Plastic model kit of a 1930s British medium bomber. The most capable medium bomber of the day was the twin-engined Vickers Wellington, which first flew in 1936 and entered service with RAF Squadron 99 at Mildenhall in October 1938. The production aircraft bore little resemblance to the prototype, and compared to the contemporary medium bombers already in service, the Wellington appeared to be a much more advanced design and an aircraft to be feared by any potential enemy. Its sleek monoplane and heavy defensive armament made the new Wellington one of the most advanced and capable medium bombers in the world. Perhaps the most important feature of the Wellington design was the use of a geodesic construction method developed by the famous British engineer and inventor Barnes Wallis. Duralumin W-beams were used to form a metal lattice structure to which wooden battens were bolted, to which the aircraft's outer skin of doped fabric could then be attached. The resulting fuselage was relatively light but possessed great strength, and although this method of construction was challenging for the companies that produced the Wellington bombers, the inherent strength proved crucial when the aircraft was sent into combat. Numerous RAF Wellingtons were able to survive significant battle damage and brought their crews home, while other bombers would not have been able to do so. 141 parts, length built 273.5 mm / width 364 / height 73.8 mm. BAE SYSTEMS is a registered trademark of BAE Systems plc.
