Corgi Aviation Archive Series Diecast Model

Vickers Wellington Mk.I – L7818, James Allen Ward (co-pilot), RAF Feltwell, England, July 7, 1941

1:72 Scale.  Length: 10.75”,  Wingspan: 14.25”


Limited Edition

Having successfully released their bombs over the German city of Munster on the night of July 7th/8th 1941, the crew of Vickers Wellington L7818 set course for their home station at Feltwell and hoped for an uneventful return flight. Those hopes were dashed when co-pilot James Allen Ward noticed a shape stalking their aircraft in the night, a Luftwaffe Bf 110 nightfighter. Before he could warn his pilot, the enemy fighter positioned itself under the Wellington and unleashed a hail of bullets and cannon shells into its fuselage, leaving it damaged and on fire. On seeing the severity of the fire, the pilot instructed Ward to prepare their crew to abandon the aircraft and as a parting, ironic comment in this desperate situation, also said, ‘see what you can do about that damned fire!’ Ward took him at his word, cutting a hole in the bomber’s fuselage and attempting to extinguish the flames using fire extinguishers, however the savage slipstream made these efforts futile. What he did next was quite extraordinary; he crawled through the astrodome hatch on the spine of the bomber and onto the wing of the aircraft.

Clinging to the geodetic framework of the Wellington, Ward slowly made his way to the wing fire and stuffed a canvas sheet into the gaping hole, putting out the fire in the process. Completely exhausted due the slipstream, he was pulled back into the aircraft by his crewmates, who could hardly believe what they had just witnessed. Though still badly damaged, the bomber made it back to a Royal Air Force emergency landing ground. The crew survived this incredible ordeal thanks to the selfless act of bravery performed by Sgt. James Allen Ward.

The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range, medium bomber operated by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries during World War II. The prototype was first flown on June 15, 1936 with the production version entering service with No. 9 Squadron RAF in October 1938. The Wellington was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the war, before being displaced by larger four-engine bombers such as the Avro Lancaster. But, it continued to serve throughout the war in other roles particularly as an anti-submarine aircraft. The Wellington Mark VIII was a conversion of the Mark IC. It was used for reconnaissance, anti-submarine and anti-shipping attack. Vickers produced a total of 11,461 Wellingtons in many versions, the last of which was completed on October 13, 1945.


Corgi is a leading manufacturer of high quality, pre-built, die-cast model airplanes. Every model is crafted with meticulous attention to details, using specifications of the original aircraft. Corgi models are made with diecast metal and some plastic components.

This model of a Vickers Wellington features: