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WESTLAND LYSANDER



Specifications
Type: Two-Seat army co-operation and multi-role aircraft
Origin: Westland
Models: Lysander I, II, III and IIIA
First Flight: June 15, 1936
Service Delivery: June 1938
Final Delivery:
Westland: January 1942
National Steel Car (Canada): Late 1942
Number Produced:
1,425 built by Westland, 325 more were built at Malton, Toronto, by National Steel Car.

Engine:
Lysander I
  Model: Bristol Mercury XII
  Type: 9-Cylinder air cooled radial
  Number: One    Horsepower: 890 hp

Lysander II
  Model: Bristol Perseus XII
  Type: 9-Cylinder air cooled sleeve valve radial
  Number: One    Horsepower: 905 hp

Lysander III
  Model: Bristol Mercury XX or XXX
  Type: 9-Cylinder air cooled radial
  Number: One    Horsepower: 870 hp

Dimensions:
Wing span: 50 ft. (15.24m)
Length: 30 ft. 6 in. (9.29m)
Height: 11 ft. 6 in. (3.50m)
Wing Surface Area: N/A
  Weights:
Empty (Typical): 4,044 lb. (1834 kg)
Loaded (Typical): 5,833 lb. (2645 kg)
Maximum Loaded:
    Lysander I: 7,500 lb. (3402 kg)
    Lysander IIISCW: 10,000 lb. (4536 kg)

Performance:
Maximum Speed:
    Lysander I, II: 237 mph (381 km/h)
    Lysander IIISCW: 190 mph (306 km/h)
Initial Climb (Mk. I): 1,900 ft/min (580 m/min)
Service Ceiling (Mk. I): 26,000 ft. (7925m)
Range:
    Lysander I: 600 miles (966 km)
    Lysander IIISCW: 1400 miles (2253 km)

Armament: When Fitted
Lysander I:
One .303 in. Browning mounted above each wheel spat (outside of propeller disc).
    Ammunition: 500 rounds per gun.
One .303 in. Lewis or Vickers GO manually aimed from rear cockpit.

Lysander IIIA:
One .303 in. Browning mounted above each wheel spat (outside of propeller disc.
    Ammunition: 500 rounds per gun.
Two .303 in. Browning manually aimed from rear cockpit.

Payload:
Up to two 250 lb. (113 kg.) on stub wings or sixteen 20 lb. (9 kg.), four on fuselage carrier.

Armament:
None

The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft. It was used during the Second World War. The aircraft's exceptional short-field performance made possible clandestine missions using small, unprepared airstrips behind enemy lines that placed or recovered agents, particularly in occupied France. Like other British army air co-operation aircraft it was given the name of a mythical or legendary leader, in this case Spartan general Lysander.

Sources:
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