This illustrated study charts the development and combat history of
the Vickers Wellington units, the mainstay of the RAF heavy bomber force
during the first half of World War II.
The Vickers Wellington was one of very few aircraft types to have been
in production and frontline service throughout World War II, and more
than 10,000 Wellingtons were built in the period. They took part in the
first RAF bombing mission of the conflict when, on September 4, 1939, 14
examples from Nos 9 and 149 Sqns undertook a daring daylight attack on
the Kiel Canal. However, after suffering high losses on follow-up raids,
Wellingtons were withdrawn from daytime missions and began to operate at
night from May 1940. They subsequently took part in raids against the
Italian port city of Genoa in July 1940, and against Berlin the
following month, followed by key missions in the "Battle of the Barges"
in September and October, as the RAF targeted Germany's invasion fleet
assembled in French Channel ports. When RAF's strike force expanded the
next year following the introduction of the improved Wellington II, the
21 squadrons equipped with the Vickers aircraft, which included Polish-,
Canadian-, and Australian-manned units, formed the backbone of the
Bomber Command night bombing force. Over the next two years Wellingtons
participated in all the major operations by Bomber Command, including
the daylight raid against German battleships in Brest harbor in July
1942 and the first three "Thousand Bomber" raids in the summer of 1942.
This illustrated study explores the design, development, and deployment
of the Vickers-Wellington type, charting its role in World War II from
its earliest missions to its use in training after its withdrawal from
frontline bomber missions in 1943. The text is supported by stunning
full-color artwork.
