Westland Lysander

Westland Lysander History

In 1934, the Air Department issued requirements for a new "Army Cooperation/Liaison Aircraft" (Specification A. 39/34). The role requires a platform capable of rough/short field operations, long wait times, and excellent off-board visibility. The result of the new initiative was the high-wing, two-seater (tandem) Westland "Lysander", of which 1,786 were produced.

It entered service in June 1938 after its maiden flight on June 15 (1936) two years earlier.

The series served throughout World War II (1939-1945) and was eventually used by the armed forces of Australia, British India, Canada, Egypt, Finland, France (Free France), Ireland, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Turkey, UK and US.

Structurally, the Lysander Mk. III has a length of 9.29 meters, a wingspan of 15.24 meters and a height of 4.42 meters. Curb weight is 2,000kg and MTOW is 2,875kg. In terms of performance, the plane can reach speeds of 212 mph, with a range of up to 600 miles and a service ceiling of 21,500 feet.

It only needs a 50-foot take-off distance to lift off. This variant is armed by 2 x. 303 Browning front-firing machine gun and one or two such machine guns in the rear cockpit (on a trainable stand).

Additionally, 4 x 20lb bombs can be mounted on the rear of the fuselage and 500lb bombs can be mounted on optional wings for light bombardment of ground targets.

The P. 12 Lysander Delanne (also known as "Westland Wendover") was a proposed Lysander II model that mounted a Nash & Thomson powered stern turret with four machine guns. A twin tail arrangement is required to clear the rear-firing turret.

Trials have been carried out with replica towers, but other than that, the project has made little progress.

The Lysander, commissioned in mid-1938, was on standby when it came to Europe during World War II. Early deployments found the aircraft limited in the face of aggressive tactics and the presence of heavy fighter jets over France.

A limited presentation followed in the Middle East and Far East theatres, but the limitations of the design continued to manifest in the contested airspace. As such, the series was eventually relegated to supporting roles in due course.

Due to its role in warfare, the Lysander provides excellent short-field/rough-field performance, and is especially useful for special missions in and around German-occupied France, where agents can take the enemy on short notice.

Back in 1946, the British Lysander was abandoned soon after the war. The Royal Air Force (RAF) is also its largest user, with dozens of squadrons assigned to this type. A total of five U.S. Air Force squadrons have used the aircraft, including the 496th Fighter Training Group.

In total, Canada showed the aircraft for ten seasons, British India six seasons, and Australia two seasons.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes