Vickers Ltd

Steel makers, armaments and engineering manufacturers founded in Sheffield in 1828 by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor.

In 1863 the company moved to a new site in Sheffield on the River Don in Brightside. The company went public in 1867 as Vickers, Sons & Company and gradually acquired more businesses.

In 1911, the company name was changed to Vickers Ltd. The company expanded into aircraft manufacture with the formation of Vickers Ltd (Aviation Department).

In 1927, Vickers merged their armaments, shipbuilding and heavy engineering activities with Armstrong Whitworth to form Vickers-Armstrong Limited.

Related Documents

Typed list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of all staff in the Research & Development Department of Vickers (Aviation) Ltd. as at 9 May 1952

Vickers (Aviation) Ltd. research and development staff list 1952
29 blueprint plates related to the design of duralumin struts and girders. Marked II - Plates. Housed in the original file. The plates depict: Strut curves for plain angles Strut curves for lipped angles Strut curves for plain channels Strut curves for lipped channels Method of failure of girder members The stress distribution in a braced girder Girder bracing Details of test girders Experiments on complete girders in compression Details of 18L type transverse girders "Armstrong" zeppelin type girder Zeppelin L-33 keel corridor girder Zeppelin main longitudinal girder Joint F of main transverse frame Variation of weight of girder for a given crippling load with L/K of complete girder Variation of weight of girder for a given crippling load with S/t of angle member Variation in the weight of different types of box girders, for a given crippling load with l/k Strengths of "A" girders Strengths of "B" girders Variation of weight of girder per 1 ton of crippling load with L/K of complete girder Variation of weight per 1 ton crippling load with l/k of individual channels Strengths of "D" type girders Strengths of "C" type girders Strengths of "E" type girders Strengths of "F" type girders Sketch of "short" wooden girder Experimental results of test on plain channels Experimental results of test on plain angles

Design of duralumin airship girders (Plates)
Scale drawings of airships with mooring masts produced by Vickers as used in the Vickers aircraft catalogue 1919/1920. The drawings show: Rigid Type I – Keel Girder System Rigid Type II – Hull Girder System Rigid Type III – Central Girder System Rigid Type IV – Axial Boom Type Semi-rigid Type I – Keel Suspension Girder System (Siemens Schuckert System) Semi-rigid Type I – Keel Suspension Girder System (Lebaudy System) Semi-rigid Type II – Internal Girder System – Forlanini Semi-rigid Type III – Jointed Suspension Girder System – Italian “M” & “P” Ships Non-rigid Type I – Suspension Patch System Non-rigid Type II – Parseval Trajectory Band System Non-rigid Type III – Astra Torres Internal Rigging System Non-rigid Type IV – Suspended Girder System 3,500,000 CBC FT Passenger & Mail Carrying Airship Passenger Accommodation Proposed Aerodrome with Mooring Tower Details of Masthead Normal Bending Moment & Shearing Force Diagram, with Envelope of Deflated Conditions Commercial Ship Accommodating 30 Passengers Diagram Shewing Gas Pressures

Drawings of airships with mooring masts
The original file was marked Mr Wallis and titled ‘Drawing office data sheets’. Contains blueprints of specifications for materials to be used in airship construction. Includes a typed alphabetical index which lists the subject and number of each data sheet. There are 29 data sheets produced by the Airship Guarantee Co Ltd, arranged in reverse chronological order, and 72 data sheets produced by the Airship Drawing Office of Vickers Ltd, arranged in reverse chronological order. Also includes a printed pamphlet entitled ‘Vickers Duralumin – rolled and drawing sections’

Drawing office data sheets
Scale drawings of rigid airships, semi-rigid airships, non-rigid airships and mooring masts produced by Vickers, housed in original file. The drawings show: H.M.A. R9 H.M.A. R23 H.M.A. R80 Arrangement of H.M.A. 6 and 7 65,000 cubic foot Sea Scout Type Stream lined kite balloons for observation purposes from 50,000 cubic feet 100,000 cubic foot Sea Scout Type 360,000 cubic foot Parseval Type – Commercial ship accommodating 30 passengers 360,000 cubic foot Parseval Type – for naval patrol service or commercial purposes carrying passengers and mails 500,000 cubic foot Parseval Type – for naval patrol service of commercial purposes carrying passengers and mails 1,250,000 cubic foot passenger & mail-carrying ship Mooring masts for non-rigid airships, manufactured under patent no. 125003/19 Details of aerodrome with mooring tower Details of masthead Rigid airship 3,500,000 cubic foot 3,500,000 cubic foot passenger & mail carrying airships H.M.A. R33

Drawings of rigid airships, semi-rigid airships, non-rigid airships and mooring masts
28 page report on the speed and head resistance of airships and six blueprint graphs. Housed in the original file

Speed and air resistance of airships
16 page leaflet advertising Vickers airships and balloons. Includes seven pages of specifications for the various rigid airships, non-rigid airships, kite balloons, spherical balloons and aircraft accessories (including mooring masts) offered by Vickers. These are accompanied by ten illustrated plate drawings. Please note this is the English version of BNW/B/7/14

Airships and balloons catalogue
Six page document outlining metal aeroplane construction carried out by Vickers and seven photographs depicting a sample spar for "Avro" wings; a sample spar for "Handley-Page" machines; a complete set of "Duralumin Avro" wings; a duralumin "Avro" wing; a sample spar for Vickers "Vimy" bomber; the straightness of spars and leading edge and a general view after test. Housed in the original file

Metal aeroplane construction July 1919
13 page specification of particulars regarding the R-80 design. Numbered item 7 on Barnes Wallis' specifications index. Housed in the original file

Particulars regarding R-80 design
22 page draft report on the possibilities of water recovery in airships and four blueprint figures related to water recovery. Housed in original file, which is entitled 'Notes on water recovery. Draft'

Notes on water recovery
58 page report investigating the design of duralumin girders suitable for airship work. Marked I - Data. Housed in the original file

Design of duralumin airship girders (Plates)

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