Westland Wapiti

infobox Aircraft
name = Westland Wapiti
type = general purpose
manufacturer = Westland Aircraft



caption =
designer = Arthur Davenport
first flight = 7 March 1927cite web |url=http://www.whl.co.uk/history_wapiti.cfm |title=Aircraft Data Sheet: Wapiti (1927) Wapiti |accessdate=2008-02-09 |format= |work= Westland Helicopters]
introduced = June 1928
retired =
status =
primary user = Royal Air Force
more users = IAF, RCAF, AAF
produced =
number built = 558 + 27 licence built in South Africa
unit cost =
variants with their own articles = Westland Wallace, Westland PV-3

The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general purpose military single engined biplane of the 1920s built by Westland Aircraft Works to the Air Ministry Specification 26/27 for a replacement of the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service.

History

To save time the Air Ministry specification called for the use of a high proportion of Airco DH.9A components. Westland had an advantage in that it was already a prime contractor for the DH.9A and won an initial contract for 25 aircraft. The prototype first flew on 7 March 1927. The Wapiti was a conventional biplane with tandem open cockpits. The type entered service with No. 84 Squadron RAF in Iraq in June 1928. It was used in Iraq and India, and by Australia and Canada. With the latter it saw service at the start of the Second World War.

The prototype Wapiti V, registered G-AAWA, was used for demonstration flights in Argentina and Uruguay on floats. It was then modified as the Bristol Pegasus powered Westland PV-6, re-registered G-ACBR (also known as the Houston-Wallace), for an attempt to fly over Mount Everest. Flown by Flt Lt D. F. McIntyre and accompanied by a Westland PV-3 the two aircraft became the first to fly over Mount Everest on 3 April 1933. The PV-6 was later designated the Wallace Mk I which introduced a number of improvements. A total of 68 Wapitis were converted to Wallace Mk I standard.

Military Operators

;AUS
* Royal Australian Air Force
** No. 1 Squadron RAAF
** No. 3 Squadron RAAF
** No. 1 flying Training School RAAF

;flag|Canada|1921
* Royal Canadian Air Force
** No. 3 Squadron RCAF
** No. 100 Squadron RCAF

;China as ROC

;flagicon|India|BritishIndia
*Royal Indian Air Force [ [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Aircraft/Wapiti.html The Westland Wapiti II in Indian Air Force Service] ]
*No. 1 Squadron, Indian Air Force
*No. 2 Squadron, Indian Air Force
*No. 7 Squadron, Indian Air Force
*No. 1 Air Gunnery School (India)
*No. 1 AACU
*No. 2 AACU
*No. 3 AACU
*No.1 Coastal Defence Flight, IAFVR
*No.2 Coastal Defence Flight, IAFVR
*No.4 Coastal Defence Flight, IAFVR (Later No. 104 (GR) Squadron, Indian Air Force [ [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Lysander03.html No. 104 (GR) Squadron, Indian Air Force] ] )
*No.5 Coastal Defence Flight, IAFVR
*No.6 Coastal Defence Flight, IAFVR

;flag|South Africa|1928
*South African Air Force

;UK
* Royal Air Force
** No. 5 Squadron RAF
** No. 11 Squadron RAF
** No. 20 Squadron RAF
** No. 24 Squadron RAF
** No. 27 Squadron RAF
** No. 28 Squadron RAF
** No. 30 Squadron RAF
** No. 31 Squadron RAF
** No. 39 Squadron RAF
** No. 55 Squadron RAF
** No. 60 Squadron RAF
** No. 84 Squadron RAF
** No. 501 Squadron RAF
** No. 502 Squadron RAF
** No. 600 Squadron RAF
** No. 601 Squadron RAF
** No. 602 Squadron RAF
** No. 603 Squadron RAF
** No. 604 Squadron RAF
** No. 605 Squadron RAF
** No. 607 Squadron RAF
** No. 608 Squadron RAF

Variants

All built by Westland at Yeovil

* Wapiti I - Initial production version for the RAF. Powered by a 420-hp (313-kW) Bristol Jupiter IV radial piston engine. 56 built.
* Wapiti IA - Improved version for the RAF and RAAF. Powered by a 480-hp (358-kW) Bristol Jupiter IIIF radial piston engine, and fitted with Handley Page leading eldge slots.
* Wapiti IB - Similar to the Wapiti IA but introduced divided main landing gear. Four exported to South Africa. RAF aircraft were later re-engined with the 550-hp (410-kW) Armstrong Siddeley Panther.
* Wapiti II - Developed version with an all-metal basic structure.
* Wapiti IIA - Major production version with revised wing construction and able to use wheel or float landing gear.
* Wapiti III - Two-seat general-purpose biplane for the SAAF. 27 were built under licence in South Africa.
* Wapiti V - version developed from the Wapiti IV project with a lengthened fuselage. Powered by a 550-hp (410-kW) Bristol Jupiter VIIIF, 37 built.
* Wapiti VI - Dual control training version for the RAF. 16 built.
* Wapiti VII - Converted Wapiti V, original designated the Houston-Wallace P.V.6 before reconversion to Wapiti VII experimental aircraft.
* Wapiti VIII - Version developed for the Wapiti IV project for Central Chinese government. Powered by a 512-hp (382-kW) Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VI, four built.

pecifications (Wapiti IIA)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=The British Bomber since 1914Cite book |author=Mason, Francis K |title=The British Bomber since 1914|publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books|location= London|year=1994|isbn= ISBN 0 85177 861 5
crew=2
capacity=
length main= 31 ft 8in
length alt= 9.65 m
span main= 46 ft 5 in
span alt= 14.15 m
height main= 13 ft
height alt= 3.96 m
area main= 488 ft²
area alt= 45 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 3810 lb
empty weight alt= 1732 kg
loaded weight main= 5410 lb
loaded weight alt= 2459 kg
useful load main= lb
useful load alt= kg
max takeoff weight main= lb
max takeoff weight alt= kg
more general=
engine (jet)=
type of jet=
number of jets=
thrust main= lbf
thrust alt= kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main= lbf
afterburning thrust alt= kN
engine (prop)= Bristol Jupiter VI
type of prop= Radial
number of props= 1
power main= 420 hp
power alt= 313 kW
power original=
max speed main= 112 knots
max speed alt= 129 mph, 208 km/h
max speed more= at 6500ft (1980 m)
cruise speed main= knots
cruise speed alt= mph, km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main= knots
stall speed alt= mph, km/h
range main= 313 nm
range alt= 360 mi, 580 km
ceiling main= 18,800 ft
ceiling alt= 5730 m
climb rate main= 1140 ft/min
climb rate alt= 5.8 m/s
climb rate more=Cite book|author=Thetford, Owen|title=Aircraft of the Royal Aircraft 1918-57|edition= 1st edition|publisher=Putnam|location= London|year=1957|id=
loading main= 11.1 lb/ft²
loading alt= 57.9 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.0776 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.127 kW/kg
more performance= *Climb to 10,000 ft 15 minutes
armament=
* One 0.303 inch forward firing Vickers gun and one Lewis gun on Scarff ring on rear cockpit,
* up to 580 lb of bombs.
avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=
*Westland Wallace
similar aircraft=
*Blackburn Baffin
*Fairey III
*Fairey Gordon
*Hawker Hardy
*Vickers Vincent
*Westland Wallace
sequence=
lists=
see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Andrews, C.F. "The Westland Wapiti". Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1965. No ISBN.

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=337 British Aircraft Directory entry]
* [http://www.rcaf.com/aircraft/bombers/wapiti/index.php?name=Wapiti Wapiti in Canadian service]
* [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/WESTLAND%20WAPITI.htm Wapiti during Second World War]