Westland limousine
Westland limousine | |
---|---|
Type: | Airliner |
Design country: | |
Manufacturer: | |
First flight: |
July 1919 |
Number of pieces: |
8th |
The Westland Limousine was a single-engine biplane made by the British manufacturer Westland Aircraft after the First World War . Designed for three or five passengers, the aircraft was the first civilian model developed by Westland. With only eight copies built, the hoped-for economic success failed to materialize.
history
After the end of the First World War, the aviation industry expected a high demand for civil airliners. Westland then developed a light transport aircraft for one pilot and three passengers. The first flight of the sedan I prototype took place in July 1919 . The first production model Limousine II was completed in October 1919, followed by four more copies.
A larger version with five passenger seats, the Limousine III, was created for the competition held by the Air Ministry in 1920 . The plane won first prize. After the construction of a second copy for Instone Air Line , production was stopped due to a lack of demand.
construction
The plane had a wooden frame. The front half of the fuselage was covered with plywood, the rear part and the wings were covered with fabric.
A Rolls-Royce Falcon III engine served as the drive . A sedan II was given a trial by a Cosmos Jupiter engine, which was later replaced by a Falcon III. The sedan III received a Napier Lion engine.
The aircraft had a closed cabin designed for three or five passengers. The pilot was in the rear part of the cabin on a raised place and was able to look out over the cabin roof.
use
The prototype and the first production model were used from September 1920 for two months as a mail plane between Croydon and Le Bourget . Of the four remaining Limousine II, two came into the possession of Instone Air Line and operated between London and Paris or Brussels .
The first Limousine III came into the possession of the Aerial Survey Company (Newfoundland) . The aircraft, which is occasionally equipped with runners, was used by private individuals for hunting and fishing trips. Two Limousine II also made it to Newfoundland and carried mail and passengers to remote parts of the country.
Technical data (Limousine III)
Parameter | Data |
---|---|
crew | 1 |
Passengers | 5 |
length | 10.20 m |
span | 16.50 m |
height | 3.80 m |
Wing area | 67 m² |
Empty weight | 1,730 kg |
Takeoff weight | 2,650 kg |
Top speed | 190 km / h |
Service ceiling | 3,750 m |
Range | 840 km |
Engines | a Napier Lion twelve-cylinder engine with 330 kW |
See also
Web links
- British Aircraft Directory (English) ( Memento of 30 September 2007 at the Internet Archive )
- Aircraft Data Sheet: Limousine I & ll ( Memento from May 13, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- Aircraft Data Sheet: Limousine lll ( Memento from September 23, 2006 in the Internet Archive )