View source for Vickers Viking

{{Short description|1919 military flying boat family}}
{{For|the post-World War II twin-engine airliner|Vickers VC.1 Viking}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
  |name = Viking/Vulture/Vanellus
  |image = Vickers Viking left quarter view.jpg
  |caption = The Vickers Viking prototype in 1919
  |type = Biplane amphibian
  |manufacturer = [[Vickers]] / [[Canadian Vickers]]
  |designer =
  |first_flight = [[1919 in aviation|1919]]
  |introduction =
  |retired =
  |status =
  |primary_user = <!--please list only one-->
  |more_users = <!--up to three more. please separate with <br />.-->
  |produced = [[1919 in aviation|1919]]–[[1923 in aviation|1923]]
  |number_built = 31 (Viking)<br>2 (Vulture)<br>1 (Vanellus)
  |unit cost =
  |variants =
}}

The '''Vickers Viking''' was a British single-engine [[amphibious aircraft]] designed for military use shortly after [[World War I]]. Later versions of the aircraft were known as the '''Vickers Vulture''' and '''Vickers Vanellus'''.

==Design and development==
[[File:Vickers Viking IV flying boat G-CYEZ of the RCAF1926.jpg|right|thumb|A Vickers Viking IV of the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] in 1926]]
[[File:Vickers Viking right quarter view.jpg|thumb|A [[Royal Air Force]] Vickers Viking V]]
[[File:Vickers Vulture.jpg|thumb|Vickers Vulture]]
[[File:Vickers Vanellus.jpg|right|thumb|Vickers Vanellus]]

Research on [[Vickers]]' first amphibious aircraft type began in December [[1918 in aviation|1918]] with tests of alternative fuselage/hull designs occurring in an experimental tank at [[St Albans]] in [[Hertfordshire]], England. A prototype, registered G-EAOV, was a five-seat cabin [[biplane]] with a [[Pusher configuration|pusher]] propeller driven by a [[Rolls-Royce Falcon]] water-cooled [[V12 engine|V 12]] engine. Sir [[John Alcock (aviator)|John Alcock]] died taking this aircraft to the [[Paris Air Show|Paris exhibition]] on 18 December 1919, whilst trying to land at Côte d'Evrard, near [[Rouen]], [[Normandy]] in foggy weather.<ref name="Andrews Vickers p112-3">Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 112–113.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170921095522/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%201644.html "The Death of Sir John Alcock".] ''[[Flight International|Flight]]'', 25 December 1919, p. 1646.</ref>

The next example, G-EASC, known as the '''Viking II''', had a greater wing span and a 360&nbsp;hp [[Rolls-Royce Eagle]] VIII motor. The '''Viking III''' machine, piloted by Captain Stan Cockerell, won first prize in the amphibian class in [[Air Ministry]] competitions held in September and October, 1920.

The Type 54 '''Viking IV''' incorporated further refinements and had a wider cabin above a hull one foot wider, an example being G-EBBZ in which [[Ross Macpherson Smith|Ross Smith]] and J.M. Bennett (partners in the 1919 [[England to Australia flight]]) died on 13 April 1922 just outside the [[Brooklands]] racetrack near [[Weybridge]] in [[Surrey]]. Most of these Mark IV Vikings had a [[Napier Lion]] engine.<ref>Milberry 1979, p. 30.</ref>

The next version was the '''Viking V'''; two were built for the RAF for service in [[Iraq]].

A further development with a redesigned wing structure using the 450&nbsp;hp (340&nbsp;kW) [[Napier Lion]] would have been the '''Viking VI''' (Vickers designation '''Type 78''') but known as the '''Vulture I'''. A second with a Rolls-Royce Eagle IX (360&nbsp;hp, 270&nbsp;kW) was the '''Type 95 Vulture II'''. Both Vultures were used for an unsuccessful around the world attempt in 1924 after the Eagle engine of the Vulture II was replaced with a Lion. With registration G-EBHO, the first set off from [[Calshot Seaplane Base]] on 25 March 1924, the other was shipped as a spare machine to [[Tokyo]]. After mechanical difficulties in earlier stages G-EBHO crashed at [[Akyab]] where it was replaced by G-EBGO on 25 June. Encountering heavy fog on the [[Siberian]] side of the [[Bering Sea]] G-EBGO crashed. Vickers salvaged a large proportion.

The Viking Mark VII ("Type 83" in Vickers numbering) was a development of the Vulture, a three-seat open-cockpit fleet spotter to [[Air Ministry specification]] 46/22 given the service name "Vanellus" when taken on for evaluation by the RAF against the [[Supermarine Seagull (1921)|Supermarine Seagull]] design.

==Operational history==
The last Viking amphibians were built during 1923, but the name was re-used for the twin-engine [[Vickers VC.1 Viking|VC.1 Viking]] [[airliner]] some 22 years later, which saw service as the [[Vickers Valetta|Valetta]] with the [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] and other air arms. [[Canadian Vickers]] Limited, a subsidiary company in [[Montreal]] with no previous aircraft manufacturing experience, assembled two Viking IV amphibians and built a further six for the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] . Their involvement with the Viking led to a future line of indigenous flying boats beginning with the [[Canadian Vickers Vedette]].<ref>Molson and Taylor 1982, p. 174.</ref>

No Vikings survive today although a full-size replica built for the film ''[[The People That Time Forgot (film)|The People That Time Forgot]]'' (1977) is displayed at [[Brooklands Museum]] in Surrey.

==Operators==
;{{ARG}}
* [[Argentine Naval Aviation]] – four Type 84 (Viking IV) delivered in 1923, supplemented by two ex-civil Viking IVs in 1925.<ref name="Rivasp11"/>
* The River Plate Aviation Company (''Compañia Rio Platense de Aviación'') – Two Type 73 c/n 19 and c/n 20 (both Viking IVs) delivered in 1923. Sold to Argentine Navy in 1925.<ref name="Rivasp11">Rivas 2019, p. 11</ref>
;{{flag|Canada|1921}}
* [[Laurentide Air Services]] – One Type 69 (Viking IV) delivered in 1922.
* [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] – two Type 85 (Viking IV) delivered in 1923 followed by six built in Canada by Canadian Vickers The at Montreal.<ref>Molson and Taylor 1982, pp. 447–448.</ref>
;{{FRA}}
* [[French Navy]] – One Type 54 (Viking IV) delivered in 1921 with civilian markings.
;{{JPN}}
* [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] – two Type 58 (Viking IV) delivered in 1921.
[[File:EL-2002-00571.jpg|thumb|right|Vickers Viking IV at Langley]]
;{{NLD}}
* [[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force]] – Eight Type 55 (Viking IV) delivered in 1922 followed two attrition replacements in 1923.
;{{flag|Russian SFSR}}
* One Type 64 (Viking IV) ordered by the Russian Trade Delegation delivered in 1922.
;{{UK}}
* [[Royal Air Force]] – two Type 59 (Viking V) delivered in 1922 for tropical trials with [[No. 70 Squadron RAF]].
* [[Royal Navy]] – one Viking III delivered in 1921, one Vanellus delivered 1925

;{{USA}}
* [[United States Navy]] – one Type 58 (Viking IV) purchased by the US Navy in 1921 and delivered in 1923.

==Specifications (Viking IV)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=British Flying Boats<ref name="London p266-7">London 2003, pp. 266–267.</ref>
|prime units?=imp
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|genhide=

|crew=1
|capacity=3 passengers
|length m=
|length ft=34
|length in=2
|span m=
|span ft=50
|span in=0
|height m=
|height ft=14
|height in=0
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=635
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=4040
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=5790
|fuel capacity=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Napier Lion]]
|eng1 type=12-cylinder water-cooled [[W engine|broad arrow]] piston engine
|eng1 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 hp=450<!-- prop engines -->

|prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop name=
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->

<!--
        Performance
-->
|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=113
|max speed kts=
|max speed mach=<!-- supersonic aircraft -->
|cruise speed kmh=<!-- if max speed unknown -->
|cruise speed mph=91<!-- if max speed unknown -->
|cruise speed kts=
|range km=
|range miles=925
|range nmi=
|range note=(with long range tanks)
|endurance=4 hr 45 min
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|time to altitude=3.2 min to {{convert|3000|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="Andrews Vickers p129">Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 129.</ref>
|more performance=

|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Aviation}}
{{Aircontent
|related=<!-- related developments -->
|similar aircraft=<!-- similar or comparable aircraft -->
* [[Saunders Kittiwake]]
* [[SIAI S.16]]
* [[Supermarine Commercial Amphibian]]
* [[Supermarine Sea Eagle]]
* [[Supermarine Seagull (1921)|Supermarine Seagull]]
|lists=<!-- related lists -->
* [[List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force]]
|see also=<!-- other relevant information -->
}}

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}
;Bibliography

* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. ''Vickers Aircraft since 1908''. London: Putnam, 1988. {{ISBN|0-85177-815-1}}.
* London, Peter. ''British Flying Boats''. Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing, 2003. {{ISBN|0-7509-2695-3}}.
* Milberry, Larry. ''Aviation in Canada.'' Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. {{ISBN|0-07-082778-8}}.
* Molson, Ken M. and Harold A. Taylor. ''Canadian Aircraft Since 1909''. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. {{ISBN|0-920002-11-0}}.
* Rivas, Santiago. ''British Combat Aircraft in Latin America''. Manchester, UK: Crécy Publishing, 2019. {{ISBN|978-1-90210-957-2}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Vickers Viking amphibian|Vickers Viking}}
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1921/1921%20-%200655.html "The Vickers Viking Mark IV", ''Flight'', 6 October 1921, pages 655–660 detailed photos and drawings]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070416021857/http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/vickers.html ''Vickers Viking'' entry at the Lancaster Museum website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510133337/http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/historical/vikinglst_e.asp Canadian Air Force historical aircraft]

{{Vickers aircraft}}
{{Canadian Vickers aircraft}}
{{Aircraft manufactured in Canada}}

[[Category:Vickers aircraft|Viking]]
[[Category:1910s British military utility aircraft]]
[[Category:Flying boats]]
[[Category:Amphibious aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft]]
[[Category:Biplanes]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1919]]
[[Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear]]
[[Category:Single-engined piston aircraft]]