Lysander
Westland · United Kingdom · first flew 1936 · transport aircraft
The Westland Lysander was built for army co-operation but earned immortality flying SOE agents into occupied France by moonlight, landing in farm fields marked only by torches.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.29 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High gull-set wing that narrows at the root then widens before tapering to the tip
- Huge fixed undercarriage in streamlined trouser fairings with stub wings
- Long glazed canopy over tandem crew, ladder fitted for agent pick-ups
The wing planform is unique: pinched at the root, swelling in mid-span, then tapering, all perched high over a glazed cabin. Massive faired undercarriage legs with landing lights and stub-wing hardpoints hang below. The big Mercury radial and slab-sided rear fuselage complete an unmistakable silhouette.
Specifications
- The Lysander has a length of 9.29 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.24 m (50 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 341 km/h (212 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown on 15 June 1936, the 'Lizzie' entered RAF service in 1938 as an artillery spotter and liaison aircraft. Heavy losses in the Battle of France showed it could not survive over a modern battlefield, but its astonishing short-field performance found the perfect niche in clandestine operations. 1,786 were built, including Canadian production.
Variants
Mks I to III differed mainly in Mercury and Perseus engine fits, with the Mk III the most numerous. The special-duties Mk IIIA (SD) carried a long-range belly tank and a fixed ladder to the rear cockpit for rapid agent turnarounds. Target-tug conversions served throughout the war.
Where you'll see it
The black-painted Lysanders of 161 Squadron flying from Tangmere into France are one of the RAF's great secret-war stories. The Shuttleworth Collection flies an airworthy Lysander in special-duties colours at Old Warden, and the RAF Museum preserves another. Restored examples also fly in Canada and the USA.
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