Westland Wapiti
The Westland Wapiti was a British two -seat multi- purpose aircraft of the 1920s. It was built at Westland Aircraft by the Air Ministry tender 26/27 biplane, which the Airco DH9A should replace in the Royal Air Force.
History
To save time, the announcement of the Air Ministry demanded the use of a large part of components of the Airco DH9A. Westland had the advantage already to be a major producer of DH9A contract, and awarded the contract for the construction of 25 aircraft. The first prototype was launched on March 7, 1927 for its first flight.
The Wapiti was a conventional biplane with two consecutive open pilot seats. The pattern came with the No.84 Squadron of the RAF in June 1928 in Iraq for the first time in an operational setting. It has also been used in India and also came with the Australians and Canadians used. The latter put the Wapiti one even at the beginning of World War II.
The prototype of the Wapiti V with the registration G- AAWA was demonstrated in Argentina and Uruguay with floats. He subsequently received under the name Westland PV -6 (also known as Houston - Wallace known) a Bristol Pegasus radial engine and the registration G- ACBR. This aircraft, piloted by Flt. Lt.. DF McIntyre, as well as an accompanying him Westland PV -3 were on 3 April 1933, the first aircraft that flew over Mount Everest. The PV -6 was later renamed Wallace Mk.I and received some improvements. A total of 68 elk to Wallace Mk.I were rebuilt.
Military operators
- Australia Australia Royal Australian Air Force
- Royal Canadian Air Force
- Air forces of British India
- Royal Air Force
Variants
All variants were built by Westland in Yeovil
- Wapiti I - first production version for the RAF. Powered by a 313 kW ( 420 hp ) Bristol Jupiter IV radial engine. 56 units were built.
- Wapiti IA - Improved version for the RAF and the RAAF. Powered by a 358 kW ( 480 hp ) Bristol Jupiter radial engine IIIF, and equipped with Handley Page slats.
- Wapiti IB - as IA but with split main landing gear. Four were delivered to the South African Air Force. The specimens for the RAF were later fitted with the 410 kW ( 550 hp ) Armstrong Siddeley Panther.
- Wapiti II - further development on the basis of an all-metal structure.
- To use high-volume version with revised wings and the possibility of both a suspension and float - Wapiti IIA.
- Wapiti III - Two-seat multi-purpose aircraft for the South African Air Force. total of 27 were built in South Africa under license.
- Wapiti V - version with lengthened fuselage, which was developed for the Wapiti IV Project. Powered by a 410 kW ( 550 hp ) Bristol Jupiter VIIIf, 37 copies were built of it.
- Wapiti VI - training aircraft for the RAF version with dual controls. 16 aircraft of this type were built.
- Wapiti VII - Rebuilt Wapiti V, originally known as Houston - PV6 Wallace, before it was converted to Wapiti VII experimental aircraft.
- Wapiti VIII - version which was developed in Wapiti IV project for the central Chinese government. Powered by a 382 kW ( 512 hp) Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VI, 4 of them were built.