Vulcan

Veteran commander Voroshilov, 1936

Ences at Moscow in 1942 and 1943. He was also a member of the Soviet delegation at the Tehran conference where, during the staff talks, he strongly pressed the Soviet demands for a Second Front. In 1953 he was elected Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. MS.

Vulcan, Avro 698 (Br). Heavy bomber; crew 5. Aerodynamic prototype (Avro 707 scale model) flew September 4 1949; first Vulcan prototype August 30 1952; first production February 4 1955. Vulcan was world’s first operational delta-wing bomber. First deliveries to Service July 1956; first squadrons July-October 1957; nine had Vulcans. Enlarged and developed in service. Five air-refuelled missions to bomb Port Stanley airfield, Falkland Islands, May-June 1982: longest bombing missions ever flown. Production, 136. Four 17,000/20,0001b (7,710/ 9,070kg) s. t. Rolls-Royce (Bristol) Olympus 201/301 engines; max. speed Mach 0.98 (645mph

(l,032kph) at 40,000ft (12,000m)); 21,0001b (9,525kg) bombs (could include a Blue Steel missile).

V-weapons. German, V for Vergel-tungswaffen or “retaliation weapons”. As the Allied invasion of Northern France approached and because of the overwhelming superiority of the Combined Bomber Offensive. Hitler placed great hopes on the introduction of V-weapons.

V-1 was a pilotless aircraft consisting of a 1,8001b (816kg) he bomb with an Argus Tube pulse propulsion unit mounted above it. It was aimed at its target from a launching ramp; it flew at up to 400mph (640kph) generally at between 1,000 and 4,000ft (300-1,200m). It was automatically controlled by magnetic means and its fuel was calculated to expire when the target range was exhausted. It was first used operationally against London on the night of June 12—13 1944. Subsequently some 8,564 were aimed at the same target. About 2,400 got through and killed 6,184 people. Later, more than 8,000 were aimed at Antwerp and over 3,000 at Liege. V-1 was vulnerable to the bombing of its launching sites and to anti-aircraft fire assisted by proximity fuses and fast interceptor fighters. Some were air launched.

V-2 (also known as A-4) was a rocket driven by liquid oxygen and alcohol. It rose to a height of 50 miles (80km), travelled at about 4,000mph (6,500kph) and had a range of about 200 miles (320km). Its nose consisted of a one ton he bomb. Substantially the most advanced vehicle of World War II, there was no defence against it beyond the capture of its launching areas. It was first used operationally against London and Paris on September 8 1944. A total of 1,190 were subsequently aimed at London, killing 2,724 people.

V-3 referred to further projects under development but yet to be introduced at the end of the war. ANF.

German V-2 rocket, captured in 1945

Vyazma-Bryansk, Battle of (1941)

See RUSSIA, invasion of.

Vyborg (Viipuri) see Finland, Russian INVASION OF.

Vyshinsky, Andrei (1883-1954). Russian. Deputy foreign minister of the USSR from 1940; exercised a major influence on Soviet foreign policy during World War II.

Waffen-SS. Fully militarized SS formations formed in 1939 and subsequently totalling some 40 divisions.

Wainwright, Gen Jonathan M

(1883-1953). US. A forceful and popular US Army officer, Wainwright was posted to the Philippines as a major general in 1940. In March 1942, following the Japanese invasion, he took command of the US and Philippine forces when Gen MacArthur was ordered to Australia. With the fall of Bataan in April, Wainwright continued the fight from the island of Corregidor but, despite gallant resistance, he and the survivors of his command were compelled to capitulate on May 6 1942. He spent the next three years as a ROW, experiencing considerable privations until he was freed on August 25 1945. He was present at the formal Japanese surrender aboard the uss Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2 1945 and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on his return home. PJS.