Westland limousine

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Westland limousine
Westland limousine line drawing from Flight 1921.JPG
Type: Airliner
Design country:

United KingdomUnited Kingdom United Kingdom

Manufacturer:

Westland Aircraft

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