Unkown British bomber
I found this picture of a British single-engine aircraft as part of a series of pictorials on World War II at the Atlantic http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/ww2.html "Conflict Spreads Around the Globe". The caption says its a bomber, but I don't recall any British bombers that match that type. Can anyone help me out?
Jack
Looks a bit like an Italian Macchi as well but the Brits would not have been using them!
Sorry, forgot to upload the pic!
It's a Vickers Wellesley , probably from 47 Squadron http://www.flickr.com/photos/adelaid...st/3173654014/
Vickers Wellesley
Looks like operations in East Africa against the Italians
http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/..._wellesley.php -- tech data. In a way, a precursor to the Wellington; both used the geodetic framework.
The rest of the photos were quite educational. Thanks for sharing the site.
Tom
Sheesh! whilst I am not big on my WW2 History I must admit I had never even heard of a Vickers Wellesley!
You get a pass as it's not really a WW2 airplane but an obsolete 1930's machine, a handful of which were pressed into service in minor, peripheral theaters.Originally Posted by gully_raker
Stuart I would hardly call the Wellesely obseolete compared with some of the Italian aircraft it was up against and certainly no worse than the Fairly Battle which was used in greater numbers!
From Wikpedia:
"On 5 November 1938, three of them under command of S/L R. Kellett flew non-stop for two days from Ismailia, Egypt to Darwin, Australia (7,162 mi/11,525 km) setting a world distance record. All three aircraft succeeded in breaking the existing record, but No. 2 aircraft landed in West Timor, 500 mi (800 km) short of the final objective. The Wellesley's record remained unbroken until November 1945. To this day, though, this flight remains the longest by a single engined aircraft."
Not bad for a unheard of and shortlived aircraft.
The RAF considered it obsolete by 1940 standards which is why the few remaining planes were in East Africa.....although it's incredible range would have made it useful in the Pacific theater, unescorted it would have been a light snack for defending Zeros and Oscars. You have to compare it not with the Italian opposition but with contemporaries in the same role like the JU88 and B25
Thanks for the feedback, guys!Another question- is the second canopy for the bombardier, or what?
He's probably the WOP/AG (wireless operator/air gunner); the pilot would have acted as bomb aimer and navigator
Don't forget the hero of Taranto, the Fairey Swordfish, or the Gloster Gladiator of Malta fame!
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