Westland Aircraft Limited
Westland Lysander
Westland Aircraft Limited Westland Lysander
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| Preserved Lysander in all-black special duties scheme | |
| Role | Army co-operation and liaison aircraft |
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| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Westland Aircraft |
| First flight | 15 June 1936 |
| Introduction | June 1938 |
| Retired | 1946 (UK) |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 1,786 |
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History Westland Aircraft Limited
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander is a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft that was used immediately before and during the Second World War.
After becoming obsolete in the army co-operation role, the aircraft's short-field performance enabled clandestine missions using small, improvised airstrips behind enemy lines to place or recover agents, particularly in occupied France with the help of the French Resistance. Royal Air Force army co-operation aircraft were named after mythical or historical military leaders; in this case the Spartan admiral Lysander was chosen.
In August 1941 a new squadron, No. 138 (Special Duties), was formed to undertake missions for the Special Operations Executive to maintain clandestine contact with the French Resistance.[1] Among its aircraft were Lysander Mk.IIIs, which flew over and landed in occupied France. While general supply drops could be left to the rest of No. 138's aircraft, the Lysander could insert and remove agents from the continent or retrieve Allied aircrew who had been shot down over occupied territory and had evaded capture..
Variants
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Operational history
Westland Lysander Mk.III (SD) in overall black camouflage as used for special night missions into occupied France during World War II. Davenport and Petter designed an aircraft to incorporate these features. The Lysander was to be powered by a Bristol Mercury air-cooled radial engine and had high wings and a fixed conventional landing gear mounted on an innovative inverted U square-section tube that supported wing struts at the apex, and contained internal springs for the faired wheels. The large streamlined spats also contained a mounting for a Browning machine gun and fittings for removable stub wings that could carry light bombs or supply canisters.[1] The wings had a reverse taper towards the root, which gave the impression of a bent gull wing from some angles, although the spars were straight. It had a girder type construction faired with a light wood stringers to give the aerodynamic shape. The forward fuselage was duralumin tube joined with
Photo Gallery
Westland Aircraft Limited
Westland Lysander
Westland Aircraft Limited
Westland Lysander
General Info 1
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- Crew: 2 (1 pilot, 1 pass.)
- Length: 30 ft 6 in (9.30 m)
- Wingspan: 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m)
- Height: 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
- Wing area: 260 sq ft (24 m2)
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General Info 2
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- Empty weight: 4,365 lb (1,980 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: (2,871 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Mercury XX 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 870 hp (650 kW)
- Propellers: 3-bladed
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General Info 3
- Maximum speed: 212 mph (341 km/h, 184 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
- Stall speed: 65 mph (105 km/h,
- Range: 600 mi (970 km, 520 nmi)
- Service ceiling: (6,600 m)
- Time to altitude: (3,048 m) in 8 min
- Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m): 915 ft (279 m)
General Info 4
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- Guns: 2x forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns in wheel fairings and two more for the observer.
- Bombs: 4× 20 lb (9 kg) bombs or 1x drop tank (fuel or cargo) under rear fuselage and/or 500 lb (227 kg)
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Links to Youtube & Others
The first Lysanders entered service in June 1938, equipping squadrons for army co-operation and were initially used for message-dropping and artillery spotting.
Westland Aircraft Westland Lysander
Lysanders were based at airfields at Newmarket in Suffolk and later Tempsford in Bedfordshire, but used regular RAF stations.
Youtube Link
This Westland Lysander was built in Canada in 1942. Serial Number: RCAF 2363 Civil Registration: C-GCWL Current Markings: RCAF 2363
Read more in Westland Aircraft Limited Westland Lysander
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