vickers set up a partnership with the french aircraft manufacturer, société des avions michel wibault to exploit the patented system of all-metal construction developed by michel wibault. this used corrugated light alloy skin panels, and made for easy maintenance and inspection. as part of this partnership, vickers placed an order with wibault for a single wibault 7, re-engined with a bristol jupiter vi radial engine, to act as a prototype for potential licensed production. the wibault 7, and therefore the vickers licensed copy, were single-engine high-wing parasol monoplanes.