View source for Vickers Wellington

{{Short description|British medium bomber}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name = Wellington
 |image = File:Vickers Wellington.jpg
 |image_caption = Wellington B Mark IA. The geodetic construction is evident through the [[Poly(methyl methacrylate)|Perspex]] windows along the aircraft's side.
 |aircraft_type = [[Medium bomber]]<br>[[Maritime patrol aircraft|anti-submarine aircraft]]
 |manufacturer = [[Vickers-Armstrongs]]
 |first_flight = 15 June 1936
 |introduction = October 1938
 |retired = March 1953
 |status =
 |primary_user = [[Royal Air Force]]
 |more_users = [[Royal Australian Air Force]]<br>[[Royal Canadian Air Force]]<br>[[Fleet Air Arm]]
 |produced = 1936–1945
 |number_built = 11,461<ref>Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 363.</ref> or 11,462<ref>Murray 2012, p. 154.</ref>
 |unit cost =
 |developed_from =
 |variants =
 |developed_into = [[Vickers Warwick]] <br> [[Vickers VC.1 Viking]]
}}

The '''Vickers Wellington''' (nicknamed the Wimpy) is a British twin-engined, long-range [[medium bomber]]. It was designed during the mid-1930s at [[Brooklands]] in [[Weybridge, Surrey]]. Led by [[Vickers-Armstrongs]]' chief designer [[Rex Pierson]], a key feature of the aircraft is its [[geodetic airframe]] fuselage structure, which was principally designed by [[Barnes Wallis]]. Development had been started in response to [[Air Ministry]] [[List Of Air Ministry Specifications|Specification]] B.9/32, issued in the middle of 1932, for a bomber for the Royal Air Force.

This specification called for a twin-engined [[day bomber]] capable of delivering higher performance than any previous design. Other aircraft developed to the same specification include the [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]] and the [[Handley Page Hampden]]. During the development process, performance requirements such as for the [[tare weight]] changed substantially, and the engine used was not the one originally intended.

Despite the original specification, the Wellington was used as a [[night bomber]] in the early years of the [[World War II|Second World War]], performing as one of the principal bombers used by [[RAF Bomber Command|Bomber Command]]. During 1943, it started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engined "[[Heavy bomber#World War II 2|heavies]]" such as the [[Avro Lancaster]].  The Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly as an [[anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine aircraft]] with [[RAF Coastal Command]].

The Wellington was the only British bomber that was produced for the duration of the war, and was produced in a greater quantity than any other British-built bomber.  The Wellington remained as first-line equipment when the war ended, although it had been increasingly relegated to secondary roles.  The Wellington was one of two bombers named after [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington]], the other being the [[Vickers Wellesley]].

A larger heavy bomber aircraft designed to [[List Of Air Ministry Specifications|Specification B.1/35]], the [[Vickers Warwick]], was developed in parallel with the Wellington; the two aircraft shared around 85% of their structural components. Many elements of the Wellington were also re-used in a civil derivative, the [[Vickers VC.1 Viking]].

==Development==
===Origins===
[[File:Wellingtons under construction WWII IWM CH 5980.jpg|thumb|Wellingtons under construction, showing the [[geodetic airframe]]]]
[[File:New Zealand Wellington Bombers in England1939.JPG|thumb|[[RNZAF]] Wellington Mark I aircraft with the original turrets; anticipating war, the [[New Zealand]] government loaned these aircraft and their aircrews to the RAF in August 1939]]
In October 1932, the British [[Air Ministry]] invited Vickers to tender for the recently issued [[List of Air Ministry specifications|Specification B.9/32]], which sought a twin-engine medium daylight bomber. In response, Vickers conducted a design study, led by chief designer [[Rex Pierson]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Remembering Rex Pierson|magazine=Flight (and Aircraft Engineer)|date=21 November 1952|volume=LXII|issue=2287|page=651|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1952/1952%20-%203355.html|access-date=6 November 2015
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304121006/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1952/1952%20-%203355.html |archive-date= 2016-03-04}}</ref> Early on, Vickers' chief structures designer [[Barnes Wallis]] proposed the use of a [[geodetic airframe]], inspired by his previous work on [[airship]]s and the single-engined [[Vickers Wellesley|Wellesley]] [[light bomber]].<ref name = "andrew 3">Andrews 1967, p. 3.</ref> During structural testing performed at the [[Royal Aircraft Establishment]], [[Farnborough Airfield|Farnborough]], the proposed structure demonstrated not only the required strength factor of six, but reached 11 without any sign of failure, proving the geodetic airframe to possess a strength far in excess of normal levels.<ref name = "andrew 3"/> This strength allowed for the structure design to be further developed to reduce the size of individual members and adopt simplified standard sections of lighter construction.<ref name = "andrew 3"/>

Vickers studied and compared the performance of various [[air cooling|air-]] and [[Radiator (engine cooling)|liquid-cooled]] engines to power the bomber, including the [[Bristol Pegasus|Bristol Pegasus IS2]], Pegasus IIS2, and [[Armstrong Siddeley Tiger]] radials, and the [[Rolls-Royce Goshawk|Rolls-Royce Goshawk I]] inline.<ref name = "andrew 5"/> The Pegasus was selected as the engine for air-cooled versions of the bomber, while the Goshawk engine was chosen for the liquid-cooled engine variant. On 28 February 1933, two versions of the aircraft, one with each of the selected powerplants, were submitted to the tender.<ref name = "andrew 5"/> In September 1933, the Air Ministry issued a pilot contract for the Goshawk-powered version.<ref name = "andrew 5"/> In August 1934, Vickers proposed to use either the Pegasus or the [[Sleeve valve|sleeve-valve]] nine-cylinder radial [[Bristol Perseus]] engines instead of the evaporative-cooled Goshawk, which promised improvements in speed, climb rate, ceiling, and single-engine flight capabilities without any major increase in all-up weight; the Air Ministry accepted the proposed changes.<ref name = "andrew 6">Andrews 1967, p. 6.</ref>

Other refinements of the design had also been implemented and approved, such as the adoption of [[Variable-pitch propeller (aeronautics)|variable-pitch propeller]]s, and the use of Vickers-produced [[Gun turret#Aircraft|gun turrets]] in the nose and tail positions.<ref name = "andrew 6"/> By December 1936, the specification had been revised to include front, rear, and midship wind-protected turret mountings.<ref name = "andrew 5"/> Other specification changes included modified bomb undershields and the inclusion of spring-loaded bomb bay doors.<ref name = "andrew 5 6">Andrews 1967, pp. 5–6.</ref> The proposal had also been developed further, a mid-wing arrangement was adopted instead of a shoulder-mounted wing for greater pilot visibility during [[formation flight]] and improved aerodynamic performance, as well as a substantially increased overall weight of the aircraft.<ref name = "andrew 5 6"/> Design studies were also conducted on behalf of the Air Ministry into the adoption of the [[Rolls-Royce Merlin]] engine.<ref name = "andrew 6"/>

In spite of a traditional preference of the establishment to strictly adhere to the restrictive [[tare weight]] for the aircraft established in the tender, both Pierson and Wallis firmly believed that their design should adopt the most powerful engine available.<ref name = "andrew 3"/> Perhaps in response to pressure from Vickers, the Air Ministry overlooked, if not openly accepted, the removal of the tare weight restriction, as between the submission of the tender in 1933 and the flight of the first prototype in 1936, the tare weight eventually rose from {{convert|6,300|lb|t|abbr=on}} to {{convert|11,508|lb|t|abbr=on}}.<ref name = "andrew 3 5 6">Andrews 1967, pp. 3, 5–6.</ref>{{efn |Tony Buttler notes that Specification B.3/34 had a higher tare weight because of the lapse of international agreement in 1934 on the weights on bombers and Vickers declined to tender to the specification because they were already scaling up the Type 271 design to where it would meet the specification<ref>Buttler, 2004. p. 93</ref> }} The prescribed bomb load and range requirements were routinely revised upwards by the Air Ministry; by November 1935, figures within the ministry were interested in the possibility of operating the aircraft at an all-up weight of {{convert|30,500|lb|t|abbr=on}}, which aviation author C.F. Andrews described as "a very high figure for a medium bomber of those days".<ref name = "andrew 3"/>

During the development phase of the aircraft, as C F Andrews puts it "the political and military climate of Europe was changing rapidly. The threats of the dictators of Germany and Italy began to exert pressure on the British government to make a reappraisal of the strength of its armed forces, especially that of the Royal Air Force".<ref name = "andrew 3"/> By 1936, the need for a high priority to be placed on the creation of a large bomber force, which would form the spearhead of British offensive power, had been recognised; accordingly, a new command organisation within the RAF, [[RAF Bomber Command|Bomber Command]], was formed that year to deliver upon this requirement.<ref name = "andrew 3"/>

===Prototype and design revision===
In early 1936, an initial prototype, ''K4049'', which was originally designated as a ''Type 271'', was assembled. The prototype could accommodate a payload of nine {{Convert|250|lb|abbr=on}} or {{Convert|500|lb|abbr=on}} bombs, and both nose and tail gun positions were fitted with hand-operated turrets with a gun in each; provision for a third retractable gun in a [[Anatomical terms of location#Dorsal and ventral|dorsal]] position was made.<ref name = "andrew 6"/> It had provision for a crew of four, along with a fifth position for special duties.<ref name = "andrew 6"/>

On 5 June 1936, the name ''Crecy'' was chosen for the type, and it was publicly displayed as such.<ref name = "andrew 7"/> On 15 August 1936, the aircraft was accepted for production. On 8 September 1936, the service name ''Wellington'' was adopted for the type; it fitted with Air Ministry nomenclature of naming bombers after towns and followed the [[Vickers Wellesley]] in referring to the Napoleonic War general [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington]].<ref name = "andrew 7"/> On 12 December 1936, a corresponding [[work order|works order]] was issued for the Wellington.<ref name = "andrew 5"/>

On 15 June 1936, ''K4049'' conducted its [[maiden flight]] from Brooklands. Vickers chief test pilot [[Joseph Summers]] flew ''K4049'' on its first flight, accompanied by Wallis and Trevor Westbrook.<ref name = "andrew 6"/> The aircraft soon came to be widely regarded as being an advanced design for its era and proved to have considerable merit during its flight trials.<ref name = "andrew 6 7">Andrews 1967, pp. 6–7.</ref> On 19 April 1937, ''K4049'' was destroyed by an accident during a service test flight by Maurice Hare. The cause was the failure of the [[Elevator (aeronautics)|elevator]]'s [[balanced rudder|horn balance]] due to excessive [[slipstream]] exposure, leading to the aircraft inverting and rapidly descending into terrain. It was destroyed in the crash, which also resulted in the death of the navigator, Smurthwaite.<ref name = "andrew 7">Andrews 1967, p. 7.</ref> The horn balances were later deleted from the design and were not on production aircraft.<ref name = "andrew 10"/>

Refinement of the Wellington's design was influenced by the issuing of Specifications B.3/34 and B.1/35, the latter of which led to a larger bomber aircraft, the [[Vickers Warwick]]<ref name = "andrew 7 10">Andrews 1967, pp. 7, 10.</ref> With detail design work on both being done at same time and both aircraft using geodetic-inspired construction there was commonality in components. The production model Wellington was a complete redesign, resulting in a lengthened nose for turret and bomb aimer's position, a reshaped elevator and deepened fuselage which accommodated a larger bombload and the increased crew from four to five members.<ref name = "andrew 10">Andrews 1967, p. 10.</ref> Other changes made included the adoption of a retractable tailwheel and [[constant-speed propeller]]s; the Air Ministry also requested the adoption of a [[Nash & Thompson]]-design ventral turret in place of the Vickers design.<ref name = "andrew 10"/>

On 23 December 1937, the first production ''Wellington Mk I'', ''L4212'', conducted its first flight, followed by an intensive flight programme.<ref name = "andrew 10 11">Andrews 1967, pp. 10–11.</ref> Flight trials with ''L4212'' confirmed the aerodynamic stability initially encountered by ''K4049'', but also revealed the aircraft to be nose-heavy during dives, which was attributed to the redesigned elevator. Modifications, including the linking of the [[Flap (aeronautics)|flaps]] and the elevator [[trim tab]]s, were tested on ''L4212'' and resolved the problem.<ref name = "andrew 11">Andrews 1967, p. 11.</ref>

===Production===
[[File:See How Your Salvage Helps a Bomber Art.IWMPST14695.jpg|thumb|upright|Wartime poster using a cutaway of Wellington to illustrate how scrap and salvage was recycled for use in the production of war [[materiel]].]]

In August 1936, an initial order for 180 ''Wellington Mk I'' aircraft, powered by a pair of 1,050&nbsp;hp (780&nbsp;kW) Bristol Pegasus [[radial engine]]s, was received by Vickers; it had been placed so rapidly that the order occurred prior to the first meeting intended to decide the details of the production aircraft.<ref name = "andrew 3 4">Andrews 1967, pp. 3–4.</ref>

In October 1937, an order was placed with [[Gloster Aircraft Company]] for production of 100 Wellington Mk Is to be followed by 100 Wellington Mk II aircraft with [[Rolls-Royce Merlin|Rolls-Royce Merlin X]] .<ref name = "andrew 4">Andrews 1967, p. 4.</ref> Another order was placed for 64 Wellingtons to be produced by [[Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft]] at Coventry. With this flurry of orders and production having been assured by the end of 1937, Vickers set about simplifying the manufacturing process of the aircraft and announced a target of building one Wellington per day.<ref name = "andrew 4"/>

[[File:Vickers Wellington Mark X, HE239 'NA-Y', of No. 428 Squadron RCAF (April 1943).png|thumb|left|Wellington Mark X ''HE239'' of [[No. 428 Squadron RCAF|No.428 Sqn.]] RCAF. It completed its bomb run despite losing the rear gunner and turret and then flew back home for a landing with its bomb bay doors stuck open due to lack of hydraulic power]]
The geodetic design took longer to build than comparable aircraft using the more conventional [[monocoque]] approach, leading to some criticism of the Wellington.<ref name = "andrew 4"/> In addition it was difficult to cut holes in the fuselage for access or equipment fixtures; to aid manufacturing, the [[Leigh light]] was deployed through the mounting for the absent [[Nash & Thompson|FN9 ventral turret]].

The Gloster and AWA contracts were transferred to [[British shadow factories|shadow factories]] in the north-west.  In the late 1930s, Vickers built Wellingtons at a rate of one per day at [[Weybridge]] and 50 a month at [[Hawarden Airport|Broughton]] in [[North Wales]].<ref name = "andrew 4 5">Andrews 1967, pp. 4–5.</ref> Many of the employees on the production lines were only semi-skilled and new to aircraft construction.<ref name = "andrew 4"/> Peak wartime production in 1942 saw monthly rates of 70 at Weybridge, 130 at Broughton and 102 at [[Blackpool]].  Shadow factories were set up to produce parts for the Wellington all over the British Isles.<ref name = "andrew 4"/>

In October 1943, as a propaganda and morale-boosting exercise, workers at Broughton gave up their weekend to build [[Vickers Wellington LN514|Wellington number LN514]] rushed by the clock. The bomber was assembled in 23 hours 50 minutes, and took off after 24 hours 48 minutes, beating the record of 48 hours set by a factory in California. Each Wellington was usually built within 60 hours. It was filmed for the [[Ministry of Information (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Information]] for a [[newsreel]] ''Worker's Week-End'', and was broadcast in both Britain and America.<ref name=beeb>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11107561 "Building a bomber plane in just a day."] ''BBC News Magazine,'' 13 September 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/films/workers_week.htm "Workers weekend"] [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/films/flvs/workers-weekend.flv "Workers weekend (video)"]''[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]].'' Retrieved: 12 February 2014.</ref> It was the first time in aviation history that an aircraft manufacturer anywhere in the world had attempted such a feat with a metal aircraft of this scale.<ref name = "andrew 4"/>

A total of 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft were built; 150 for the RAF and 30 for the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] (RNZAF) (which were transferred to the RAF on the outbreak of war and used by [[No. 75 Squadron RAF|75 Squadron]]). In October 1938, the Mk I entered service with [[No. 9 Squadron RAF|9 Squadron]]. The Wellington was initially outnumbered by the [[Handley Page Hampden]] (also ordered by the Ministry to B.9/32) and the [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]] (to B.34/3 for a 'night' bomber) but outlasted both rival aircraft in service. The Wellington went on to be built in 16 variants and two post-war [[Trainer (aircraft)|training]] conversions. The number of Wellingtons built totalled 11,462 of all versions, a greater quantity produced than any other British bomber.<ref name = "andrew 4"/> On 13 October 1945, the last Wellington to be produced rolled out.

===Further development===
The Wellington Mk I was quickly superseded by improved variants. Improvements to the turrets and the strengthening of the [[landing gear|undercarriage]] quickly resulted in the ''Wellington Mk IA''.<ref name = "andrew 11"/>  The Mk IA was specified to be based on the Merlin X engined Wellington Mk II design and was in theory to be able to be fitted with either Merlins or Pegasus but in practice only radials were fitted. The Mark IA was stressed to the Mark II {{Convert|28,000|lb|abbr=on}} and had stronger undercarriage with larger wheels and Frazer-Nash turrets.

Due to difficulties with performance of the Vickers turrets on the Mark I that left the Wellington with weaker than intended defences, production of Wellington Mk IB with Frazer Nash armament was proposed for trials but since the Frazer-Nash turrets were already being accepted for the Mark IA, the Mark IB may not have been built or if built re-designated as Mark IA.<ref name="andrew 11" /> Further development of various aspects of the aircraft, using knowledge learned was incorporated into the airframe at Weybridge by executive decision. Redesigned [[hydraulics]] and 24 volt electrical systems, along with a replacement of the ventral turret gun with two beam machine guns (either .303 [[Vickers K machine gun|Vickers K]], or [[M1919 Browning machine gun#Browning .303 Mark II|Browning]]), was designated Wellington Mk IC and a Type number generated after the fact.<ref name="andrew 11 12">Andrews 1967, pp. 11–12.</ref>

In January 1938, design work on what would become the ''Wellington Mk II'' formally commenced. The principal change on this model was the adoption of the Merlin engine in place of the Pegasus XVIII; other modifications included hydraulic and oxygen system revisions along with the installation of cabin heating and an [[Astrodome (aeronautics)|astrodome]].<ref name = "andrew 12 13">Andrews 1967, pp. 12–13.</ref> On 3 March 1939, ''L4250'', the prototype Mk II, performed its maiden flight; this had been delayed due to production delays of its Merlin X engines.<ref name = "andrew 12">Andrews 1967, p. 12.</ref> Stability and balance problems were encountered during flight tests of the prototype, resulting in further changes such as the enlargement of the tailplane. By late 1939, the Mk II was capable of delivering superior performance to the Mk IC, such as higher cruising and top speeds, increased all-up weight or alternatively greater range and a raised ceiling.<ref name = "andrew 13">Andrews 1967, p. 13.</ref>

==Design==
[[File:Wellington tail turret 1942 IWM CH 13880.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The tail turret of a Wellington, with gunner, in 1942]]
The Vickers Wellington was a twin-engined long-range [[medium bomber]], initially powered by a pair of [[Bristol Pegasus]] radial engines, which drove a pair of [[de Havilland Propellers|de Havilland]] [[Blade pitch|two-pitch]] propellers. Various engines and propeller combinations were used on variants of the aircraft, which included models of the [[Bristol Hercules]] and the [[Rolls-Royce Merlin]] engines.<ref name = "andrew 7"/> Recognisable characteristics of the Wellington include the high [[Aspect ratio (aeronautics)|aspect ratio]] of its [[Chord (aeronautics)#Tapered wing|tapered wing]], the depth of its fuselage and the use of a tall single [[vertical stabilizer|fin]] on its tail unit, which reportedly aided in recognition of the type.<ref name = "andrew 10"/>

The Wellington typically had a crew of five, the bomb-aimer being located in the aircraft's nose.<ref name = "andrew 7"/> The Wellington could be fitted with dual flight controls, and specialised dual-control conversion sets were developed for the purpose of performing training upon the type.<ref name = "andrew 7"/> The cockpit also contained provisions for [[Environmental control system (aircraft)|heating]] and [[de-ice|de-icing]] equipment, which was introduced on later models of the Wellington.<ref name = "andrew 7"/> The Wellington Mk I had a maximum offensive bomb load of {{convert|4,500|lb|abbr=on}}, more than one-fifth of the aircraft's {{convert|21,000|lb|abbr=on}} all-up weight.<ref name = "andrew 7"/> Additional munitions and an expanded bombing capacity were changes in many of the wartime variants of the Wellington, including the carrying of larger bombs.<ref name = "andrew 12 13"/>

[[File:Vickers Wellington - Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1939-1941. CH478.jpg|thumb|upright=1|left|A crew member inside rear of Wellington fuselage]]
Defensive armament comprised the forward and tail turret gun positions, along with a retractable revolving ventral turret. Due to the high cruising speeds of the Wellington, it had been realised that fully enclosed turrets, as opposed to semi-enclosed or exposed turrets, would be necessary; the turrets were also power-operated to traverse with the speed and manoeuvrability necessary to keep up with the new generations of opposing fighter aircraft.<ref name = "andrew 4"/> The Vickers design put the gunner in a fixed seat behind the guns (a pair of [[.303 British|.303&nbsp;in (7.7&nbsp;mm)]] Browning machine guns.<ref name="andrew 7" /> ) which were mounted on a pillar with a [[Nash & Thompson]] control unit, and fired through a moving slot in the framed canopy. Although roomy, there were problems with malfunctions and poor gunnery and Vickers were given a directive by the Air Staff to replace them. At the same time a development contract was placed with Nash & Thompson for a turret that could be used for both front and rear positions. The resulting FN.5 was also used on [[Short Stirling]] and [[Avro Manchester]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Clarke |first=R. Wallace |title=British Aircraft Armament |date=1993 |publisher=Patrick Stephens |pages=94, 109}}</ref>

Due to the specialised nature of increasingly advanced turrets, these were treated as ancillary equipment, being designed and supplied independently and replacing Vickers' own turrets developed for the aircraft.<ref name="andrew 4" /> The Vickers-built ventral turret of the Mk I was replaced by a Nash & Thompson-built FN.25 counterpart as standard.<ref name="andrew 11" /> The squadrons were critical of the ventral turrets; when extended they slowed the aircraft by 10&nbsp;mph, the single narrow window pane limited visibility and sometimes froze in place and had to be jettisoned. The ventral turrets were not fitted after the first batch of Wellington IA<ref>Clarke 1993 pp. 126–127</ref>

[[File:Vickers wellington frame.jpg|thumb|upright|Vickers Wellington fuselage during restoration showing its geodetic airframe]]
A novelty of the Wellington was its [[Geodesic airframe|geodetic]] construction, devised by aircraft designer and inventor [[Barnes Wallis]]. The [[fuselage]] was built from 1,650 elements, consisting of [[duralumin]] [[I-beam|W-beams]] which formed into a metal framework. Wooden [[batten]]s were screwed to the beams and were covered with [[Irish linen]]; the linen, treated with layers of [[aircraft dope|dope]], formed the outer skin of the aircraft. The construction proved to be compatible with significant adaptations and alterations including greater all-up weight, larger bombs, tropicalisation and long-range fuel tanks.<ref name = "andrew 13"/>

The metal lattice gave the structure considerable strength, with any [[longeron|stringer]] able to support a portion of load from the opposite side of the aircraft. Damaged or destroyed beams on one side could still leave the aircraft structure viable; as a result, Wellingtons with huge areas of framework missing were often able to return when other types would not have survived, leading to stories of the aircraft's "invulnerability".<ref name = "andrew 5">Andrews 1967, p. 5.</ref> The effect was enhanced by the fabric skin occasionally burning off leaving the naked frames exposed. A further advantage of the geodetic construction of the wings was its enabling of a unique method for housing the fuel, with each wing containing three fuel tanks within the unobstructed space provided between the front and rear [[Spar (aeronautics)|spars]] outboard of the engines.<ref name = "andrew 7"/> A disadvantage of the geodetic fuselage structure was its insufficient lengthwise stiffness: when fitted with attachment for towing cargo gliders, its structure "gave" and stretched slightly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/24/a4119824.shtml|title= WW2 People's War – The Horsa Glider|website=BBC}}</ref>

==Operational history==

[[File:Dwi wellington front.jpg|thumb|The 48 ft diameter magnetic coil on a Wellington DWI Mark II was used to detonate [[naval mine]]s.]]
On 3 September 1939, the same day the [[United Kingdom declaration of war on Germany (1939)|United Kingdom declared war on Germany]] in response to the invasion of Poland, [[No. 3 Group RAF|No. 3 Group]] Bomber Command  based in East Anglia comprised six front line squadrons ([[No. 9 Squadron RAF|No. 9]], [[No. 37 Squadron RAF|No. 37]], [[No. 38 Squadron RAF|No. 38]], [[No. 99 Squadron RAF|No. 99]], [[No. 115 Squadron RAF|No. 115]] and [[No. 149 Squadron RAF|No. 149 Squadrons]]) and two reserve squadrons ([[No. 214 Squadron RAF|No. 214]] and [[No. 215 Squadron RAF|No. 215 squadrons]]), all equipped with a mixture of Wellington Mk I and Mk IA aircraft.<ref name = "andrew 13"/>

On 4 September 1939, less than 24 hours after the commencement of hostilities, a total of 14 Wellingtons of No. 9 and No. 149 Squadrons, alongside a number of [[Bristol Blenheim]] aircraft, performed the first RAF bombing raid of the war, against German shipping at [[Brunsbüttel]].<ref name = "andrew 13"/> The bombing of the harbour had not been permitted by Chamberlain's [[War cabinet#Chamberlain War Cabinet|War Cabinet]] for fear of injuring civilians. The effectiveness of the raid was diminished by poor weather and high amounts of anti-aircraft fire. A pair of Wellingtons became the first aircraft to be lost on the [[Western Front (World War II)|Western Front]].<ref name = "andrew 13"/>

On 3 December 1939, 24 Wellingtons of No. 38, No. 115 and No. 147 Squadrons attacked the German fleet moored at [[Heligoland]]. The bombing commenced from high altitude and, while results of the bombing itself proved negligible, the ability of a formation of Wellingtons to penetrate strongly defended hostile airspace was validated.<ref name = "andrew 13"/> On 14 December 1939, 12 Wellingtons of No. 99 Squadron conducted a low-level raid upon German shipping at the [[Schillig Roads]] and [[Wilhelmshaven]]. Encountering enemy fire from warships, [[Anti-aircraft warfare|flak]], and ''Luftwaffe'' aircraft, the Wellington formation lost five aircraft, along with another that crashed near its base, while only one enemy fighter was shot down.<ref name = "andrew 13 14">Andrews 1967, pp. 13, 14.</ref>

On 18 December 1939, 24 Wellingtons of No. 9, No. 37 and No. 149 Squadrons participated in the [[Battle of the Heligoland Bight (1939)|Battle of the Heligoland Bight]] against the German fleet and naval bases in both the Schillig Roads and Wilhelmshaven. The Wellingtons were unable to drop their bombs as all vessels were in harbour, thus restrictions on endangering civilians prevented their engagement.<ref name = "andrew 14"/> Having been alerted by [[radar]], ''Luftwaffe'' [[fighter aircraft]] intercepted the incoming bombers near to Heligoland and attacked the formation for much of the way home. Twelve of the bombers were destroyed and a further three were badly damaged. The Wellingtons shot down four aircraft.<ref name = "andrew 14">Andrews 1967, p. 14.</ref><ref name="Richards v1 p46"/>

[[File:Wellington GR Mk XIII IWM CNA 3535.jpg|thumb|left|Wellington GR Mk XIII showing anti-submarine radar masts]]
The action at Heligoland highlighted the Wellington's vulnerability to attacking fighters, possessing neither self-sealing fuel tanks nor sufficient defensive armament. The nose and tail turrets protected against attacks from the front and rear, the Wellington had no defences against attacks from the beam and above, as it had not been believed that such attacks were possible owing to the high speed of aircraft involved and the deflection shooting required.<ref name = "andrew 14"/><ref name="Richards v1 p46">Richards 1953, p. 46.</ref> Unescorted day bombing was abandoned and Bomber Command decided to use the Wellington force to attack German communications and industrial targets instead.<ref name = "andrew 14"/>

[[File:9 Squadron in Formation 1939-45.jpg|thumb|upright|Vickers Wellingtons of 9 Squadron flying in formation.]]
The Wellington was converted for night operations; on 25 August 1940, the type participated in the first night raid on [[Berlin]]. During the [[Bombing of Cologne in World War II|First 1,000 bomber raid]], on [[Cologne]] on 30 May 1942, 599 out of 1,046 RAF aircraft dispatched were Wellingtons; of these, 101 were flown by [[Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain|Polish]] aircrew. During operations under Bomber Command, Wellingtons flew 47,409 operations, dropped 41,823&nbsp;tons (37,941&nbsp;tonnes) of bombs and lost 1,332 aircraft in action.

In one incident, a German [[Messerschmitt Bf 110]] night-fighter attacked a Wellington returning from an attack on [[Münster]], causing a fire at the rear of the starboard engine. The second pilot, Sergeant [[James Allen Ward]] ([[RNZAF]]) climbed out of the fuselage, kicked holes in the doped fabric of the wing for foot and hand holds to reach the starboard engine and smothered the burning upper wing covering. He and the aircraft returned home safely and Ward was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]].<ref name="Richards Hardest p115">Richards 1995, p. 115.</ref> A unique feat for the type occurred on 23 December 1944 when a [[Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet|Me 163 Komet]] was shot down by rear gunner Gerry Elsyon, who was awarded the DFM.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Bowman |first=Martin |title=Wellington The Geodetic Giant |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |year=1989 |isbn=1-85310-076-5 |location=Shrewsbury |page=105}}</ref>

[[File:De Vickers Wellington met het serienummer L7788 en de rompcode KX-E 2189-01-21-005.jpg|thumb|A captured Wellington ''L7788'' in Luftwaffe service, 1940.]]

In 1942 the Wellington was adapted to conduct night anti-shipping torpedo attacks against German and Italian shipping in the Mediterranean. The torpedo-carrying Wellington was nicknamed the "Fishington", and the radar equipped Wellingtons that guided the torpedo carrying aircraft onto their target were dubbed the "Snoopington".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Conyers Nesbit |first1=Roy |title=The Armed Rovers: Beauforts and Beaufighters Over the Mediterranean |date=2012 |publisher=[[Pen and Sword]] |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-84884-895-5 |chapter=6 Fuel for the Panzerarmee}}</ref> 38 Squadron, based in Shallufah, Egypt had a detachment of Wellingtons operating from [[RAF Luqa]] in [[Malta]] conducting anti-shipping operations with torpedoes during 1942.  

The Wellington was also adopted by [[RAF Coastal Command]], in which it contributed to the [[Battle of the Atlantic]].<ref name = "andrew 14"/> The Mark IC in Coastal had an endurance of over 10 hours at a cruising speed of 125 knots carrying {{Convert|1,500|lb|abbr=on}} of bombs or depth charges.{{Sfn|Richards|1953|p=412}} It was used for anti-submarine operations; on 6 July 1942, a Wellington sank its first enemy vessel. In 1944, Wellingtons of Coastal Command were sent to [[Greece]] and performed various support duties during the British intervention in the [[Greek Civil War]]. A few Wellingtons were operated by the [[Hellenic Air Force]].

While the Wellington was superseded in the [[European Theatre]] as more four engined bombers arrived in service, it remained in operational service for much of the war in the [[Middle East]] and still formed a key part of the RAF's Mediterranean forces as the allies moved into [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italy]], with some still serving in March 1945 carrying out bombing raids and dropping supplies to partisans across Southern Europe.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Bond |first=Steve |title=Wimpy |publisher=Grub Street |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-909808-14-0 |location=London}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

In 1942, Wellingtons based in [[India]] became the RAF's first long-range bombers operating in the [[Far East]] with the arrival of [[No. 99 Squadron RAF|99]] and [[No. 215 Squadron RAF|215]] Squadrons RAF,<ref name=":0" /> providing much needed bombing support for the next two years before being withdrawn and replaced by Liberators in the summer of 1944. Wellingtons were also used for maritime patrols over the Indian Ocean by [[No. 36 Squadron RAF|36]], and later, [[No. 203 Squadron RAF|203]] Squadrons RAF.<ref name=":1" />

The Wellington also served in anti-submarine duties off the African cost with [[26 Squadron SAAF]] based in [[Takoradi]], [[Gold Coast (British colony)|Gold Coast]] (now [[Ghana]]), and the Free French [[No. 344 Squadron RAF|344 Squadron]] from [[Dakar]].<ref name=":1" />

===Mine clearance ===
Specialised "Directional Wireless Installation" (DWI), a cover story for the true purpose of the hoop variants, fitted with a {{cvt|48|ft}} diameter metal hoop, were used for exploding German [[magnetic mine]]s by generating a powerful magnetic field as it passed over them.<ref name = "andrew 14"/> The first successful mine detonation occurred on 8 January 1940 followed by a second on 13 January. In the latter the aircraft flew below the safe 35&nbsp;ft altitude and was caught in the explosive blast though remained flyable.<ref name="Mackay 1985 p23">Mackay 1985 p. 23</ref> The hoop was an aluminium coil in an aerodynamic balsa case; turrets were faired over and unnecessary equipment removed to reduce weight. The first mine detonation unit No. 1 GRU at [[RAF Manston]] was joined by a second (No. 2 GRU) at [[RAF Bircham Newton]]. To protect the unarmed Wellingtons, Bristol Blenheims of [[No. 600 Squadron RAF]] flew escort during the [[Battle of France]]. One DWI was detached to the Middle East to act as the pattern for conversion of Wellingtons there. They were used for clearing the Suez Canal Zone and, later during the [[North Africa campaign]], ports along the coast.<ref name="Mackay 1985 p23"/>

=== Anti-submarine ===
For the development of what became the [[Leigh Light]], Wing Commander [[Humphrey de Verd Leigh]] fitted a 24-inch search light in the 'dustbin' turret of a DWI Wellington testing it from January 1941. This prototype substituted batteries for the engine and generator setup to reduce weight and this carried forward into production Leigh Light-equipped Wellingtons.{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|pp=54–55}} Together with accurate radar altimeters, Wellingtons could fly safely down to 50&nbsp;ft, illuminating the target submarine at around half a mile away just as the air-to-surface-vessel (ASV) radar lost the target among returns from the water's surface.{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|p=55}}

===Airborne radar===
In late 1944, a radar-equipped Wellington XIV from 407 Sqn. RCAF was modified for use by the RAF's [[Fighter Interception Unit]] as what would now be described as an [[airborne early warning and control]] aircraft.<ref name="bga">Jackson 2007, p. 217.</ref> It operated at an altitude of {{cvt|4000|ft}} over the [[North Sea]] to control a [[de Havilland Mosquito]] and a [[Bristol Beaufighter]] fighter intercepting [[Heinkel He 111]] bombers flying from [[Netherlands|Dutch]] airbases and carrying out airborne launches of the [[V-1 flying bomb]]. The FIU operators on the Wellington would search for the He 111 aircraft climbing to launch altitude, then direct the Beaufighter to attack the bomber, while the Mosquito would attempt to intercept the V-1 if it was launched.<ref>R.H. Hamilton in Perkins, L.W., ed., Flight into Yesterday – A Memory or Two from Members of the Wartime Aircrew Club of Kelowna, L.P. Laserprint, Ltd., Kelowna, B.C., 2000</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2024}}<ref>''407 Squadron History 1941–1996 – a Narrative History, 407'' Squadron, 1996</ref>

==Variants==

===Bomber variants===
[[File:British WW2 medium bombers comparison.png|thumb|Scale [[comparison diagram]] of the trio of British twin-engined medium bombers at the outbreak of the Second World War: Wellington (blue), [[Handley Page Hampden]] (yellow) and [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]] (pink).]]
;Type 271: The first Wellington bomber prototype.

;Type 285 Wellington Mark I: One pre-production prototype. Powered by two [[Bristol Pegasus]] X radial piston engines.

;Type 290 Wellington Mark I: The first production version. Powered by two 1,000&nbsp;hp (750&nbsp;kW) Bristol Pegasus XVIII radial piston engines. Fitted with Vickers gun turrets, 183 built at Weybridge and Broughton in Flintshire.<ref name = "andrew 16"/>

;Type 408 Wellington Mark IA: Production version built to B Mark II specifications with provision for either Pegasus or [[Rolls-Royce Merlin]] engines, although only 1,000&nbsp;hp (750&nbsp;kW) Pegasus XVIII engines were used in practice.<ref>Andrews 1970, pp. 44–56.</ref> Main landing gear moved forward 3&nbsp;in (8&nbsp;cm). Fitted with [[Nash & Thompson]] gun turrets. 187 built at Weybridge and Broughton in Flintshire.<ref name = "andrew 16"/>

;Type 416 Wellington Mark IC: The first main production variant was the '''Mark IC''' which added waist guns to the Mark IA. A total of 2,685 were produced. The Mark IC had a crew of six: a pilot, radio operator, navigator/bomb aimer, observer/nose gunner, tail gunner and waist gunner. A total of 2,685 were built at Weybridge, Broughton in Flintshire and Blackpool.<ref name = "andrew 16"/>
[[File:Vickers Wellington Mk2.jpg|thumb|Merlin-engined Wellington Mark II of [[No. 104 Squadron RAF|No. 104 Sqn.]] The criss-cross geodetic construction can be seen through the perspex panels in the side of the fuselage.]]

;Type 406 Wellington Mark II: The '''B Mark II''' was identical to the Mark IC with the exception of the powerplant; using the 1,145&nbsp;hp (855&nbsp;kW) [[Rolls-Royce Merlin]] X engine instead. A total of 401 were produced at Weybridge.<ref name = "andrew 16"/>

;{{visible anchor|Type 417 Wellington B Mark III}}: The next significant variant was the '''B Mark III''' which featured the {{convert|1375|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} [[Bristol Hercules]] III or XI engine and a four-gun tail turret, instead of two-gun. A total of 1,519 Mark IIIs were built, becoming mainstays of Bomber Command from late 1941 through into 1942, with all but the two prototypes being built at Broughton in Flintshire and at Blackpool.<ref name="vickp334-5">Andrews & Morgan 1988, pp. 334–335</ref><ref name="delp490">Delve 1998, pp. 49–50</ref> After trials in 1942, the Wellington III was cleared to tow Hotspur, Hadrian and Horsa gliders,<ref name="vickp334">Andrews & Morgan 1988, p. 334</ref> although this was observed to have an adverse effect on the geodetic structure.<ref name="bowp47">Bowyer 1986, p. 47</ref> The Wellington III was also seen over Salisbury Plain while towing Spitfires. This would have allowed Spitfire reinforcements for the defence of Malta to be towed from Gibraltar to within range of Malta before being released. Whether this was done is unconfirmed.<ref name="vickp334"/>

;Type 424 Wellington B Mark IV: The 220 '''B Mark IV''' Wellingtons used the 1,200&nbsp;hp (900&nbsp;kW) [[Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp]] engine and were flown by two [[Polish Air Force|Polish]] and two [[RAAF]] squadrons. A total of 220 were built at Broughton in Flintshire.

;Type 442 Wellington B Mark VI: Pressurised with a long wingspan and 1,600&nbsp;hp (1,190&nbsp;kW) Merlin R6SM (60-series, two-stage) engines, 63 were produced and were operated by [[No. 109 Squadron RAF|109 Squadron]] and as [[Gee radio navigation]] trainers. A total of 63 were built at Weybridge. Fitted with Sperry bombsight.{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|p=123}} The B.VI's high-altitude fuselage design optimised for pressurisation had a solid, bullet-like nose with no nose turret, and a cockpit with an astrodome-like [[bubble canopy]]. The rear turret was a remotely operated FN.20 sighted from a dome in the cockpit.{{Efn|The original design included a pressurised rear turret but Parnall were not able to deliver the FN.70.}}<ref>Clarke 1993 p. 123</ref> This is the aircraft that spurred [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]] into developing the two-stage supercharged [[List of Rolls-Royce Merlin variants|Merlin 60-series]] engine.

;{{visible anchor|Type 440 Wellington B Mark X}}: The most widely produced variant of which 3,804 were built. It was similar to the Mark III except for the 1,675&nbsp;hp (1,250&nbsp;kW) Hercules XVIII powerplant. The Mark X was the basis for a number of [[Coastal Command]] versions. A total of 3,803 were built at Broughton in Flintshire and Blackpool.

===Coastal Command variants===
;Type 429 Wellington General Reconnaissance (GR) Mark VIII: Mark IC conversion for [[Coastal Command]] service. Roles included reconnaissance, anti-submarine and anti-shipping attack. A Coastal Command Wellington was the first aircraft to be fitted with the anti-submarine [[Leigh light]]. A total of 307 were built at Weybridge, 58 fitted with the Leigh light.

;Type 458 Wellington GR Mark XI: Maritime version of B Mark X with an ordinary nose turret and mast radar [[ASV Mark II radar]] no waist guns, 180 built at Weybridge and Blackpool.{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|p=60}}

;Type 455 Wellington GR Mark XII: Maritime version of B Mark X armed with [[torpedo]]es (two 18-inch carried under wings). Redesigned nose to accommodate centrimetric [[ASV Mark III radar]] which had a radome in the chin position rather use than external aerials. Twin flexible machine guns in a clear canopy replaced the front turret. Leigh light in bomb bay. Hercules VI or XVI engines. 58 built at Weybridge and Broughton in Flintshire.{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|p=60}}

;Type 466 Wellington GR Mark XIII: Maritime version of B Mark X with an ordinary nose turret and mast radar ASV Mark II instead of chin radome, no waist guns. Hercules XVII engines of 1,735&nbsp;hp. 844 built – 2 at Weybridge and rest at Blackpool.{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|p=62}}

;Type 467 Wellington GR Mark XIV: Maritime version of B Mark X with a chin radome housing the ASV Mark III [[radar]] and [[RP-3]] explosive [[rocket]] rails under the wings. Hercules XVII engines 841 built at Weybridge, Broughton and Blackpool.

===Transport variants===
;Wellington C Mark XV: Service conversions of the Wellington Mark IA into unarmed transport aircraft; able to carry up to 18 troops.

;Wellington C Mark XVI: Service conversions of the Wellington Mark IC into unarmed transport aircraft; able to carry up to 18 troops.

===Trainer variants===
;Type 487 Wellington T Mark XVII: Service conversion of a Wellington Mk XI bomber into nightfighter training aircraft with SCR720 Air Intercept radar in a bulbous nose and rear turret removed and faired over; powered by two Bristol Hercules XVII radial piston engines.{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|pp=62–63}}

;Type 490 Wellington T Mark XVIII: Production version. For training wireless operators and  navigators Powered by two Bristol Hercules XVI radial piston engines. A total of 80 were built at Blackpool, plus some conversions.{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|pp=62–63}}

;Wellington T Mark XIX: Service conversions of the Wellington Mark X used for bomber crew training;{{Sfn|Bowman|2011|pp=62–63}} remained in use as a trainer until 1953.

;Type 619 Wellington T Mark X: Postwar conversions of the Wellington Bomber into training aircraft by [[Boulton Paul]] in [[Wolverhampton]].<ref name = "WV MF628 history"/> For navigation training the front turret was removed and replaced by a fairing and the interior re-equipped.<ref name = "WV MF628 history"/> Some were sold to [[France]] and Greek [[Hellenic Air Force|Royal Hellenic Air Force]] (6) in 1946.<ref name=":2">Bowman 2011 pp. 123–124</ref>

===Experimental and conversion variants===
;Type 298 Wellington Mark II prototype: one aircraft L4250; powered by two 1,145&nbsp;hp (854&nbsp;kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin inline piston engines.

;Type 299 Wellington Mark III  prototype: two only.

;Type 410 Wellington Mark IV prototype: Serial R1220; powered by two Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radial piston engines.

;Type 416 Wellington (II): The original Wellington II prototype was converted with the installation of a 40&nbsp;mm (1.57&nbsp;in) [[Vickers S gun]] with predictor gunsight in the dorsal position. This was the planned armament to be mounted in the nose of the Vickers Type 414 twin-engined  fighter for which the Air Ministry raised specification F22.39. The armament was first flown on 25 October 1940 and test fired 8 November.{{Sfn|Buttler|2004|p=43}}

;Type 418 Wellington DWI (Detonation Without Impact) Mark I: Conversion of four Wellington Mark IAs to [[minesweeper (ship)|minesweeping]] aircraft for exploding magnetic mines. Fitted with Ford V-8 petrol engine and Mawdsley [[electrical generator]] to induce [[magnetic field]] in a {{convert|48|ft|m|abbr=on}} diameter loop mounted under fuselage. They had a solid nose with a bracket supporting the loop, which was also supported under the rear fuselage and the wings, outboard of the engines. DWI was also known as "Directional Wireless Installation" – to mislead the true purpose of the loop.

;Type 419 Wellington DWI Mark II: DWI Mark I aircraft upgraded by installation of [[de Havilland Gipsy Six]] engine for increased generation power. 11 aircraft were converted to this standard. They were operated by No. 1 General Reconnaissance Unit, RAF, sweeping mines in the Thames Estuary for a short time until the Royal Navy had an equivalent capability to sweep magnetic mines. The unit was transferred to Egypt for use in the Suez Canal.<ref>''From Bouncing Bombs to Concorde – The Authorised Biography of Aviation Pioneer Sir George Edwards OM'', Robert Gardner 2006, {{ISBN|0750943890}}, p. 28</ref>

;Type 407 and Type 421 Wellington Mark V : Second and first prototypes respectively: three were built, designed for pressurised, high-altitude operations using [[turbocharger|turbocharged]] Hercules VIII engines.

;Wellington Mark VI: One Wellington Mark V with Merlin 60-series engines, high-altitude prototype only.

;Type 449 Wellington Mark VIG: Production version of Type 431. Two aircraft were only built.

;Wellington Mark VII: Single aircraft, built as a testbed for the [[Vickers 40 mm Class S gun|40&nbsp;mm Vickers S gun]] turret.

;Type 435 Wellington Mark IC: conversion of one Wellington to test [[Turbinlite]] night interception searchlight.<ref name=":2" />

;Type 437 Wellington Mark IX: one Mark IC conversion for troop transport.

;Type 439 Wellington Mark II: one Wellington Mark II was converted with the installation of a 40&nbsp;mm Vickers S gun in the nose.<ref name=":2" />

;Type 443 Wellington Mark V: One Wellington used to test the Bristol Hercules VIII engine.<ref name=":2" />

;Type 445 Wellington (I): one Wellington was used to test the [[Power Jets W.2|Whittle W2B/23]] [[turbojet]] engine, the engine was fitted in the tail of the aircraft.

;Type 454 and Type 459 Wellington Mark IX: prototypes with ASV Mark II, ASV Mark III radars, and powered by two Bristol Hercules VI and XVI radial piston engines.

;Type 470 and Type 486 Wellington: Designations of two Wellington Mark II aircraft fitted with the Whittle W2B and W2/700 jet engines respectively.<ref name=":2" />

;Type 478 Wellington Mark X: one Wellington was used to test the Bristol Hercules 100 engine.<ref name=":2" />

;Type 602 Wellington Mark X: one Wellington was fitted with two [[Rolls-Royce Dart]] turboprop engines.

;Wellington Mark III: one Wellington was used for glider tug, for glider clearance for [[Waco CG-4|Waco Hadrian]], [[General Aircraft Hotspur]] and [[Airspeed Horsa]] gliders.

===Total built===
A total number of 11,461 aircraft is most often quoted.{{efn|According to Andrews & Morgan (1988); using their own data the total is 11,462.{{sfn|Andrews|Morgan|1988|p=363}}}} There is some question over several aircraft and the total may be a few either side of this figure. In combination, the Wellingtons and 846 Warwicks represent more than 75 per cent of the total number of aircraft built by the Vickers-Armstrongs company.<ref>Murray, 2012, p. 39.</ref>

==Operators==
{{main|List of Vickers Wellington operators}}
{{div col}}
* {{AUS}}
* {{flag|Canada|1921}}
* {{CZS}}
* {{flag|Free France}}
* {{FRA}}
* {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
* {{flag|Greece|old}}
* {{NZL}}
* {{POL}}
* {{POR}}
* {{flag|South Africa|1928}}
* {{UK}}
{{div col end}}

==Aircraft on display==
[[File:Wellington 1A N2980.JPG|thumb|Wellington IA ''N2980'' on display at Brooklands]]

There are two complete surviving Vickers Wellingtons preserved in the United Kingdom.<ref name="WV MF628 history">Simpson, Andrew. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090416155844/http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft_histories/69-A-171%20Wellington%20X%20MF628.pdf "Vickers Wellington X MF628/9210M: Museum Accession Number 69/A/17."] ''Royal Air Force Museum.'' Retrieved: 13 January 2008.</ref> Some other substantial parts also survive.<ref name = "WV MF628 history"/>
Wellington IA serial number N2980 is owned by [[Brooklands Museum]] at [[Brooklands]], Surrey. Built at Brooklands and first flown in November 1939, this aircraft took part in the RAF's daylight bombing raids on Germany early in the Second World War but later lost power during a training flight on 31 December 1940 and ditched in [[Loch Ness]]. All the occupants survived except the rear gunner, who was killed when his parachute failed to open. The aircraft was recovered from the bottom of Loch Ness in September 1985 and restored in the late 1980s and 1990s. A new Wellington exhibition featuring N2980 was officially opened by Robin Holmes (who led the recovery team), [[Penelope Keith]] (as trustee of Brooklands Museum), Norman Parker (who worked for Vickers) and [[Ken Wallis]] (who flew Wellingtons operationally) on 15 June 2011, the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the type's effective prototype in 1936.

[[File:Vickers wellington MF628.jpg|thumb|Vickers Wellington T.10 serial number MF628 undergoing restoration]]

On 15 September 2016, after having its outer wings removed the day before, N2980 was towed from the Bellman hangar in which it was restored and where it had been displayed for nearly 30 years. This move was the first time that 'R' for 'Robert' had moved on its undercarriage since its last flight in 1940. The aircraft was exhibited in a temporary building while the Bellman hangar was relocated and restored until taken off display and moved back into the latter building on 25 July 2017. The aeroplane is the centre-piece of the 'Brooklands Aircraft Factory' exhibition about the aircraft industry at Brooklands, which was formally opened on 13 November 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/about/latest-news/spectacular-new-brooklands-aircraft-factory-and-flight-shed-opened-by-prince-michael-of-kent|title=Spectacular new Brooklands Aircraft Factory and Flight Shed opened by Prince Michael of Kent|publisher=Brooklands Museum|access-date=3 February 2017}}</ref>

Wellington T.10 serial number MF628 is held by the [[Royal Air Force Museum]].<ref name = "VW survivor"/> It was delivered to RAF No.18 MU (Maintenance Unit) for storage at [[RAF Tinwald Downs]], [[Dumfries]], as a Wellington B.X, on 11 May 1944.<ref name = "WV MF628 history"/> In March 1948 the front gun turret was removed in its conversion to a T.10 for its role as a postwar aircrew trainer. This aircraft is the Wellington seen taking off in [[The Dam Busters (film)|''The Dam Busters'']] and was also used for some air-to-air photography on the movie.

This aircraft made the last flight of a Wellington, from Aston Down to Wisley, in January 1955. The RAF Museum later refitted the front gun turret in keeping with its original build as a B.X (wartime mark numbers used Roman numerals, Arabic numerals were adopted postwar).<ref name = "WV MF628 history"/><ref name="VW survivor">[https://web.archive.org/web/20210412010542/http://www.rafmuseum.org/rafmdevelopment/london/collections/aircraft/vickers-wellington-x.cfm "Vickers Wellington X."] ''Royal Air Force Museum''. Retrieved: 13 January 2008.</ref> In Autumn 2010, this aircraft was taken to the [[Royal Air Force Museum Cosford|RAF Museum's site at Cosford]] for restoration.

==Specifications (Wellington Mark IC)==
[[File:Vickers Wellington.svg|thumb|Wellington Mark Ia 3-view drawing, with profile views of Mark I (Vickers turrets), Mark II (Merlin engines), Mark III (Hercules engines, 4-gun tail turret), GR Mark VIII (maritime Mark Ic, metric radar) and GR Mark XIV (maritime Mark X, centimetric radar)]]
[[File:Wellington bomb bay India WWII IWM CF 135.jpg|thumb|Wellington bomb bay with 500lb HE bombs and "Small Bomb Containers" of 4lb incendiaries]]
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=''Vickers Aircraft since 1908'',<ref name="Andrews & Morgan p340">Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 340.</ref> ''The Vickers Wellington I & II''<ref name = "andrew 16">Andrews 1967, p. 16.</ref>
|prime units?=imp
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=five or six
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=64
|length in=7
|span m=
|span ft=86
|span in=2
|height m=
|height ft=17
|height in=5
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=840
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=18556
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=28500
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[Bristol Pegasus]] Mark XVIII
|eng1 type=[[radial engine]]s
|eng1 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 hp=1050<!-- prop engines -->

|prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop name=
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=235
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at {{convert|15500|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|cruise speed kmh=<!-- if max speed unknown -->
|cruise speed mph=<!-- if max speed unknown -->
|cruise speed kts=
|range km=
|range miles=2550
|range nmi=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=18000
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1120

<!--
        Armament
-->
|guns=  6–8× [[.303 British|.303 (7.7 mm)]] [[M1919 Browning machine gun#Browning .303 Mark II|"Browning .303 Mk II" machine guns]]:
** 2× in nose turret
** 2× in tail turret{{efn|4× from Mark III onwards}}
** 2× in waist positions{{efn|deleted from Mark III onwards}}
|bombs={{convert|4500|lb|kg|abbr=on}} bombs
|rockets=
|avionics=
}}

==In popular culture==
* The Wellington was nicknamed the ''Wimpy'' by RAF personnel, after the portly [[J. Wellington Wimpy]] character from the ''[[Popeye the Sailor (film series)|Popeye]]'' cartoons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wellingtonaviation.org/docs/wimpy.htm|title=Wellington Aviation Museum: The Vickers Wellington|access-date=28 May 2018|archive-date=28 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728173842/http://www.wellingtonaviation.org/docs/wimpy.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* ''[[Nebeští jezdci]]'' ("Riders in the Sky") (1968), about a [[Czechoslovakia|Czechoslovak]] bomber crew in the RAF, based on the real operations of [[No. 311 Squadron RAF]].<ref>Kucera, Pawel. "Recreating a Wimpy". ''Aeroplane Monthly'', September 2001.  pp. 72–75.</ref>
* ''[[Pastoral (1944 novel)|Pastoral]]'', a 1944 novel by the author [[Nevil Shute]] about the crew of a Wellington
* ''[[Target for Tonight]]'' (1941), a documentary about a Wellington on a raid over Germany.
* ''Worker's Week-End'' (1943), a documentary [[newsreel]] about the construction of [[Vickers Wellington LN514]] in record time.
* ''[[One of Our Aircraft is Missing]]'', a 1942 British [[war film]] about the crew of a Wellington forced down in the Netherlands.
* A straight on the [[Silverstone Circuit]] is named the Wellington Straight in reference to the type being based at what was then named [[RAF Silverstone]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2015/7/what_s-in-a-name--the-history-behind-silverstones-iconic-corners.html|title=What's in a name? The history behind Silverstone's iconic corners|date=3 July 2015|access-date=6 August 2022|publisher= Formula One World Championship Limited}}</ref>
* ''G – for Genevieve'' and ''L for Lucy,'' both about fictional Polish bomber crews in the RAF during World War II, by [[Janusz Meissner]]

==See also==
{{aircontent|
|see also=
* [[1942 Ruislip Wellington accident]]
* [[Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum]]
|related=
* [[Vickers Warwick]]
* [[Vickers VC.1 Viking]]
|similar aircraft=
* [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]]
* [[Dornier Do 17]]
* [[Douglas B-18 Bolo]]
* [[Handley Page Hampden]]
* [[Heinkel He 111]]
* [[Ilyushin Il-4]]
* [[Junkers Ju 88]]
* [[North American B-25 Mitchell]]
|lists=
* [[List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force]]
* [[List of aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and Royal New Zealand Navy]]
* [[List of aircraft of World War II]]
}}

==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{notelist}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* Anon. ''Geodetics on the Grand Scale - A Detailed Description of the Vickers-Armstrongs Wellington I'', in : 'Flight', July 6 1939.
* {{cite book |last=Andrews |first=C. F. |title=The Vickers Wellington I & II (Aircraft in Profile 125) |publisher=Profile Publications |location=Leatherhead, Surrey |year=1967}}
* {{cite book |last1=Andrews |first1=C. F. |last2=Morgan |first2=E. B. |title=Vickers Aircraft since 1908 |publisher=Putnam |location=London, UK |year=1988 |orig-year=1968 |isbn=0-85177-815-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Bond |first=Steve |title=Wimpy |publisher=Grub Street |location=London, UK |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-909808-14-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowman |first=Martin |title=Wellington, The Geodetic Giant |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |location=Shrewsbury, UK |year=1989 |isbn=1-85310-076-5}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowman |first= Martin W |date=2011 |title=The Wellington Bomber Story |publisher=The History Press |location=Stroud |isbn= 978-0-7524-6193-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowyer |first=Chaz |title=Wellington at War |publisher=Ian Allan Ltd. |location=Shepperton, Surrey |year=1982 |isbn=0-7110-1220-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowyer |first=Chaz |title=Wellington Bomber |publisher=William Kimber & Co Ltd. |location=London, UK |year=1986 |isbn=0-7183-0619-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Buttler |first=Tony |title=Fighters and Bombers 1935–1950 |series=British Secret Projects 3 |publisher=Midland Publishing |year=2004}}
* {{cite book |last=Cooksley |first=Peter G. |title=Wellington, Mainstay of Bomber Command |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd. |location=Wellingborough, Northamptonshire |year=1987 |isbn=0-85059-851-6}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Cooling |first=Rupert |title=Under Cover of Darkness... The Wellington at War |magazine=Air Enthusiast |issue=13 |date=August–November 1980 |pages=63–71 |issn=0143-5450}}
* {{cite book |last=Crosby |first=Francis |title=The World Encyclopedia of Bombers |publisher=Anness Publishing Ltd. |location=London, UK |year=2007 |isbn=1-84477-511-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Delve |first=Ken |title=Vickers Armstrong Wellington |publisher=The Crowood Press Ltd. |location=Ramsbury, Wiltshire, UK |year=1998 |isbn=1-86126-109-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Flintham |first=V. |title=Air Wars and Aircraft: A Detailed Record of Air Combat, 1945 to the Present |publisher=Facts on File |location=New York, US |year=1990 |isbn=0-8160-2356-5}}
* {{cite book |last1=Gilman |first1=J.D. |last2=Clive |first2=J. |title=KG 200 |publisher=Pan Books Ltd. |location=London, UK |year=1978 |isbn=0-85177-819-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Hall |first=Alan W. |title=Vickers Wellington, Warpaint Series No. 10 |publisher=Hall Park Books Ltd. |location=Husborne Crawley, Bedfordshire |year=1997}}
* {{cite book |last=Jackson |first=Robert |title=Britain's Greatest Aircraft |publisher=Pen & Sword Books Ltd. |location=Barnsley, UK |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-84415-383-1}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Jackson |editor-first=Robert |title=101 Great Bombers |publisher=Rosen Publishing Group |location=New York, US |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4358-3594-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Lihou |first=Maurice |title=Out of the Italian Night: Wellington Bomber Operations 1944–45 |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |location=Shrewsbury, UK |year=2003 |isbn=1-84037-405-5}}
* {{cite book |last=Lumsden |first=Alec |title=Wellington Special |publisher=Ian Allan Ltd. |location=Shepperton, Surrey |year=1974 |isbn=0-7110-0527-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Mackay |first=Ron |title=Wellington in Action, Aircraft Number 76 |publisher=Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc. |location=Carrollton, Texas |year=1986 |isbn=0-89747-183-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Murray |first=Iain |title=Bouncing-Bomb Man: The Science of Sir Barnes Wallis |publisher=Haynes |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-84425-588-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Murray |first=Iain |title=Vickers Wellington Manual |publisher=Haynes |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-85733-230-1}}
* {{cite book |last1=Ovčáčík |first1=Michal |last2=Susa |first2=Karel |title=Vickers-Armstrongs Wellington Medium Bomber variants |publisher=4+ Publications |location=Prague, Czech Republic |year=2003 |isbn=80-902559-7-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Richards |first=Denis |title=The Hardest Victory: RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War |publisher=Coronet Books |location=London, UK |year=1995 |isbn=0-340-61720-9}}
* {{cite book|last= Richards |first= Denis |author-link=Denis Richards |title=Royal Air Force 1939–1945: Volume I The Fight at Odds |location= London, UK |publisher= HMSO |date= 1953}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Roba|first1=Jean-Louis|last2=Cony|first2=Christophe|name-list-style=amp |title=Donnerkeil: 12 février 1942 |magazine=Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire |date=October 2001 |issue=103 |pages=25–32|trans-title=Operation Donnerkeil: 12 February 1942 |language=fr |issn=1243-8650}}
* {{cite book |last= Spooner |first= Nigel |year= 2024 |title= A History of Aviation at Brooklands in 100 Objects |location= Barnsley, England |publisher= Pen & Sword Airworld |isbn= 978-1-52679-091-0}}
* {{cite book |last1=Tarring |first1=Trevor |last2=Joseland |first2=Mark |title=Archie Frazer-Nash .. Engineer |publisher=The Frazer Nash Archives |location=London, UK |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-9570351-0-2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131110211014/http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/vickerswellington.cfm RAF – Vickers Wellington]
*[https://www.historicaleye.com/WorldWar2/the-polish-pilot.html A Polish Wellington bomber pilot recalls his war] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818171306/https://www.historicaleye.com/WorldWar2/the-polish-pilot.html |date=18 August 2019 }}
*[http://www.popsci.com/archive-viewer?id=oScDAAAAMBAJ&pg=0&query Cover Illustration] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006204103/http://www.popsci.com/archive-viewer?id=oScDAAAAMBAJ&pg=0&query |date=6 October 2012 }} August 1940 [[Popular Mechanics]]
*[https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/browse?tags=Wellington Wellington at the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive]

{{Vickers aircraft}}
{{RAF WWII Strategic Bombing}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1930s British bomber aircraft]]
[[Category:Vickers aircraft|Wellington]]
[[Category:Mid-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1936]]
[[Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Barnes Wallis]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear]]