Westland Weasel
Westland Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1918 · fighter
The Westland Weasel was a British single-seat fighter biplane of 1918, one of several aircraft designed around the ABC Dragonfly engine that promised high performance but proved unreliable in service.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.57 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Late WWI British single-seat fighter biplane
- Sesquiplane layout with smaller lower wing
- Built around the ABC Dragonfly radial engine
A neat biplane with a noticeably larger upper wing than lower, a broad-chord radial cowling housing the Dragonfly, and a rounded fin and rudder typical of late-war British fighter design.
Specifications
- The Westland Weasel has a length of 7.57 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.82 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 211 km/h (131 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Ordered as a potential successor to earlier fighters, the Weasel first flew in late 1918 but the Armistice rendered further development unnecessary. The ABC Dragonfly engine's chronic vibration problems doomed several otherwise promising designs of this period.
Variants
A small number of prototypes were built; no production followed the end of hostilities.
Where you'll see it
The Weasel did not enter RAF service.
Related aircraft
- Westland Walrus
- Westland Dreadnought
- Westland Wapiti
- Westland IV
- AEG J.II
- Albatros D.X
- Albatros D.XI
- Albatros D.XII
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