PROTOTYPEPROTOTYPEPROTOTYPE VICKERS TYPE 432VICKERS TYPE 432VICKERS TYPE 432
The shell was made in two halves,
joined at the leading and trailing
edges and the fabric-covered
control surfaces were attached to
it. The lobster claw system and the
use of flush riveting gave the wing a
very smooth finish.
The Type 432 had an all-metal
stressed-skin construction. Its
elliptical wings were designed for
low drag while the tail unit looked
very like the Mosquito’s.
By the time construction started,
the 432’s armament had been
reduced to six 20mm Hispanos
housed in an underbelly fairing.
The second example was intended
to carry weaponry; the guns were
never fitted to the prototype. Rolls-
Royce Merlin 61s were substituted
for the originally intended Griffons.
All work on the second machine,
DZ223, was cancelled on
December 29, 1942. This was
just a few days after the first
prototype, DZ217, had made its
maiden flight.TEETHING TROUBLES
Construction of DZ217, inside
the Vickers experimental hangar
at Foxwarren, to the east of
Brooklands, took up much of- On December 24 test
pilot Flt Lt Douglas ‘Tommy’
Lucke took the Type 432 on its
maiden flight from Farnborough,
Hampshire. After DZ217’s tenth
sortie, it was fitted with new
Westland-type ailerons.
From the very start, aileron
overbalancing and heavy elevators
had been reported. The elevators
were ineffective near the ground;
the inability to get the tail down
making for a much greater landing
distance. Premature stalling of the
wing between the fuselage and
nacelles was slightly improved by
extending the centre section leading
edges by 15in (38cm).
By early July, a new problem
had cropped up. During climbs
to 30,000ft the engines would cut
out between 22,000 and 24,500ft.
Once they had been allowed to
cool, a second attempt to climb
produced similar results. The
aircraft’s rate of climb in general
was very slow; in truth above about23,000ft the engines just would not
run properly.
An examination found that the
cooling systems for the Merlins
were inadequate. The radiator
exit flaps were in front of the
landing flaps, creating very high
temperatures in an ‘engine
on’ approach.
The fuel coolers were to the back of
the engine nacelles, and when these
were in use the all-out level speed fell
by 30mph (48km/h). This resulted
in a decision to fit Mosquito-type
fuel coolers and this alteration was
made in October 1943.The shell was made in two halves,
joined at the leading and trailingthe inability to get the tail down
making for a much greater landing
distance. Premature stalling of the
wing between the fuselage and
nacelles was slightly improved by
extending the centre section leadingBy early July, a new problem
had cropped up. During climbs
to 30,000ft the engines would cut
out between 22,000 and 24,500ft.
Once they had been allowed to
cool, a second attempt to climb
produced similar results. The
aircraft’s rate of climb in general
was very slow; in truth above about23,000ft the engines just would notAn examination found that theAbove
With an employee to
provide scale, a sequence
from a ‘walk-round’
session of DZ217. BAE
SYSTEMS HERITAGERight
The only other known
air-to-air photograph of
DZ217, presumably on
November 11, 1943.Below
Prototype DZ217 under
construction in the
experimental hangar at
Foxwarren. BAE SYSTEMS
HERITAGE102 FLYPAST August 2018