Vickers Varsity

what is it?

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

🔎How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · mid-wing aircraft · retractable tricycle gear · 29.1 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 463 km/htop speed
• built 163made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 77 years ago, in 1949.
• 🏎️Top speed is 3.6× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 29.1 m: about 6 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1949-07-17

introduced

1951

retired

1976

status

retired

number built

163

role

military trainer

origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

makers

Vickers-Armstrongs

engines

2× Bristol Hercules 264 / Hercules engine

length

20.6 m

wingspan

29.1 m

height

7.3 m

top speed

463 km/h

range

—

ceiling

8,748 m

wings

mid-wing aircraft

landing gear

retractable tricycle gear

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.