The most powerful medium bomber of its time was the twin-engine Vickers Wellington, which first flew in 1936 and entered service with No. 99 RAF Squadron at Mildenhall in October 1938.
The production aircraft bore little resemblance to the prototype.
And compared to the contemporary medium bombers already in service, the Wellington appeared to be a much more advanced design and an aircraft that was feared by any potential enemy.
Its sleek monoplane design and heavy defensive armament made the new Wellington one of the most modern and powerful medium bombers in the world.
Perhaps the most significant feature of the Wellingtons was the introduction of a geodesic construction method developed by the famous British engineer and inventor Barnes Wallis. Duralumin W-beams were used to form a metal lattice structure onto which wooden slats were screwed, to which the aircraft's outer skin of doped fabric could then be attached.
The resulting fuselage was relatively light but had high strength, and although the construction method was challenging for the companies that manufactured Wellington bombers, the inherent strength proved crucial when the aircraft was sent into combat.
Numerous RAF Wellingtons were able to survive significant battle damage and bring their crews home when other bombers would not have been able to do so.
Plastic model kit
- Vickers Wellington Mk.IA, No. 9 Squadron Aircraft, Royal Air Force Honington, Suffolk, England, 18 December 1939
- Vickers Wellington Mk.IC, Luftwaffe, formerly 311th (Czechoslovak) Squadron, 1941
Scale 1:72
unbuilt / unpainted
Paint and glue not included
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