Vickers Vendace
title: "Vickers Vendace" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1920s-british-military-trainer-aircraft", "vickers-aircraft", "biplanes", "single-engined-tractor-aircraft", "floatplanes", "aircraft-with-fixed-conventional-landing-gear"] topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Vendace" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Vendace |
| image | Vickers Vendace.jpg |
| caption | |
| aircraft_type | Trainer |
| manufacturer | Vickers |
| designer | |
| first_flight | 1926 |
| introduction | 1928 |
| retired | 1933 |
| status | |
| primary_user | Bolivia |
| more_users | |
| produced | |
| number_built | 5 |
| variants | |
| :: |
|name = Vendace |image = Vickers Vendace.jpg |caption = |aircraft_type = Trainer |manufacturer = Vickers |designer = |first_flight = 1926 |introduction= 1928 |retired = 1933 |status = |primary_user = Bolivia |more_users = |produced = |number_built = 5 |variants =
The Vickers Vendace was a 1920s British trainer aircraft. It was originally designed as a floatplane trainer for the Royal Air Force.
Background
In October 1924, the British Air Ministry issued Specification 5A/24 for a floatplane trainer. To meet this requirement, Vickers designed a two-seat biplane, the Vickers Type 120 Vendace I. In August 1925, the Air Ministry placed an order for a single prototype, in addition to competing aircraft from Parnall and Blackburn, (the Parnall Perch and Blackburn Sprat).
Design and development
The Vendace I was a two-bay biplane with folding wooden wings and a steel tube fuselage, powered by a Rolls-Royce Falcon engine. Its undercarriage could be changed from floats to wheels in ten minutes, while its fuel supply was held in two streamlined tanks above the upper wing.
The first Vendace first flew at Brooklands by March 1926, and then underwent successful trials as a landplane, including operation from the aircraft carrier . In 1927, these were followed by testing in seaplane configuration at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Felixstowe. The trials were successful, with the Vendace being selected to meet the RAF's needs. The requirement was soon cancelled as a cost saving measure, although the RAF did retain the aircraft for experimental purposes.
Vickers built a second aircraft, the Type 157 Vendace II, as a private venture, with an ADC Nimbus (an inline six-cylinder engine derived from the Siddeley Puma) that replaced the Falcon of the Vendace I. It first flew in November 1927, and was sold to the Aircraft Operating Company for survey operations in South America.
Development continued with the Type 155 Vendace III powered by a 300 hp Hispano-Suiza 8F, and three were sold to Bolivia for use as trainers, at a cost of £ 9,997 for the three aircraft.
Operational history
In July 1929, the three Bolivian Vendaces entered service with the Escuela Militar de Aviación. While the Vendaces maintained good performance at the high altitude of Bolivia's training airfield at La Paz, they experienced engine problems, blamed on dusty conditions in the Bolivian summer, resulting in the aircraft being grounded several times while waiting for spare parts for the engines to be delivered from France. Two Vendaces were listed as still being in service in 1933, with one being used as a communications aircraft during the Chaco War before being destroyed by Bolivian forces during a retreat in December 1933.
Variants
;Type 120 Vendace I : Prototype convertible landplane/seaplane for RAF, powered by 275 hp Rolls-Royce Falcon III engine. One (serial number N208) built. ;Type 157 Vendace II : Private venture aircraft powered by 300 hp ADC Nimbus engine. One (registered G-EBPX) built, converted for airborne survey purposes. ;Type 155 Vendace III :Trainer for Bolivia, powered by 300 hp Hispano-Suiza 8F engine. Three built.
Operators
;
Specifications (Vendace III)
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Vickers_Vendace_3_view_NACA_Aircraft_Circular_No.3.png" caption="Vickers Vendace I"] ::
|ref=Vickers Aircraft since 1908 |prime units?=imp General characteristics
|crew=2 |length ft=33 |length in=3 |length note= |span ft=44 |span in=7 |span note= |height ft=12 |height in=9 |height note= |wing area sqft=533 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight lb=2604 |empty weight note= |gross weight lb=3207 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Hispano-Suiza 8F |eng1 type=V-8 water-cooled piston engine |eng1 hp=300 |eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2 |prop name=fixed-pitch propeller |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop dia note= Performance
|max speed mph=119 |max speed note=at 19000 ft |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed note= |stall speed mph= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed note= |range miles= |range note= |ferry range miles= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling ft=25800 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ftmin=720 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading lb/sqft=6.02 |wing loading note= |disk loading lb/sqft= |disk loading note= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass=0.094 hp/lb
|more performance=
References
Bibliography
References
- Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 194
- Jackson 1968, p. 233
- Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 195
- Donald 1997, p. 893
- Jackson 1968, p. 235
- Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 196.
- (21 June 1928). "Air Survey Developments".
- Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 197
- Hagedorn and Sapienza 1997, p. 115
- Klaus, Erich. [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/bolivia/Bolivia-af-V155.htm "Bolivia Air Force Aircraft Types: Vickers 155 Vendace III"] ''Aeroflight.co.uk'', 15 March 2007. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
- Hagedorn and Sapienza 1997, pp. 113, 115
- Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 198
- Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 206
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