Vickers Varsity

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1949 military trainer aircraft based on the Vickers Viking

title: "Vickers Varsity" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1950s-british-military-trainer-aircraft", "vickers-aircraft", "mid-wing-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1949", "twin-piston-engined-tractor-aircraft", "aircraft-with-retractable-tricycle-landing-gear"] description: "1949 military trainer aircraft based on the Vickers Viking" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Varsity" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1949 military trainer aircraft based on the Vickers Viking ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]

FieldValue
nameVarsity
imageFile:Vickers Varsity T.1 WJ907 Q AAITS WFD 26.06.71 edited-2.jpg
captionVarsity T.1 of No.1 Air Electronics School in 1971
typemilitary trainer
manufacturerVickers-Armstrongs
designer
first_flight17 July 1949
introduction1951
retired1976
status
primary_userRAF
more_users
produced
number_built163
developed_fromVickers VC.1 Viking
variants
::

|name = Varsity |image = File:Vickers Varsity T.1 WJ907 Q AAITS WFD 26.06.71 edited-2.jpg |caption = Varsity T.1 of No.1 Air Electronics School in 1971 |type = military trainer |manufacturer = Vickers-Armstrongs |designer = |first_flight = 17 July 1949 |introduction = 1951 |retired = 1976 |status = |primary_user = RAF |more_users = |produced = |number_built = 163 |unit cost = |developed_from = Vickers VC.1 Viking |variants =

The Vickers Varsity is a retired British twin-engined crew trainer operated by the Royal Air Force from 1951 to 1976.

Design and development

The Varsity was developed by Vickers and based on the Viking and Valetta to meet Air Ministry Specification T.13/48 for a twin-engined training aircraft to replace the Wellington T10 and the Valetta T3 and T4. The main differences were the wider-span wings, longer fuselage and tricycle 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. The first prototype Type 668 Varsity VX828 was first flown by J 'Mutt' Summers and G R 'Jock' Bryce from Wisley on 17 July 1949.

A civil version the VC.3 was planned but with the success of the VC.2 Viscount the idea was abandoned.

Operational history

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Vickers_Varsity_T.1_WL689_RAFC_NE_COLT_14.09.68_edited-2.jpg" caption="Varsity T.1 of the [[Royal Air Force College Cranwell]] in 1968"] ::

The Varsity was introduced to replace the Wellington T10 trainer. Following deliveries to trials units the first production aircraft were delivered for operational use in 1951 to No. 201 Advanced Flying School at RAF 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's V-bomber crews.

The Swedish Air Force operated a single Varsity from January 1953 to 1973 mainly for electronic intelligence missions. The Swedish military designation was Tp 82.

The Varsity was withdrawn from service with the RAF in May 1976, its role as a pilot trainer being taken over by the Scottish Aviation Jetstream T1, and as a navigation trainer by the Hawker Siddeley Dominie T1.

The last flying example (Serial WL679) was operated by the Royal Aircraft Establishment; it was retired into preservation at the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands, Cosford in 1992.

Operators

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Varsity-WF369-03.jpg" caption="Varsity T1 on display at the [[Newark Air Museum"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Varsity-WF369-01.jpg" caption="Varsity T1 on display at the [[Newark Air Museum"] ::

;

Aircraft on display

Germany

Sweden

United Kingdom

Specifications (T Mk 1)

|ref=Vickers Aircraft since 1908. |prime units?=imp General characteristics

|genhide=

|crew=four |capacity= |length m= |length ft=67 |length in=6 |length note= |span m= |span ft=95 |span in=7 |span note= |width m= |width ft= |width in= |width note= |height m= |height ft=23 |height in=11 |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=974 |wing area note= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=27040 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |more general= Powerplant

|eng1 number=2 |eng1 name=Bristol Hercules 264 |eng1 type=14-cylinder radial engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=1950 |eng1 shp= |eng1 note= |power original= |thrust original=

|eng2 number= |eng2 name= |eng2 type= |eng2 kw= |eng2 hp= |eng2 shp= |eng2 kn= |eng2 lbf= |eng2 note= |eng2 kn-ab= |eng2 lbf-ab=

|eng3 number= |eng3 name= |eng3 type= |eng3 kw= |eng3 hp= |eng3 shp= |eng3 kn= |eng3 lbf= |eng3 note= |eng3 kn-ab= |eng3 lbf-ab= |more power=

|prop blade number= |prop name= |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop dia note=

Performance

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph=288 |max speed kts= |max speed note=at 10000 ft |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range miles=2648 |range nmi= |range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=28700 |ceiling note= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=1400 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass= |thrust/weight=

|more performance= Armament

|bombs= 600 lb practice bombs in an ventral pannier |avionics=

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. .
  • Bagshaw, R. Deacon, R. Pollock, A. and Thomas, M. RAF Little Rissington: The Central Flying School years 1946 - 1976. Pen & Sword, 2006
  • Ellis, Ken. Wrecks & Relics. Manchester, UK: Crécy Publishing, 21st edition, 2008. .
  • Martin, Bernard. The Viking, Valetta and Varsity. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1975. .
  • Rawlings, J.D.R. "Vickers Varsity". Air Pictorial, Vol. 33, No. 5, May 1971, pp. 172–176.
  • Spooner, Nigel (2024). A History of Aviation at Brooklands in 100 Objects. Barnsley, England: Pen & Sword Airworld.
  • Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Aircraft 1918–57. London: Putnam, 1st edition, 1957.

References

  1. Thetford 1957, p. 448.
  2. Rawlings 1971, pp. 172–173.
  3. "Airframe Dossier – VickersVarsity, s/n 8872M RAF, c/n 541". AerialVisuals.ca.
  4. "TP 82".
  5. "Flygplan [82001]".
  6. "Aircraft List".
  7. "Vickers 668 Varsity T.1". Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd.
  8. "Aircraft List". South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum.
  9. "A NEW KIND OF WELLINGTON". Classic Air Force.
  10. "Aeropark Exhibits". Aeropark Heritage Aircraft Collection.
  11. "Vickers Varsity T Mk I". Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum.
  12. (2012). "INDIVIDUAL HISTORY [WL679]". Royal Air Force Museum.
  13. Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 416.
  14. Ellis 2008, p. 170.
  15. Ellis 2008, p. 207.
  16. Martin 1975, p. 9.

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1950s-british-military-trainer-aircraftvickers-aircraftmid-wing-aircraftaircraft-first-flown-in-1949twin-piston-engined-tractor-aircraftaircraft-with-retractable-tricycle-landing-gear