Based on the Vickers Vimy, the Virginia was a twin engined heavy bomber operated by the Royal Air Force from 1924 until 1938. It continued in second line roles until 1941 with the Parachute Test Flight at Henlow.
Virginias were often converted to improved versions, while retaining the original serial number. Hence the same serial number can often be represented by several versions.
Type 57 Virginia Mk I Initial prototype for the RAF, powered by two 450 hp (340 kW) Napier Lion piston engines. One prototype only. Type 96 Virginia Mk I The first type 57 Virginia prototype was re-engined with two 650 hp (490 kW) Rolls-Royce Condor piston engines. One prototype only. Type 115 Virginia Mk VIII The Type 96 Virginia prototype was fitted with a lengthened fuselage, new forward fuselage and gun positions. One prototype only. Type 129 Virginia Mk VII The Type 115 Virginia was converted into the Virginia VII prototype. One prototype only. Type 76 Virginia Mk II Second Virginia prototype, powered by two Napier lion piston engines, fitted with lengthened nose. One built.
Vickers Virginia Prototype J6856Vickers Virginia prototype. J6856Vickers Virginia prototype. J6856Vickers Virginia prototype. J6856Prototype Virginia Protype 2Vickers Virginia Mk .I J7438 outside the hangars at Brooklands.Prototype Virginia Mk.I (J6856)
Vickers Virginia Mk III
Type 79 Virginia Mk III Twin-engined heavy night bomber biplane for the RAF, powered by two 468 hp (349 kW) Napier Lion II piston engines, equipped with dual controls. Six built.
Vickers Virginia Mk.IIIVickers Virginia Mk.IIIVickers Virginia Mk.IIIVickers Virginia Mk.III
Vickers Virginia Mk IV
Type 99 Virginia Mk IV Twin-engined heavy night-bomber biplane. Similar to the Virginia Mk II, but with additional equipment.
Vickers Virginia Mk.IVVickers Virginia Mk.IV J7436
Vickers Virginia Mk V
Type 100 Virginia Mk V Twin-engined heavy night-bomber biplane, equipped with a third (central) rudder in the tail unit. 22 built.
Vickers Virginia Mk.V J7437Vickers Virginia Mk VVickers Virginia Mk VVickers Virginia Mk.V
Vickers Virginia Mk VI
Type 108 Virginia Mk VI Twin-engined heavy night-bomber biplane. Introduced revisions in wing folding and rigging. 25 built.
Vickers Virginia Mk.VIVickers Virginia Mk.VI Prototype J7425Vickers Virginia Mk.VIVickers Virginia Mk.VI J7438
Vickers Virginia Mk VII
Type 112 Virginia Mk VII Twin-engined heavy night-bomber biplane. Redesigned nose, lengthened rear fuselage and sweepback wings. 11 built and 38 conversions.
Vickers Virginia Mk.VIIs of 7 Squadron, note J6856 with ‘fighting tops’ second from right.Vickers Virginia Mk.VIIVickers Virginia Mk.VIIVickers Virginia Mk.VIIVickers Virginia J6856 converted into a Mk VII, with ‘fighting tops’ for rear defence.
Vickers Virginia Mk VIII
Type 115 Virginia Mk VIII The Type 96 Virginia prototype was fitted with a lengthened fuselage, new forward fuselage and gun positions. One prototype only.
Vickers Virginia Mk.VIII of 7 Squadron ‘B’ Flight.The sole Virginia Mk VIII, J6856, fitted with Rolls-Royce Condors and “fighting tops” on the wing trailing edge only.
Vickers Virginia Mk IX
Type 128 Virginia Mk IX Twin-engined heavy night-bomber biplane. Introduced automatic slats, wheel breaks and a tail gunner’s position. Eight built and 27 conversions
Vickers Virginia Mk. VII heavy bomber biplane. Serial number J 8236. Converted to Mk. IX and temporarily fitted with French Jupiters geared Gnome-Rhone enginesVickers Virginia Mk.IX J8236, fitted with geared Gnome-Rhone Jupiter engines, July 1928. Built originally as a Mk VIIVickers Virginia Mk.IX J7716 flew with Nos 7, 58 and 9 Sqns and was originally built as a Mk VI.Vickers Virginia Mk.IX J7715, showing the newly-introduced tail turret.Vickers Virginia Mk.IX J7715 carrying a full under wing load of eight bombs – nine more could be carried internally.
Vickers Virginia Mk X
Type 139 Virginia Mk X Twin-engined heavy night-bomber biplane. Incorporated an all-metal structure. 50 built and 53 conversions.
Vickers Virginia Mk.XVickers Virginia X J7130 fitted with Bristol Pegasus radials, circa 1934. Note the automatic slats fitted to the wings.Vickers Virginia Mk.Xs of 58 Sqn, with K2676 in the foreground. It was finally struck off RAF charge in 1938.Vickers Virginia Mk.X warming up its Lion engines at night on April 7, 1932 at RAF Worthy DownVickers Virginia Mk.X of 58 Squadron, RAFVickers Virginia Mk.X of 9 Squadron on its way to the RAF Pageant at Hendon, 1935.Vickers Virginia Mk.X J7711 of 9 Sqn. In mid-1934Vickers Virginia Mk.X J7130, used for Bristol Pegasus engine testing, probably in connection with the Vickers Valentia.Vickers Virginia Mk.X J7421Vickers Virginia Mk.X J7421Vickers Virginia Mk.X ‘Isle of Thanet’ of 500 (Kent) Squadron at Mauston.Line-up of Vickers Virginia Mk.Xs of 502 (Ulster) Squadron at RAF Aldergrove in November 1933
Unidentified Vickers Virginias
Vickers VirginiaVickers Virginia J7437Vickers VirginiaVickers Virginia J8910Vickers Virginia J7421Vickers VirginiaVickers VirginiaVickers Virginia at DuxfordVickers Virginia J7130 originally built as a Mk.III and is shown here as an all metal Mk.XThree Vickers Virginias of No.7 (Bomber) Squadron in formationVickers Virginia J7438 of 500 Sqn was built as a Mk V, became a VI in 1925, a Mk VII in 1927, a Mk IX later the same year and in 1930 was upgraded to Mk XJ7427, built as a Virginia Mk V, after conversion to Mk VII with lengthened fuselage, sweptback wings and reprofiled front fuselage.Vickers VirginiaVickers VirginiaVickers VirginiaVickers Virginia
Under Construction
Vickers Virginia, under construction.
Undertaking Trials
Vickers Virginia in flight. What looks like a hose for inflight refuelling is hanging down from the top of the photographTwo Vickers Virginias trialing inflight refuelingTrials underway using Vickers Virginia Mk.IX J8236 into the use of land catapults for launching heavily-laden bombers.Parachute training from a Virginia X at RAF Henlow.
Detail
Vickers Virginia noseVickers Virginia noseVickers Virginia engineVickers Virginia bomb aimerThe machine gunner in a nose of a Vickers VirginiaVickers Virginia turretVickers Virginia rear turretVickers Virginia turret and trolly jackVickers Virginia rear undercarriage trollyVickers Virginia undercarriageVickers Virginia under fuselage bombsVickers Virginia bombsVickers Virginia wing bracing detailVickers Virginia wing bracing detailVickers Virginia wing bracing detailVickers Virginia wing bracing detailVickers Virginia wing bracing detail
