Vickers Viking, Valetta, & Varsity in Military Service
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Warpaint Series No 141
Author: Adrian M. Balch
Publisher: Guideline Publications
ISBN: 978-19-16759-15-2
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 52
After the Second World War, there was a strong push to expand airline travel and make it more accessible. A key component of that was the development of short-range airliners, which would open up a larger portion of the population to air travel. In Britain, one of the most popular aircraft for this task was the Vickers Viking, which saw extensive service with most of the British airlines at the time. The success in the airliner role quickly drew the attention of the RAF, and the VC.1 Viking was born. The Viking also became a popular transport aircraft for other air forces around the world. The success of the Viking led the RAF to request an improved transport version to replace their ageing Dakota fleet, which resulted in the Valetta, and both types were popular in the immediate post-war period.
The need for a more universal transport and training aircraft led to the development of the Varsity. The Vickers Varsity clearly shows its lineage to the Viking, but featured better, more powerful engines, tricycle landing gear, and a ventral pannier that allowed for bombardier training. The Varsity remained in service for quite some time, until turboprop and jet aircraft took over its roles in the 1970s.
As usual in the Warpaint series, this title covers the developmental history of all three Vickers aircraft, followed by an overview of their operational history, both in British service and internationally. Complementing the written text are plenty of photos of all three types showing them in service as well as in detail. Over forty color profile illustrations show many of the RAF and international schemes worn. For those looking for exotic schemes or complex camouflages, look elsewhere as these profiles truly highlight the rather uniform look of the Viking, Valetta, and Varsity.
My thanks to Guideline Publications for the review copy. Visit their website for more information and to order this title or others in the Warpaint series.