Vickers Warwick

Warwick
Warwick B/ASR Mk.I
General information
Type	Maritime reconnaissance, air-sea rescue, transport
Manufacturer	Vickers-Armstrongs
Status	Retired
Primary users	Royal Air Force South African Air Force Polish Air Force in exile BOAC
Number built	846[1]
History
First flight	13 August 1939
Developed from	Vickers B.9/32

The Vickers Warwick was a British twin-engined bomber aircraft developed and operated during the Second World War that was primarily used in other roles. In line with the naming convention followed by other RAF heavy bombers of the era, it was named after a British city or town, in this case Warwick. The Warwick was the largest British twin-engined aircraft to see use during the Second World War.^[2]

The Warwick was designed and manufactured by Vickers-Armstrongs during the late 1930s. It was intended to serve as a larger counterpart to the Vickers Wellington bomber. The two aircraft share similar construction and design principles but development of the Warwick was delayed by a lack of suitable engines. Its first flight was on 13 August 1939 but delays to its intended powerplant and by the time adequate engines were available, it was obsolete.^[3]

The Warwick entered production during 1942 and squadron service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). Barely a dozen aircraft were built as bombers.^[4] The type was used by RAF Transport Command as a transport, and by RAF Coastal Command as an air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The Warwick was also operated by the Polish Air Forces in exile in Great Britain and the South African Air Force. A civil operator, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), also operated a handful of transport Warwicks.