Westland Lysander The charismatic performed many different and dangerous roles during World War Two. Malcolm V Lowe tells the story of this multi-tasking warplane
For many years the name Westland was synonymous with the manufacture of helicopters, in which the company has specialised (under a number of recently changed names) since the 1960s to the present day. Up until then, the firm existed as Westland Aircraft, and was a major supplier of frontline combat types especially for the Royal Air Force.
During World War Two the company came to prominence through the varied exploits of arguably its best-known product, the Lysander.
Tracing its origins to 1915 and located at Yeovil in Somerset, over the years Westland produced a very eclectic selection of aircraft types mainly for military service, although its designers
also dabbled with civil machines. The name Westland Aircraft came into being during 1935, and by that time the aircraft design that matured as the Lysander was already taking shape.
Important replacement
In 1934 Britain’s Air Ministry issued Specification A.39/34 for a new army co-operation aircraft, preferably of monoplane configuration, intended to replace the existing operational Hawker Aud…
