Vickers Warwick

Vickers Warwick I
Description
Role	Anti-submarine patrol, air-sea rescue
Crew	6
First Flight	August 13, 1939
Entered Service	1943
Manufacturer	Vickers-Armstrong
Dimensions
Length	72ft 3in	22 m
Wingspan	96ft 8in	29.5 m
Height	18ft 6in	5.6 m
Wing Area	1,006 ft²	93.5 m²
Weights
Empty	0 lbs	0 kg
Loaded	38,000 lbs	17,230 kg
Maximum takeoff	46,000 lbs	20,860 kg
Powerplant
Engine	2 × Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp; R-2800/S. 1A4-G
Power (each)	1,850 hp	1,380 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	244mph @ 5,000ft	393km/h @ 1,520m
Combat range	0 miles	0 km
Ferry range	km	miles
Service ceiling	19,000 ft	5,800 m
Rate of climb	ft/min	m/min
Wing loading	37.8 lb/ft²	184.3 kg/m²
Power/Mass	0.097 hp/lb	0.16 kW/kg
Armament
Guns	8 Browning 0.303in machine guns

The Vickers Warwick was a transport, anti-submarine patrol and air-sea rescue aircaft of the RAF during World War II.

The Warwick was designed in response to Air Ministry specification B.1/35 for a two-engined heavy (by the standards of the day) bomber to replace the Wellington. However the prototype orders were cancelled in 1936 when it was decided to standardise on four engined bombers. Vickers-Armstrongs completed two prototypes anyway, one with Rolls-Royce Vulture water-cooled engines, not persisted with because of production difficulties, and one with the air-cooled Pratt & Witney; installation.

The Warwick utilised the geodetic construction method pioneered in the Wellesley and Wellington. Structural members of duralumin were covered by wired-on fabric. 219 Warwick Is were built, the last 95 with 2,000hp (1,500kw) R-2800-47 engines.

Vickers' persistence paid off when the Warwick was ordered by Coastal Command as an anti-submarine reconnaissance type. From 1943 Warwicks were loaded with the 1,700lb (770kg) Mk. IA lifeboat and flown in an air-sea rescue role. The lifeboat, laden with supplies and powered by two 4hp (3kW) motors, was aimed with a bomb-site near to ditched air-crew and dropped into the sea from about 700ft (320m). Warwicks were credited with rescuing crews form Halifaxes, Lancasters, Wellingtons and Fortresses, and during the Arnhem landings from Hamilcar gliders.

The Warwick II was equipped to carry torpedoes or bombs, and powered by 2,520hp (1,880kW) Bristol Centaurus VII engines. 132 built.

The Warwick III was a transport development. It had a pannier-like extension below the central fuselage, the normal loaded weight being raised to 45,000lb (20,400kg). No armament was carried. 100 built.

The Warwick V was an anti-submarine patrol aircraft. It was powered by Centaurus VII engines, armed with 7 machine guns and could carry 6,000lbs (2,700kg) of bombs, mines or depth-charges. It arrived too late to see active service. 210 built.

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