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Wellesley - Aircraft Profile - Vickers : Wellesley

Wellesley

No Photo Available

Manufacturer : Vickers
Number Built : 177
Production Began : 1937
Retired : 1944
Type :

in April 1937 the first Wellesleys joined the RAF serving with No. 76 Squadron RAF at Finningley a further six RAF Bomber Command squadrons received Wellesleys and Five aircraft with provisions for three crew members were modified for long-range work with the RAF Long-Range Development Flight. On 5 November 1938, three of them under command of Squadron Leader Richard Kellett flew non-stop for two days from Ismailia, Egypt to Darwin, Australia (7,162 miles setting a world distance record. All three aircraft broke the record, but No. 2 aircraft landed in West Timor, 500 miles (800 km) short of the objective. The Wellesley's record remained unbroken until November 1945 This flight is still the longest by an aircraft with a single piston engine By the outbreak of the Second World War, the Wellesley had been phased out from home-based squadrons, with only four examples remaining in Britain, but they remained in service with three squadrons based in the Middle East Following the Italian declaration of war on 10 June 1940, the remaining Wellesley squadrons participated in the East African Campaign against Italian forces in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somaliland. Although obsolete, the Wellesley formed a major part of the British Commonwealth bomber forces, mainly carrying out raids targeting Eritrea and northern Ethiopia Sudan-based Wellesleys carried out their first bombing mission on 11 June 1940, against Asmara in Eritrea. Three days later, they were involved in their first air combat, when Capitano Mario Visintini, future top-scoring biplane ace of the Second World War, intercepted a pair of Wellesleys from 14 Squadron on their way to bomb Massawa. Visintini, who was flying a Fiat CR.42, shot down the aircraft K7743, flown by Pilot Officer Reginald Patrick Blenner Plunkett. It was the first of Visintini's 16 air victories in Eastern Africa , the Wellesley continued to be sent on bombing raids, bombing Addis Ababa from Aden on 18 August The Wellesley continued in use against the Italians over East Africa until November 1941, when Gondar, the last Italian-held town, fell to Commonwealth and Ethiopian forces. The final Wellesley-equipped unit, 47 Squadron, was then switched to maritime reconnaissance duties over the Red Sea, continuing in this role until September 1942 In February 1940, three Wellesleys (K7728, K7735 and K8531) were sold to Egypt to serve in the Royal Egyptian Air Force

Wellesley


Latest Wellesley Artwork Releases !
  On the night of  Friday 26th November 1943,  97 Squadron Bombers on there way to bomb targets in Stuttgart, Germany were intercepted by Night Fighters.  The painting shows Halifax Mk V   LK946 MP-F being attacked by the night fighter pilots Major Wilhelm Herget of the Stab I./NJG 4 (flying a Bf 110 G-4 from Florennes airfield, Belgium) and Hauptmann Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin of the Stab II./NJG 1 (flying a Bf 110 G-4 from St Trond (Sint-Truiden) airfield, Belgium).  6 of the crew managed to parachute from the stricken aircraft but the mid upper gunner Sgt. Berndt was killed while returning fire.

Tragedy by Moonlight by Ivan Berryman. (PC)
 It is the Battle of Trafalgar, 21st October 1805 and the British 2nd rater Temeraire with 98 guns, having followed HMS Victory through the Franco-Spanish line, finds herself alongside the Spanish flagship, La Santisima Trinidad. This giant was by some measure the largest warship in the World, boasting four full gun decks and 130 guns. Undaunted, Captain Eliab Harvey took on the Santisima Trinidad, delivering a number of blows into the enemy’s massive red and black hull. However, Temeraire was largely out of control by this time, having taken much punishment as she had approached the enemy fleet. Her main topgallant mast had been shot away, as well as the mizzen topgallant. Her fore yard had crashed down onto her deck and her fore topsail had caught fire and been extinguished. Taking fire from both sides, the Temeraire lumbered on, eventually colliding with Le Redoutable, which was engaged with Victory. Between them, the two British three-deckers poured fire into the French ship until it struck its colours

Tugging the Tiger's Tail by Ivan Berryman. (PC)
 As Nelson’s column of ships began their approach to the French and Spanish fleet at the start of the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805, the first four ships to break through were to be HMS Victory at the head of the line, HMS Temeraire, HMS Neptune and the 74 gun two-decker HMS Leviathan. Afraid for his admiral’s safety in the lead ship, Captain Harvey of the Temeraire decided to break away from the line in order to overtake Victory and be the first ship through, thus taking the worst of the gunfire from the enemy line as they approached. However, it was Admiral Nelson’s habit always to lead from the front and, as Temeraire manoeuvred alongside Victory, Nelson took up his speaking trumpet, went to his ship’s side, and sternly shouted, 'I will thank you, Captain Harvey, to maintain your proper station which is astern of the Victory'. Harvey complied at once and fleet continued into battle as originally planned.

Line of Battle by Ivan Berryman. (PC)
 Few ships availed themselves better at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805 than HMS Temeraire. Here, she is depicted engaging the French Fougeuex, the two ships inflicting the most terrible damage upon one another in the early stages of the battle. Some crew members can be seen on Temeraire’s foredeck, trying to cut away the fallen fore yard and sail while her fore topsail flaps helplessly above after being set on fire. The acrid gun smoke soon became so bad that Captain Harvey ordered the Temeraire’s larboard guns to stop firing briefly so that he could check that he was not firing on his own ships. Temeraire would eventually take both the Fougeuex and The Redoutable as prizes, at one point having one enemy ship lashed to each side of her hull. As an aside, Temeraire was most likely the only ship at Trafalgar to have no figurehead. Having been built during a more austere period, she lacked much of the decoration of her contemporaries. It is believed, however, that her crew funded a figurehead after the battle from their own prize money, as a ship with no figurehead was considered a ship with no eyes and no soul. A modest crowned head featured at her bow until she was broken up at Beatson’s Yard in Rotherhithe between 1838 and 1839.

The Fighting Temeraire by Ivan Berryman. (PC)

Squadrons for : Wellesley
A list of all squadrons from known to have used this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

No.223 Sqn RAF


Country : UK
Founded : 1st April 1918
Fate : Disbanded 23rd August 1963

Alae defendunt Africam - Wings defend Africa

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No.223 Sqn RAF

Full profile not yet available.

No.7 Sqn RAF


Country : UK
Founded : 1st May 1914

Per diem per noctem - By day and by night

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No.7 Sqn RAF

No.7 Squadron was formed 1st May 1914 at Farnborough as a Scout squadron, and went to France April 1915, equipped with the Vickers Gunbus. No.7 squadron saw service through the war with BE2c, RE5 and RE8 aircraft. The squadron pioneered the use of R/T (instead of normal W/T), using it operationally for the first time in October 1918. Disbanded at Farnborough on 31st December 1919 it reformed at Bircham Newton on 1st June 1923 equipped with Vickers Vimy bombers. These were replaced by the Vickers Virginia after moving to Worthy Down in April 1927. Between the wars No.7 squadron was equipped with various aircraft including the Handley Page Heyfords, Vickers Wellesleys and Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys and became the leading bomber squadron, winning the Laurence Minot Memorial Bombing Trophy more than any other squadron. At the outbreak of World War II, the squadron was equipped with Handley Page Hampdens, until August 1940, when it equipped with the RAF's first four engined bomber, the Short Stirling Mk I - becoming the first RAF squadron to be equipped with four engined bombers. The first raid by No.7 was 10th February 1941 on Rotterdam. The squadron settled down to a night bombing role, adding mine laying to its duties in 1942. Later with four other squadrons, it formed the nucleus of the new Pathfinder Force, its task to find and accurately mark targets with flares. In May 1943, the Stirling (which was handicapped by a low operational ceiling - it had to fly through flak rather than over it) was gradually replaced by the Avro Lancaster, which No.7 used in Peenemunde in August. From June1944 and until the end of the war, the squadron also undertook a daylight operational role in support of land forces in France and the low countries, and against V-1 and V-2 sites. No.7 squadron flew to Singapore in January 1947, and converted to Avro Lincolns, seeing action against Communist terrorists in Malay, during 'Operation Firedog'. Returning to UK, having won the Laurence Minot Memorial Bombing Trophy outright for the eighth time it was disbanded 1st January 1956. Reforming in November of the same year with the Vickers Valiant 'V' bomber. Disbanded on 30th September 1962, it was reformed in May 1970 at RAF St. Mawgan on target provision duties. Equipped with the English Electric Canberra, the squadron provided targets for the Army and Navy anti aircraft guns. They also provided silent targets for radar station practice. On 12th December 1981 the squadron was again disbanded, reforming soon after as the second operational Boeing Vertol Chinook helicopter Squadron on 2nd September 1982.
Signatures for : Wellesley
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
NameInfo


Jeffrey Quill, OBE, AFC, FRAeS
Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Jeffrey Quill, OBE, AFC, FRAeS

20 / 2 / 1996Died : 20 / 2 / 1996
Jeffrey Quill, OBE, AFC, FRAeS

Jeffrey Quill was born at Littlehampton in Sussex in 1913, the youngest of five children. He was educated at Lancing College, overlooking Shoreham aerodrome (then a small grass field with old hangars and a wooden hut for the flying club). The frequent sight of aircraft at close quarters increased Quill’s already burning interest in aviation, and after leaving Lancing in 1931 he was accepted into the Royal Air Force at the age of 18, as an acting Pilot Officer. He learned to fly on Avro Tutor biplanes, and went solo after only 5 hours 20 minutes " well below the usual 9 hours. In September 1932 he joined No.17 (Fighter) Squadron at Upavon, where he flew Bristol Bulldogs. He was then posted to Duxford, to the RAF Meteorological Flight, where they flew open-cockpit Siskins to heights of up to 25,000 feet to collect weather data. In November 1934 Quill became Flight Commander, and set out with his team to achieve 100 per cent regularity in the scheduled climbs (twice every day, except Sundays, at 0700 and 1300 hrs) without missing a single flight, even in “unflyable” weather. For this outstanding achievement he was awarded the Air Force Cross. In January 1936 Jeffrey Quill became assistant to Mutt Summers, the chief test pilot at Vickers (Aviation) Ltd., and his initial task was the testing of the Wellesley bomber. On 26 March 1936 Quill made his first flight in the prototype Spitfire K5054. Much work was needed on the Spitfire before it was eventually cleared for squadron service in July 1938. Jeffrey Quill spent the entire war in charge of development and production flying, but insisted on having first-hand combat experience, and in August 1940 he was assigned to 65 (Spitfire) Squadron at RAF Hornchurch. During that month he shot down a Me109, and shared in a Heinkel He111 before being recalled to Supermarine to test the Spitfire Mk III. The Seafire, the naval version of the Spitfire used by the Fleet Air Arm, was suffering enormous losses in deck landing accidents. During 1944 Quill spent five months with the Royal Navy, and made more than 75 deck landings. By the end of the war, he had personally test-flown all 50-odd variants of Spitfire and Seafire. His personal favourite was the Spitfire Mk VIII. Jeffrey Quill continued as chief test pilot after the war, when Vickers " ever on the cutting edge of development " produced Britain’s third jet aircraft, the Attacker. On 27 July 1946 Quill made the first flight from Boscombe Down, and continued to undertake the testing, until one day the following June he passed out at about 40,000 feet. Fortunately he recovered at about 10,000 ft, in time to land safely. Quill had been flying continuously for 16 years, often at high altitude and without oxygen. He had logged over 5000 hours and flown more than 95 aircraft types. Jeffrey Quill died at Andreas, Isle of Man, on 20 February 1996.


Jeffrey Quill after winning his Air Force Cross.


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