Vickers Vimy

what is it?

The Vickers Vimy is a British heavy bomber aircraft developed and manufactured by Vickers Limited. Developed during the latter stages of the First World War to equip the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), the Vimy was designed by Rex Pierson, Vickers' chief designer. Only a handful of Vickers Vimy aircraft had entered service by the time the Armistice of 11 November 1918 came into effect, so the type did not serve in active combat operations during the war, but the Vimy became the core of the Royal Air Force (RAF)'s heavy bomber force throughout the 1920s.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · biplane · 20.8 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 161 km/htop speed
• size 4,937 kgmax take-off weight

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 109 years ago, in 1917.
• 🚗Wingspan of 20.8 m: about 5 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

1917-11-30

introduced

1919

retired

1933

status

retired

number built

—

role

heavy bomber

makers

Vickers Limited

engines

2× Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII

crew

3

length

13.3 m

wingspan

20.8 m

height

4.8 m

max take-off weight

4,937 kg

top speed

161 km/h

range

—

ceiling

2,134 m

wings

biplane

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

family