Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Long-range twin-engine bomber

Power Plant:

Two 783 kw (1,050 hp) Bristol Pegasus XVIII nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines

Specifications:

Armament:

Two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning machine guns in Frazer Nash FN5 nose turret; two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning machine guns in Frazer Nash FN10 rear turret; one 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning machine gun in each fuselage side window; max bomb load nine 227 kg (500 lb) bombs, two 907 kg (2,000 lb) bombs or one 1,814 kg (4,000 lb) bomb

History:

The Wellington was one of the most important bombers in the early years of World War II, to such an extent that more than twice the number of Wellingtons were built as the Avro Lancaster.  In 1934 approval was given to expand the RAF to a first-line strength of 128 Squadrons, and for a force of bomber squadrons to be available by March 1937.  The Wellington series was designed by a team lead by R K Pierson, Chief Designer of the Vickers facility at Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey, and it embodied the unique geodetic construction used on the Wellesley, introduced by Barnes Wallis, which provided a very light and strong airframe capable of carrying a load of bombs to Europe.

In answer to a British Air Ministry specification, Vickers produced the prototype Wellington (K4049), which made its first flight at Brooklands on 15 June 1936, and an order for 180 aircraft was placed.  Soon after it was redesigned as a medium night bomber with power operated turrets.  However, during trials at the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk, the prototype crashed due to an imbalance of the elevators at high speed.  Following some re-design, production soon got under way and shadow factories were constructed to build aircraft and engines, the first Hawarden-built Wellington flying on 2 August 1939, and the first Blackpool-built aircraft in July 1940.  Following the bombing of the Weybridge plant on 4 September 1940 manufacture of parts was dispersed, only final assembly taking place at Brooklands.

Four engine types were installed during its production life, including the Pegasus and Hercules from Bristol, the Rolls Royce Merlin and the Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp.  Other than strengthening and changes to the tailplane in the Mk III, few major changes were made to the design.  Peak production was 25 Wellingtons a week from the three manufacturers.  Eventually it was replaced by the Handley Page Halifax and Avro Lancaster, but it continued in service throughout the war, roles including minelaying, minesweeping, submarine hunting and torpedo dropping, it being capable of dropping up to 1,814 kg (4,000 lb) of bombs.  Some were used for electronic counter measures experiments, high-altitude operations with a pressurised cabin, glider towing, ambulance, transport and crew training. One remained in RAF service up to March 1953.

In the early days of the war it was the backbone of Bomber Command and it ended up serving in all major theatres.  The first production aircraft entered service in October 1936 with No 99 Squadron at Mildenhall in Suffolk and nine aircraft from that unit on 4 September 1939 took off to bomb German warships but returned after failing to locate the ships.  On 5 September 14 Wellingtons and 15 Blenheims attacked German ships at Brunsbuttle but, after receiving a mauling from German fighters, daylight operations were curtailed due to the aircraft’s poor defensive armament, and subsequently most operations were by night.

The Wellington was used by at least 76 Squadrons of the RAF and Allied forces, and also operated with Bomber Command, Coastal Command, Transport Command and Flying Training and Fighter Commands. Some 13 Canadian units were equipped.  The first Commonwealth Wellington squadron was No 75 (NZ) formed in August 1939 and based at Feltwell in Norfolk.  This unit commenced service as the New Zealand Flight.  It was largely composed of New Zealanders, one of whom, James Ward, won the Victoria Cross, this occurring on the night of 7 July 1941 when, whilst acting as second pilot in Wellington IC (L7818) and whilst taking part in a raid on Munster, the Wellington was attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf 110 and hit by cannon fire which crippled the aircraft, setting it on fire.  No 75 Squadron is known to have operated a number of the Wellingtons originally destined for the RNZAF but which had reverted to RAF serials.

Three Australian units, Nos 458, 460 and 466 Squadrons, were equipped with the Wellington in the European Theatre. No 460 Squadron formed at Molesworth in Cambridgeshire on 15 November 1941, became part of RAF Bomber Command and, equipped with the Wellington, made its first raid against the City of Emden on 12 March 1942.  Subsequently it was involved in operations against German, Italian and German-occupied Europe.  In October 1942 it began to re-equip with the Avro Lancaster.

No 466 Squadron was formed on 10 October 1942 at Leconfield in Yorkshire in December 1942 and was part of No 4 Group of Bomber Command.  It flew its first operational mission on 13 January 1943 laying mines along the north coast of Germany.  In August 1943 it began to re-equip with the Handley Page Halifax.

No 458 Squadron was formed in Australia in July 1941 and was sent to the United Kingdom where it was equipped with the Wellington, first operation being in October 1941 when ten aircraft joined a force attacking Emden in Germany, and Antwerp and Rotterdam in Holland.  It later moved to Egypt where it operated Wellington Mk XIIs and performed maritime patrols, convoy escort and mine laying operations, one German submarine being claimed as destroyed.  The unit continued to operate in the Middle East and from Gibraltar until 1945.

Thirty examples were ordered by the New Zealand Government for operation by the RNZAF in New Zealand.  Shortly before the commencement of hostilities with Germany in 1939, the first few aircraft were in the United Kingdom and had their RNZAF serials allotted. In the case of six these were painted on the aircraft.  Serials destined for these aircraft were: Mk I – NZ300 to NZ305; Mk IA – NZ306 to NZ329.  Pending the arrival of the aircraft in New Zealand two large concrete hangars were built for the Wellingtons in 1939 and, although never used by these aircraft, still stand.

Because of the situation at that time in Europe the Wellingtons were offered by the New Zealand Government to remain in the United Kingdom to help in the coming conflict and form part of the RAF during the early years of the war.  At that time six aircraft had been accepted and RNZAF crews had completed conversion training on to the type at Marham in Norfolk.  They were subsequently re-painted in RAF markings, RAF serials applied, and allotted to Nos 24 and 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF, and Operational Training Units (including Nos 15 and 27). They remained in service in the United Kingdom and were all retired by 1944.  None ever came to New Zealand and all stayed in the United Kingdom.

Two complete Wellingtons survive.  One (MF628) was built by Vickers at Squires Gate, Blackpool, and was delivered to No 18 Maintenance Unit at Dumfries in Scotland.  It was later converted by Boulton Paul to T Mk 10 trainer configuration and allocated to No 1 Air Navigation School at Hullavington in Wiltshire.  It was kept airworthy and used in the filming of The Dam Busters in March 1954.  It was refurbished in 1968 and moved to the RAF Museum at Hendon in Greater London in October 1971 where it is on display.

Wellington IA (N2980) was raised from Loch Ness in Scotland on 21 September 1985 after having crashed on the last day of 1940 whilst on a routine navigational training flight from its base at Lossiemouth in north-east Scotland where it was serving with No 20 Operational Training Unit.  It was transported to Brooklands where work has commenced to restore it for display.

New Zealand film maker, Peter Jackson, from about 2010, is reported to have commenced production of a new film on the famous Dam Busters raid by Avro Lancasters during World War II.  As part of the production for the film ten non-flying replica Avro Lancasters were built from wood in China. A similarly built Vickers Wellington was constructed for use in the film and was noted at Masterton, NZ in 2011 in storage.