Editing Vickers Vimy (section)

=== Production ===

Since the performance of the first prototype was satisfactory it was decided to start production before the evaluation of either of the other prototypes.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=4}} On 26 March 1918 the first production contract, for 150 aircraft, was issued; these were built at Vickers' works in [[Crayford]] in the [[London Borough of Bexley|Bexley]]. Production of the type by additional manufacturers was envisaged early on; in May 1918 follow-up contracts were issued to [[Clayton & Shuttleworth]], [[Morgan & Co]], and the [[Royal Aircraft Establishment]] (RAE), in addition to a separate production line at Vickers' [[Weybridge]] complex.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|pages=4–5, 7}} At one point over 1,000 aircraft had been ordered under wartime contracts. The type had received the official name of ''Vimy'', after the [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]].{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=5}}

By the end of 1918 a total of 13 aircraft had been completed by Vickers; 7 at Crayford and 6 at Weybridge.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=7}} Production continued after the signing of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]], which led to Vickers ultimately completing 112 aircraft under wartime contracts. The majority, if not all, of Vimys ordered from Morgan & Co were completed, while [[Westland Aircraft]] manufactured 25 of the 75 units that they were contracted for.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=7}} The numbers produced by the RAE are obscured by changes in serial number allocation and the apparent adoption of a piecemeal approach to manufacturing, which came into effect shortly after the end of the war; in February 1920, the RAE completed their final Vimy.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|pages=7–8}}

Production aircraft used several different types of engines, leading to various mark numbers being applied to the Vimy to distinguish between the emerging subtypes.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=5}} The use of different engines was often because of availability; relatively few engines from [[Rolls-Royce Limited]] were used in the Vimy during 1918 owing to low output levels from that manufacturer, while other manufacturers also struggled to keep up with engine demand that year. At one point, there was considerable enthusiasm for powering the Vimy with American [[Liberty L-12]] engines, because of their plentiful supply at the time, but all orders for the Liberty-equipped Vimy were terminated in January 1919 and no examples were ever completed.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=5}} The [[Siddeley Puma|BHP Puma]] was also intended for use on the Vimy, but it was cancelled without any aircraft being fitted with the engine.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=5}}

Use of the Vimy extended beyond its original use as a bomber. A model with greater internal space was developed, known as the ''Vimy Commercial'' within the civil market.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=12}} It saw service with the RAF; known as the [[Vickers Vernon]], it became the first dedicated troop transport to be operated by the service. The Vimy was also used as an [[air ambulance]] for transporting wounded troops to medical facilities, while some examples were configured to perform record-breaking long-distance flights.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=12}} From 1923 to 1925 limited production batches of the Vimy were manufactured by Vickers. Between 1923 and 1931, at least another 43 early production aircraft were reconditioned to extend their service lives; at least one Vimy was reconditioned four times.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=9}}

By October 1918 only three aircraft had been delivered to the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF), one of which had been deployed to France for use by the [[Independent Air Force]]. It had been envisioned that the Vimy would be able to conduct long-range bombing missions into Germany, having the ability to reach [[Berlin]] from bases in France, but the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]] brought an end to the conflict before the Vimy could be used on any offensive operations.{{sfn|Thetford|1992|page=32}}{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=7}} After the war, the RAF rapidly contracted in size, which slowed the introduction of the Vimy.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=8}} The Vimy only reached full service status in July 1919 when it entered service with [[No. 58 Squadron RAF|58 Squadron]] in Egypt, replacing the older Handley Page 0/400.{{sfn|Andrews|Morgan|1988|page=90}}