Westland Welkin

Westland Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1942 · fighter

The Westland Welkin was a British twin-engine high-altitude interceptor fighter developed during World War II to counter feared German high-altitude bombing operations, featuring a pressurised cockpit and unusually long wings.

Recognition (WEFT)

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Spot it by:

• British twin-engine high-altitude interceptor with very long-span wings
• Pressurised cabin for operations above 40,000 ft
• Designed to counter expected high-altitude German bomber raids that never fully materialised

A large twin-engine fighter with notably long straight wings, twin Merlin engines, and a pressurised cockpit blister; much longer wingspan than comparable twin-engine fighters of the era.

Specifications

• The Westland Welkin has a length of 12.65 m (42 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 21.34 m (70 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 620 km/h (385 mph).
• Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in November 1942, the Welkin was designed to operate above 40,000 feet. Although over 70 were built, the anticipated high-altitude German threat did not materialise as expected, and the Welkin never saw operational combat use.

Variants

The Welkin Mk.I was the main single-seat interceptor; a two-seat night-fighter variant, the Mk.II, was also developed but not produced in quantity.

Where you'll see it

Built for the Royal Air Force but never committed to combat operations; used mainly for high-altitude research and evaluation.

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