Westland-Hill Pterodactyl

Westland -Hill Pterodactyl was that of a pterosaur -derived term for a series of British experimental aircraft, whose development began in the 1920s.

They were developed by Geoffrey TR Hill and built by Westland Aircraft. The first copies were tailless shoulder or high- wing monoplane with fully movable wingtips for control, which were designed to correct the problem of stalls and spins. Later were also hunting and transport aircraft in development.

The constructions to have been inspired by the observation of Seagulls. If the two movable wing tips were moved in the same direction, they looked as elevators, they were moved in opposite directions, they acted as ailerons. In most cases the overhead support surface of support has been stabilized at below a stub wing mounted, whereby the appearance of a sesquiplane formed.

Variants

  • Pterodactyl I
  • Pterodactyl IA
  • Pterodactyl IB
  • Pterodactyl IV
  • Pterodactyl V

Not built projects:

  • Pterodactyl VI.
  • Pterodactyl Mk VII

The Pterodactyl 1A from 1925 is now in the London Science Museum

Sources (English)

  • British Aircraft directory February 9, 2007
  • December 17, 2007 Unusual Aircraft ( Web Archive )
  • Westland History 9 February 2007
Shoulder wing Biplane Bristol Cherub Air Ministry Flying boat Rolls-Royce Griffon Science Museum, London
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