Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley modified and disarmed bombers. The Warwicks remained in service with the BOAC until December 1944, when they were transferred to the Royal Air Force Squadron 167. One such aircraft was dedicated to the exclusive transportation of Admiral Andrew Browne Cunningham. It was the only Warwick to wear the colors of the Fleet Air Arm.

The Warwicks remained in service with the RAF until March 1947.


Specifications : 

Length 22,00 m
Wingspan: 29.50 m
Wing area 93.5 m²
Height 5,6 m
Drive two twin-engine engines Pratt & Whitney R-2800 / S.1A4-G Double wasp with 1,850 hp (1,380 kW)
Maximum speed 393 km / h at 1,980 m altitude
Range 3.200 km
Crew six men
Service ceiling 5,800 m
Empty weight 16.057 kg
Max.takeoff weight:  17,230 kg
Max. Flight mass 20,860 kg

Arming 8 x 3 7.7mm Browning MGs

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