| Varsity | |
|---|---|
 Varsity T.1 of No.1 Air Electronics School in 1971 | |
| General information | |
| Type | militarytrainer |
| Manufacturer | Vickers-Armstrongs |
| Primary user | RAF |
| Number built | 163 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1951 |
| First flight | 17 July 1949[1] |
| Retired | 1976 |
| Developed from | Vickers VC.1 Viking |
TheVickers Varsity is a retired British twin-engined crewtrainer operated by theRoyal Air Force from 1951 to 1976.
The Varsity was developed byVickers and based on theViking andValetta to meetAir Ministry Specification T.13/48 for a twin-engined training aircraft to replace the Wellington T10 and the Valetta T3 and T4.[2] The main differences were the wider-span wings, longerfuselage andtricycle undercarriage. There was also a ventral pannier to allow a trainee bomb aimer to lie in a prone position and a bomb bay with a capacity for 24 x 25lb smoke & flash bombs.[2]The first prototype Type 668 Varsity VX828 was first flown byJ 'Mutt' Summers and G R 'Jock' Bryce fromWisley on 17 July 1949.[2]
A civil version theVC.3 was planned but with the success of theVC.2 Viscount the idea was abandoned.[2]
The Varsity was introduced to replace theWellington T10 trainer. Following deliveries to trials units the first production aircraft were delivered for operational use in 1951 to No. 201 Advanced Flying School atRAF Swinderby, where they were used to train pilots to fly multi-engined aircraft. It also equipped two Air Navigator Schools in 1952, and the Bomber Command Bombing school, with the job of training crews for RAF Bomber-Command'sV-bomber crews.[3]
TheSwedish Air Force operated a single Varsity from January 1953 to 1973 mainly forelectronic intelligence missions. The Swedish military designation wasTp 82.
The Varsity was withdrawn from service with the RAF in May 1976, its role as a pilot trainer being taken over by theScottish Aviation Jetstream T1, and as a navigation trainer by theHawker Siddeley Dominie T1.
The last flying example (SerialWL679) was operated by theRoyal Aircraft Establishment; it was retired into preservation at theRoyal Air Force Museum Midlands, Cosford in 1992.
Data fromVickers Aircraft since 1908.[16]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related lists
