When it entered service in 1938, the twin - engined Vickers Wellington began an operational career that spanned the whole of the Second World War. Rugged and reliable, it was operated by Bomber Command, Coastal Command and Transport Command, possessing a level of versatility second to none, serving in almost every theatre of War. By the autumn of 1945 nearly 11,500 had been built, as the last one rolled off the Vickers production lines, the Wimpy as it was affectionately known, had secured its place in history, as one of the truly great aircraft of the Second World War.