Vickers Varsity WF369 NAHR – National Benchmark
WF369 is one of only six Vickers Varsity airframes remaining in UK air museums, it is always popular for visitors to view in Hangar Two, and is often part of our open cockpit offer. Visiting the other Sunday, its volunteer cockpit opener was John Davison, who offered WF369 as his Aircraft of the Week with just enough time left to show another interested visitor around inside, before we all assembled outside for the Remembrance Service. By Jan McGeachie.
The Vickers Varsity is a retired British twin-engined crew trainer, basically used for navigation training, radio training, bomb aimer training, or multi engine pilot training but not all at the same time. The type was in service with RAF from 1951 to 1976.
The aircraft was developed by Vickers designers as a twin engined training aircraft to replace the Wellington and Valetta with a wider wing span, longer fuselage and a tricycle undercarriage. The single wheel being at the nose, with two more behind (different to the Valetta which was a tail dragger meaning the single wheel would be at the tail). Trainee bomb aimers would lie in a prone position on a ventral pannier, which also acted as stowage for small practice bombs.
The first production Varsity became operational in 1951 just down the road at RAF Swinderby with No. 201 Advanced Flying School (AFS) and was used to train pilots to fly multi-engined aircraft.
Powered by two Bristol Hercules 264 radial engines, it could carry up to fourteen people; had a wing span of 95 feet 7 inches, length 67 feet 6 inches and was close to 24 feet high. It had a maximum speed of 288mph and a range of 2,648 miles and could reach a maximum height of 28,700 feet.
In May 1976 the Varsity was withdrawn from service with the RAF and the role taken over by the Jetstream as a multi-engine pilot trainer and the Dominie for navigation training.
WF369 was constructed at Weybridge, Surrey and had its maiden flight on 21st November 1951 before entering service with 201 AFS at RAF Swinderby, Lincs. on 7th December 1951.
On 18th October 1954 WF369 was transferred to No.1 ANS (Air Navigation School) at RAF Hullavington, Wiltshire before being transferred to its last operational RAF station at RAF Finningley, South Yorkshire in 1961 to operate with the Air Engineers School, later to become the Air Electronics Operators School. WF369 completed its RAF career with No.6 FTS (Flying Training School) in 1976.
After Mr. and Mrs. H. Bradshaw purchased the aircraft as a joint birthday present to each other, it was flown into Winthorpe 1st April 1976 from RAF Finningley by Squadron Leader Kimmings on what was their joint birthdays, becoming the largest exhibit in the museum at that time.
The last landing at Winthorpe was the Varsity’s 7,612th, having flown for just over 8,646 hours. The Varsity was later purchased by the museum. It is now displayed in Hangar 2, which was specifically designed to house this particular aircraft; and WF369 was the first Varsity to be displayed undercover in the UK.
Addendum: WF369 is now the only example of the type displayed under cover in a UK museum.
Photo credit Gordon McGeachie