| Viking/Vulture/Vanellus | |
|---|---|
 The Vickers Viking prototype in 1919 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Biplane amphibian |
| Manufacturer | Vickers /Canadian Vickers |
| Number built | 31 (Viking) 2 (Vulture) 1 (Vanellus) |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1919–1923 |
| First flight | 1919 |
TheVickers Viking was a British single-engineamphibious aircraft designed for military use shortly afterWorld War I. Later versions of the aircraft were known as theVickers Vulture andVickers Vanellus.
Research onVickers' first amphibious aircraft type began in December1918 with tests of alternative fuselage/hull designs occurring in an experimental tank atSt Albans inHertfordshire, England. A prototype, registered G-EAOV, was a five-seat cabinbiplane with apusher propeller driven by aRolls-Royce Falcon water-cooledV 12 engine. SirJohn Alcock died taking this aircraft to theParis exhibition on 18 December 1919, whilst trying to land at Côte d'Evrard, nearRouen,Normandy in foggy weather.[1][2]
The next example, G-EASC, known as theViking II, had a greater wing span and a 360 hpRolls-Royce Eagle VIII motor. TheViking III machine, piloted by Captain Stan Cockerell, won first prize in the amphibian class inAir Ministry competitions held in September and October, 1920.
The Type 54Viking IV incorporated further refinements and had a wider cabin above a hull one foot wider, an example being G-EBBZ in whichRoss Smith and J.M. Bennett (partners in the 1919England to Australia flight) died on 13 April 1922 just outside theBrooklands racetrack nearWeybridge inSurrey. Most of these Mark IV Vikings had aNapier Lion engine.[3]
The next version was theViking V; two were built for the RAF for service inIraq.
A further development with a redesigned wing structure using the 450 hp (340 kW)Napier Lion would have been theViking VI (Vickers designationType 78) but known as theVulture I. A second with a Rolls-Royce Eagle IX (360 hp, 270 kW) was theType 95 Vulture II. Both Vultures were used for an unsuccessful around the world attempt in 1924 after the Eagle engine of the Vulture II was replaced with a Lion. With registration G-EBHO, the first set off fromCalshot Seaplane Base on 25 March 1924, the other was shipped as a spare machine toTokyo. After mechanical difficulties in earlier stages G-EBHO crashed atAkyab where it was replaced by G-EBGO on 25 June. Encountering heavy fog on theSiberian side of theBering Sea G-EBGO crashed. Vickers salvaged a large proportion.
The Viking Mark VII ("Type 83" in Vickers numbering) was a development of the Vulture, a three-seat open-cockpit fleet spotter toAir Ministry specification 46/22 given the service name "Vanellus" when taken on for evaluation by the RAF against theSupermarine Seagull design.
The last Viking amphibians were built during 1923, but the name was re-used for the twin-engineVC.1 Vikingairliner some 22 years later, which saw service as theValetta with theRAF and other air arms.Canadian Vickers Limited, a subsidiary company inMontreal with no previous aircraft manufacturing experience, assembled two Viking IV amphibians and built a further six for theRoyal Canadian Air Force . Their involvement with the Viking led to a future line of indigenous flying boats beginning with theCanadian Vickers Vedette.[4]
No Vikings survive today although a full-size replica built for the filmThe People That Time Forgot (1977) is displayed atBrooklands Museum in Surrey.
Data from British Flying Boats[7]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
