Some planes just can’t catch a break. Aviation history is littered with aircraft that beat or matched some other aircraft on paper, but in reality, due to market forces, poor circumstances, or just simply bad luck, one falls into obscurity while the other gets well known. So it is with the Vickers Vildebeest.
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| A Vildebeest in flying. (Wikipedia) |
On paper, its specification sheet looks practically identical to that of the Fairey Swordfish. But where the Swordfish won fame and glory flying with the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Navy, the Vildebeest barely manages a small footnote in its battles flown by the RAF and RZNAF in the China-Burma-India theatre during World War II. In fact, in what is an extremely rare occurrence for me, I’d never even heard of the Vildebeest prior to playing Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China.
Operated by two Singapore based RAF squadrons at the start of the Japanese invasion, the obsolete Vildebeests were easy prey for the RJAAF Ki-27s and Ki-43s, particularly without fighter cover. Despite heavy losses, these squadrons attacked Japanese shipping until the last few operating aircraft were retired in March 1942.
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| A Vildebeest drops a torpedo in training. (Wikipedia) |
The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Vildebeests led a somewhat easier life. Used for some shipping attacks, their obsolescence rapidly saw them demoted to somewhat awkard trainers until the RNZAF was able to replace them with Harvards in 1942.
There are two, possibly three Vildebeests/Vincents (Vildebeests converted for use in the Middle East by removing the torpedo gear, adding an auxiliary fuel tank, and a few other minor equipment changes). Both known existing aircraft are under restoration in New Zealand. Unconfirmed rumors suggest that a third airframe may exist somewhere in Spain.
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| Vildebeests undergoing maintenance in the CBI. Note the personnel sitting atop the wings. These were large, three person aircraft, not delicate little aerobatic biplanes. (Wikipedia) |
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