Vickers: Vespa
From Graces Guide
Note: This is a sub-section of Vickers Aircraft.
The Vickers Vespa was a British army co-operation biplane designed and built by Vickers Limited in the 1920s. While not adopted by Britain's Royal Air Force, small numbers were brought by the Irish Free State and Bolivia, the latter of which used the type during the Chaco War. One modified Vespa was used to set a world altitude record of 43,976 ft (13,407 m) in September 1932.
Variants
Vickers Type 113 Vespa I
- Prototype army co-operation aircraft for evaluation by RAF. Wooden wings. Powered by Bristol Jupiter IV radial engine (later fitted with Jupiter VI. One only (G-EBLD).
Vickers Type 119 Vespa II
- Vespa I modified with metal wings.
Vickers Type 149 Vespa III
- Improved all metal production version for Bolivia. Powered by 455 hp (339 kW) Jupiter VI engine. Six built.
Vickers Type 193 Vespa IV
- Production version for Irish Air Corps. Powered by 490 hp (370 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VIC. Four built.
Vickers Type 208 Vespa V
- Improved version of Vespa IV for Irish Air Corps. Fitted with Townend ring around engine. Four built.
Vickers Type 210 Vespa VI
- Rebuilt first prototype, re-registered as G-ABIL and demonstrated to Central Chinese government.
Vickers Type 250 Vespa VII
- Vespa VI rebuilt with Bristol Pegasus S engine for altitude record attempt.
See Also
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