Wellington Mk Ic/L

Wellington Mk Ic/L

Wellington Mk Ic

Wellington Mk III

Wellington Mk Ic/L

Wellington Mk Ic

Wellington Mk III

Britain

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.7	2.7	3.0

Class:

Bomber

Frontline bomber

Torpedo bomber

Research:5 600

Purchase:22 000

Show in game

This page is about the British bomber Wellington Mk Ic/L. For other uses, see Wellington (Family).

Description

The Wellington Mk Ic /Late is a rank II British bomber with a battle rating of 2.7 (AB/RB) and 3.0 (SB). This aircraft has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

General info

Flight Performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 4,572 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
366	352	6500	36.0	37.2	4.2	4.1	877
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 4,572 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
391	378	6500	34.1	35.0	6.5	5.3	877

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flaps (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
		355	~5	~3

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 275	< 275	< 310	> 320

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
900 m	1,005 hp	1,005 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,920 m	890 hp	890 hp

Survivability and armour

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Armaments

Suspended armament

The Wellington Mk Ic/L can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 10 x 250 lb G.P. 250 lb Mk.IV bombs (2,500 lb total)
• 18 x 250 lb G.P. 250 lb Mk.IV bombs (4,500 lb total)
• 9 x 500 lb G.P. 500 lb Mk.IV bombs (4,500 lb total)
• 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs + 6 x 250 lb G.P. 250 lb Mk.IV bombs (3,500 lb total)
• 2 x 18 inch Mark XII torpedoes
• 1 x 4,000 lb H.C. 4,000 lb Mk.II bomb (4,000 lb total)

Defensive armament

The Wellington Mk Ic/L is defended by:

• 2 x 7.7 mm Browning .303 machine guns, nose turret (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
• 2 x 7.7 mm Browning .303 machine guns, rear turret (2,000 rpg = 4,000 total)
• 1 x 7.7 mm Browning .303 machine gun, 2 x side turrets (600 rpg)

Usage in battles

As with all bombers, crew training with at least "Expert Qualification" is important for profitable missions.

Both the UK Wellington and German Mk I's ("Jelly Welly") are identical, the only difference being the UK Mk.1c/Late model has its side turrets slightly behind the wings instead of above them.

Tactics

In AB the winning tactic is to climb high and do base bombing with 500’s "from orbit"; it helps to have escorts.

In RB you start in the air so you have the advantage to trade altitude for airspeed, bomb ground targets, and retreat before ground starting enemy fighters arrive, however, be close to friendlies so they can intercept chasers.

Counter-tactics

If you are attacking a Wellington, focus on its engines, they are relatively easy to set on fire. While you should not worry too much about the turrets, do not hang around either, as any connection could be dangerous.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Combined	Controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Turret 7 mm	TC mk.I
II		Compressor	Airframe		LBC mk.I
III	Wings repair	Engine		New 7 mm MGs (turret)	SBC mk.I
IV		Engine injection	Cover		MBC mk.I

The default bomb load is a meagre 10 x 250 lb (117 kg) so upgrading to 18 x 250 or 9 x 500 pounders (500 lb (226 kg)) should be task number one. In order: unlock the Turret 7 mm ammo first, then the TC mk.I (torpedo) rack, and then the LBC mk.I. Unlocking the 7 mm ammo gives access to the Universal AP-I belt as one works up to the bomb racks for 18 x 250 lb or 9 x 500 lb. After that, you can pursue your choice of upgrades.

Upgrades to the turret should also be considered. The different belts do not have a considerable effect, but the upgraded turrets allow for a longer rate of fire. Very important for the small rifle calibre machine guns.

However, speed and climb rate is also a necessity and the unlocks help the sluggish Wellington a lot. The decision should depend on the pilots flying style. When rushing in better armament will help in the retreat, but the better performance will aid even more to get to friendly zones.

The sneaky approach, on the other hand, relies less on speed, but on surviving the random combat encounters. Turret upgrades are the way to go for this playstyle.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent payload
• Versatile payload options
• Durable

Cons:

• Defensive turrets are easy to take out
• Defensive armament is poor
• Slow speed

History

Performance-wise, the Wellington was not notably remarkable, its strength lay on the inside. Devised by one of the greatest innovative thinkers in history, Sir Barnes Neville Wallis devised a geodesic structure resulting in an exceptionally strong airframe. Together with Reginald Kirshaw "Rex" Pierson, they designed their record making "Vickers Wellesley" opening the way for the "Wellington" and larger "Warwick".

With high aspect ratio wing and spacious fuselage, it proved capable of handling a myriad of missions including early airborne radar and robust enough to absorb severe damage and fly home. Although the bomb bay configuration limited bomb size its payload was slightly more than the Heinkel He-111H-3 and with greater range. It is also one of the first aircraft to have a powered turret in the extreme tail with a very wide arc; however, it still was inadequate to defend itself against attacking fighters and early models lacked self-sealing fuel tanks.

Still, this aircraft was admired by crews and affectionately called "Wimpy" after Popeye’s hamburger loving friend and sidekick who's full name is J. Wellington Wimpy. Over 11,000 made it equipped many RAF squadrons including those comprised of foreign crews like the Polish (4 squadrons), New Zealand (No. 75), and Czech (No, 311) one of which was captured by Germans who used it for intelligence and training. "Viking", a passenger transport variant, became the world's first pure jet transport prototype aircraft in 1948.

In-game description

In May 1940, the Vickers Wellington bomber was included in the list of aircraft declared a high priority by Great Britain's Ministry of Aircraft Production. The Wellington was built around Barnes Wallis’ geodetic structure concept, maximising airframe strength for minimum weight. Powered by two Bristol Pegasus engines, the Wellington was first test flown in May 1936 and entered service with RAF Bomber Command in 1938. Full-scale production of the Mk.IC (Type 415) model started in April 1940; the most numerous of the Mk.Is, the Mk.IC differed from previous variants by replacing the ventral turret with guns fitted to the aircraft’s beams. In place of the Frazer-Nash FN-25 turret, the Mk.IC featured two side blisters consisting of 0.303 inch Vickers Class K machine guns with 483 rounds each (7 flat pan magazines, standard capacity). The Mk.IC bombers of later series were fitted with Colt-Browning Mk.II .303 inch belt-fed machine guns with 600 rounds each. The standard bomb capacity was 4,500 lbs (2,041 kg); this was normally made up of nine 500-lb (227-kg) bombs or two 2,000-lb (907-kg) bombs. A special model, the Type 423, was based on the Wellington Mk.IC; it was able to deliver one 4,000-lb (1,816-kg) extra-heavy Cookie Mk.I or Mk.II bomb to the target. To accomplish this, the central bomb bay doors were removed and the bomb bay itself was modified. The defensive armament remained the same.

On the night of July 7th 1941, Sgt James Ward became the only Wellington crewman to win a Victoria Cross when his Mk.IC was hit by a German night fighter and its starboard engine set on fire. With a rope attached to him, Ward crawled out onto the wing and tearing holes in the aircraft’s fabric for hand holds, reached the fire to extinguish it.

The Wellington served not only as a bomber, it was also modified for use in the maritime role for RAF Coastal Command. In January 1941, the Mk.IC began to be used as an anti-submarine patrol aircraft, although no design changes were made. In December 1941, the first torpedo bomber conversions were made.

The Wellington Mk.IC (TB) torpedo bomber was identical to the Mk.IC in terms of its engines and defensive armament but could carry up to two Mk.XII torpedoes.

The first special anti-submarine model designed for the RAF Coastal Command was the Type 428 Wellington GR Mk.VIII (TB). Its structure had the airframe of the later Mk.IC series. The GR Mk.VIII (TB) reconnaissance/torpedo bomber began production in the spring of 1942 in three versions: one version with radar, one version with a retractable searchlight (in place of a nose turret), and the last variant developed as a long range reconnaissance aircraft with extra fuel tanks installed in the bomb bay. All three, starting with the 66th production aircraft, were equipped with the same torpedo mount as the Mk.IC (TB) model.

The Wellington torpedo bombers were used for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea at the end of December 1941; anti-submarine models began to patrol the North Sea in May 1942. The first German submarine destroyed by these aircraft was sunk on July 6, 1942. 2,547 Mk.IC aircraft were produced, including 138 Mk.IC (TB) torpedo bombers and 271 GR Mk.VIII (TB) torpedo bombers.

Media

The Shooting Range #6 - Pages of History section at 00:40 discusses the Vickers Wellington.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.