Westland Westbury
Westland · United Kingdom · first flew 1926 · fighter
The Westland Westbury was a British twin-engined fighter prototype of 1926. It never entered service, but it was a useful platform for testing the COW 37 mm gun.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.23 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large twin-engined three-bay biplane with equal-span wings
- Two Bristol Jupiter VI radial engines
- Armed with a 37 mm COW gun
A large biplane fighter with three sets of struts on each side and a crew of three.
Specifications
- The Westland Westbury has a length of 13.23 m (43 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 20.73 m (68 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 201 km/h (125 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
In 1924 the Air Ministry issued specification 4/24 for a twin-engined home-defence fighter to counter night attacks by heavy bombers, requiring a top speed of at least 125 mph. It was later amended to call for the 37 mm COW gun.
Variants
Two prototypes were completed. The first, J7765, was of all-wooden construction, while the second, J7766, had a duralumin main spar in its wing and engine nacelles that extended aft of the trailing edge.
Where you'll see it
It had good flying characteristics, but its performance was insufficient for a fighter, and it served for several years as an armament trials platform.
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