The twin-engined Vickers Wellington medium bomber was designed against specification B.9/32, with the prototype (K4049) being first flown by chief test pilot Joseph 'Mutt' Summers at Brooklands on 15th June 1936. Designed by Vickers-Armstrongs Chief Designer Rex Pierson, utilising the geodetic construction methods developed by Barnes Wallis in the earlier Vickers Wellesley, the Wellington served with distinction throughout the Second World War, despite eventually being superseded in its primary role by the much larger heavy bombers such as the Avro Lancaster , Handley Page Halifax and Short Stirling.
The 'Wimpy', as the aircraft was was affectionately nicknamed by RAF aircrews, after the portly, hamburger-loving character J. Wellington Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons, bore the brunt of RAF Bomber Command's offensive on Germany. On the night of the 30/31 May 1942 RAF Bomber Command conducted its first 1,000 bomber raid, with the Wellington comprising around 60% of the aircraft involved. The type also served with distinction with Coastal and Overseas Commands throughout the war, on maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine duties.
The robust nature of its revolutionary construction paid dividends in terms of both aircraft and lives saved on night bombing operations and the type was popular with aircrew. One Wellington (LN514) was the subject of a government propaganda film in October 1943, when it was constructed in a record breaking 23 hours 50 minutes at Vickers' Chester (Broughton) Shadow factory.
The Wellington also made a notable contribution post-war to flight testing new turbo-jet and turbo-prop engines, as well as being the basis of the initial design of the Vickers VC1 Viking airliner. The last Vickers Wellington was finally retired by the RAF in March 1953. In total 11,461 Vickers Wellingtons were built at Weybridge (Brooklands), Chester (Broughton) and Blackpool.