Wellington registrations

[Andy Jordan]

Hello, my name is Andy Jordan and I'm a volunteer at Brooklands museum in Surrey, home of R Robert, one of the only two complete Wellington bombers surviving. I have recently been doing a lot of research into the Wellington and I hope I can shed some light on the issue of serial numbers. The go to book is Vickers aircraft since 1908, Andrews and Morgan I think, this lists every Vickers aircraft by registration. You will find that there were so many conversions that were subsequently reregistered to their new specification that it created real confusion! For example, MkI and MkIa's converted to DWI MkI and DWI MkII, then just look at the numbers of marks, including MkX, conversions to DWI ASV MkVIII? The family tree of the Wellington is more like a bramble bush! Many of the numbers of conversions are unknown but from my understanding the total number of Wellingtons built was 11,461, including the renamed prototype Crecy. I hope this helps?

 

[Wurger]

Welocme to the site.

 

[Crimea_River]

Welcome aboard and thanks for the tip on the book. The Wimpy is under-represented in museums so any juicy info you can throw at us would be grear.

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Interesting, a good chance to compare results, there was a discussion here a while ago about the Wellington Serials, Vickers Wellington serial numbers the attached spreadsheet is the current results.

MAP = Ministry of Aircraft Production. LL Leigh Light, Torp Torpedo, GR General Reconnaissance.
References Form 78 cards: https://www.lancasterbombers.net/form-78-aircraft-movement-cards/ Vickers Aircraft, MAP 1945 Statistical Review, British National Archives files AIR 8/278, 19/524, AVIA 10/315, AVIA 46/146, AVIA 49/229, The MAP Monthly Statistical Bulletins held by the RAF Air Historical Branch, The National Aerospace Library at Farnborough, Ministry of Supply report, Rate of attainment of peak output after first delivery, report no 5. 11/313. RAF Contract cards and Serial Registers from the RAF Museum.

The greatest complication to the British figures is they do not usually report experimental types, these are mainly the known prototypes but also include other airframes diverted on what were called CRD (Controller of Research and Development) contracts. In addition the treatment of aircraft that crashed during testing was very case specific, sometimes they were counted, at other times they were not, the decision could take quite a while and could even be reversed. If the review decided the aircraft was to be counted the cumulative totals would be adjusted but usually not the relevant monthly report.

It is not possible to say exactly which Wellington experimental types etc. were missed by the production reports, the Chester ones are reasonably obvious, but Weybridge has at least 28 aircraft sent to experimental work by January 1942. Furthermore it is possible the lack of official monthly figures by mark for 1941 is hiding aircraft that were initially not counted but did made the MAP grand totals, which are missing 2 Weybridge mk I and 4 mk Ic. The Wellingtons ordered by the RNZAF are reported as exported, despite them never leaving the country. There is room for debate about whether the production aircraft that became prototypes for later versions were conversions or actually first flew as prototypes, 2 mark I became a mark II and a mark II prototype, 4 mark Ic became 1 mark II prototype, 1 mark III and 2 mark V prototypes.

The contract cards make it clear most of the missing aircraft are early, by the end of 1940. The Mark VIII (no Leigh Light, no Torpedo) no RAF squadron use of Mk VIII recorded before January 1941. MAP totals only have LL and torpedo versions. Vickers a/c says 65 VIII in addition to LL and torp. RAF serials has 28 mark VIII serials in addition to those needed for LL and torp. It appears the first 60 or so mark VIII were considered GR Ic.

Next comes the system needed to grow to cope with expansion to handle multiple marks of aircraft produced in parallel from multiple factories, a transition that took until 1942 to complete. The breakdowns by factory and mark late 1940 to June 1941 are largely based on contract and form 78 cards. From July 1941 to January 1942 by factory figures are official but mark breakdown from contract and form 78 cards, after that it is all official figures. With amendments.

Only the serials list includes the B.9/32 prototype K4049. First flight of first production Wellington L4212 on 23 December 1937.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Geoffrey

 

[Snautzer01]

Good show Geoffrey

 

[Alex Smart]

Hello, my name is Andy Jordan and I'm a volunteer at Brooklands museum in Surrey, home of R Robert, one of the only two complete Wellington bombers surviving. I have recently been doing a lot of research into the Wellington and I hope I can shed some light on the issue of serial numbers. The go to book is Vickers aircraft since 1908, Andrews and Morgan I think, this lists every Vickers aircraft by registration. You will find that there were so many conversions that were subsequently reregistered to their new specification that it created real confusion! For example, MkI and MkIa's converted to DWI MkI and DWI MkII, then just look at the numbers of marks, including MkX, conversions to DWI ASV MkVIII? The family tree of the Wellington is more like a bramble bush! Many of the numbers of conversions are unknown but from my understanding the total number of Wellingtons built was 11,461, including the renamed prototype Crecy. I hope this helps?

Hello Andy,
Do you have access to the Air Britain RAF Seral Numbers series of books ? They list all Wellington numbers together with a brief Squadron history. Conversions where known are also noted.
Glad to have you aboard