Sadly, of the many thousands of British bombers constructed during World War II only a handful still exist. Consequently visitors to the Royal Air Force Museum in London are privileged to view the sole intact example of the Vickers Wellington medium bomber, which is especially ironic in view of the numbers produced, and the Wellington's comprehensive use by the Royal Air Force.
Built in appreciatively greater numbers than any of its Bomber Command contemporaries, the Wellington served on all major battle fronts, and in a great variety of roles. While its primary function was that of a bomber its role was extended to the equally important missions of anti-submarine warfare, transport, operational training, and engine experimentation.
Known as the Cloth Bomber, its fabric-covered geodetic structure combined strength with lightness and flexibility—indeed the quality of flexibility was literally visible, and it became a favorite pastime of experienced crew members to invite passengers or raw aircrew to sit on the main-spar and watch their reaction when the central-support spar fluctuated during the aircraft's start-up and take-off! A standard joke was centered around the airframe's exact dimensions, which it was claimed could never be determined due to the airframe's flexibility.
Wellington in Action (Aircraft 76)
Автор: Ron Mackay
Publisher: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc.
Год издания: 1987
Страниц: 50 Pages
ISBN: 0897471830
Язык: English
Формат: PDF
Размер: 41,4 MB
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