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WJ889 'K' Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 c/n 709 - Royal Air Force Training Command - RAF Brüggen AFB in Germany - 16 September 1971 BAe Hawk T.1A XX248 / CJ

The Vickers type 648 Varsity T Mk.1 is a twin-engine crew trainer derived from the commercial Vickers Viking and militairy Valetta transport aircraft. The Varsity was developed by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd to meet Air Ministry specifications T.13/48 for a multi-engine training aircraft as replacement of the Vickers 619 Wellington T. Mk10. To adapt the Valetta design for a general purpose crew trainer, the fuselage was lengthened; the wingspan widened and a nose-wheel undercarriage was fiited. The most noticeable external development was the glass-fronted bulge under the fuselage. The forward compartment  of this under fuselage pannier bomb-aimer's station provided a position for a trainee bomb aimer to lie prone, sighting through the steeply sloped window. The after section was a bomb bay with provision for a 600lb bomb load. The first prototype Vickers Varsity T.Mk.1 VX828 first flew from Wisley on 17 July 1949. The aircraft was powered by two 1.950 hp Bristol Hercules 264 Bristol Hercules 264 fourteen-cylinder, two-row, sleeve-valve radials, with two-speed superchargers. The Vickers Varsity T.l entered service with the RAF in 1951, when it was supplied to 201 Advanced Flying School for multi-engine conversion training. Production of the Vicker Varsity T MkI ceased on 28 February 1954 after a total of 163 had been built. The Varsity T.1 was used by the Royal Air Force as an air navigation trainer as well as its original design purpose for training bomber crews. In this capacity it was widely used for training V-Bomber crews. Due to its 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 The Vickers Varsity T.1 was withdrawn from service by the RAF in May 1976, when it was superseded by the Scottish Aviation Jetstream T1. Because of its looks, the Vickers Varsity got the nickname "Flying Pig".

On 5 November 1952, the Vickers V.648 Varsity T.1 WJ889 was delivered to the Roal Air Force. In 1971, the 1952-built Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 s/n 709 was withdrawn from use by the RAF No.6FTS and ended at the Brüggen Fire dump. On 16 September 1971, during the family day, Vickers Varsity T.1 WJ889 'K' was seen stored at Brüggen Air Base. In April 1974, Vickers Varsity T.1 WJ889 was dumped at the RAF Brüggen Fire dump; a sad end for this aircraft.

page last updated: 29-10-2013
Copyright © Jack Wolbrink, Emmen, the Netherlands
 

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