Canadian Nose Art and the Vickers Wellington “Wimpy”

 

The Vickers Wellington “Wimpy” bomber was one of the most successful combat aircraft ever built. The prototype was first flown on 15 June 1936, with the last of the 11,641 built delivered in October 1945. Eleven of the RCAF’s fifteen World War Two overseas squadrons flew the Wellington at one period or another, but only one Canadian squadron flew the obscure Merlin-engined Wellington Mk. II.

 

The prototype Mark II [L4250] first flew on 3 March 1939, powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin X liquid cooled inline engine. A total of 585 Merlin Wimpy aircraft were produced, and some fifty served with No. 405 [Vancouver] Squadron, from May 1941 to April 1942.

No. 405 [Vancouver] Squadron became the first RCAF bomber squadron to serve overseas, formed at Driffield, Yorkshire, on 23 April 1941. Twelve new Wellington Mk. II aircraft were received and the squadron devoted itself to training for the next six weeks. In the early hours of 4 June 1941, a German intruder attack took its toll on two squadron aircraft. Wellington W5491 was damaged and W5487 was completely destroyed by fire. On 12 June 1941, five crews were considered operational, and they were scheduled to take part in the first operation, against the marshalling yards at Schwerrte, near Dortmund, Germany. W5537 failed to start and W5484 developed engine trouble and returned to base. The remaining three aircraft carried out a successful attack and returned to base. In the next ten months the squadron flew over 500 sorties, with the 86th operation completed on 16 April 1942, to Hamburg, Germany. It was the last operation the Wimpy would fly in No. 405 Squadron, as they were now replaced with Halifax Mk. II aircraft. The rugged Wellington Mk. II’s had served the Canadians well, only twenty were lost to enemy action.

No 405 [Vancouver] Squadron became the first RCAF bomber squadron overseas, carried out the first RCAF bombing operation, flew the first RCAF four-engine heavy bomber operation on 30/31 May 1942, and were the only RCAF pathfinder squadron. 

 No 405 Squadron was also the first RCAF Squadron to paint “Canadian” Nose Art on Bomber aircraft, [Wellington Mk II., Wimpey].

Nose Art painted on unknown “Wimpy” Mark II. bomber. No. 405 Squadron 1941.

Mr. Nose Art replica.