Vickers Vanox

The Vickers Vanox was a British biplane bomber design intended as a successor to the Virginia for the Royal Air Force. Although it underwent extensive development it was not successful, and only a single aircraft was built. Vickers conceived a biplane with Bristol Jupiter radial engines and much better performance than the Virginia, initially as a private venture, and it met Air Ministry specification B.19/27 for a Virginia replacement. Of three designs submitted, the Mercury-engined Type 150 was selected and the Ministry funded its construction, later allowing Rolls-Royce F.XIV engines, forerunners of the Kestrel. It flew for the first time on 30 November 1929 as an all-metal two-bay biplane with engines between the wings. Testing showed poor handling, including lateral instability, Dutch roll and flexing of the rear fuselage. After a forced landing it was rebuilt with Kestrel III engines and named Vanox, then the sweepback was reduced, and Pegasus radials gave the Type 195. By 1933 the Handley Page Heyford and Fairey Hendon were already in production.