The Canadian Vickers Vancouver was a Canadian transport/patrol flying boat of the 1930s built by

Canadian Vickers Canadian Vickers Limited was an aircraft and shipbuilding company that operated in Canada during the early part of the 20th century until 1944. A subsidiary of Vickers Limited, it built its own aircraft designs as well as others under licence. ...

. It was a twin-engine, equal-span biplane. The hull was of metal and the rest of the structure of fabric-covered wood.

Development

The Vancouver was developed as a replacement for the

Varuna Varuna (; sa, वरुण, , Malay: ''Baruna'') is a Vedic deity associated initially with the sky, later also with the seas as well as Ṛta (justice) and Satya (truth). He is found in the oldest layer of Vedic literature of Hinduism, such ...

in response to a

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

requirement for a flying boat to transport men and equipment to forest fires. The main difference from the Varuna was a duralumin hull and more powerful engines. The two flight crew were located in two tandem open cockpits, forward of the wing. The main cabin could accommodate a firefighting team of six men and all the required equipment. Five aircraft were delivered to the

, one was later converted into a coastal patrol aircraft.

Operational history

In the mid-1930s, the Vancouvers were modified as coastal patrol aircraft by the installation of machine guns and bombs. After the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, Vancouvers served with 4 Squadron, RCAF at Jericho Beach Air Station until withdrawn from service in 1940. After a brief period of service in training duties, they were finally withdrawn and struck off in 1940. None of the aircraft saw service after 1940, one private offer to acquire was denied.

Variants

''Data from:''Canadian Aircraft since 1909 * Vancouver I – prototype with Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV engines, one built. * Vancouver IA – designation of prototype after installation of Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC engines. * Vancouver II – production transport version with Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC (three aircraft) or

Wright J-6 Whirlwind The Wright Whirlwind was a family of air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by Wright Aeronautical (originally an independent company, later a division of Curtiss-Wright). The family began with nine-cylinder engines, and later expanded to inc ...

(two aircraft) engines, five built. * Vancouver IIS/S – conversion of three Lynx-powered Vancouver IIs to "service standard" with three Lewis gun cockpits for coastal patrol, powered by Armstrong Siddeley Serval IV engines. * Vancouver IIS/W – "service standard" conversion of two

powered Vancouver IIs.

Operator

** No. 4 Squadron RCAF 1939-1940

Specifications (Vancouver IIS/W)

References

{{Aircraft manufactured in Canada 1920s Canadian patrol aircraft

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...