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Westland WAPITI
Westland Wapiti on skis (Photo via Comox Air Force Museum)
Having previously tested an aircraft of this type in the winter of 1930, in 1935 the RCAF purchased the first of 25 Wapitis from the RAF. These light bombers equipped No. 3 Sqn in Trenton. In 1938 the squadron flew its aircraft from Ottawa to Calgary, and late in August 1939 the squadron moved to Halifax. Re-designated as No. 110 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Sqn, it used Wapitis as patrol and as training aircraft until April 1940 when the aircraft were replaced by Douglas Digbys.
In July of that year the last remaining Wapitis were sent to the Technical Training School in St Thomas, Ontario. The aircraft had served well but as with well used airframes there also were problems. Originally designed to carry up to 1000 lbs of bombs, Sqn personnel found the most their aged machines could carry was 500 lbs without an excessively long take-off. The aircraft also earned the less-than-complimentary nickname "What - A - Pity".
| Manufacturer: | Westland Aircraft |
| Crew/Passengers: | crew of two |
| Power Plant: | one 550 hp (410 kW) Bristol Jupiter VII radial engine |
| Performance: | Max Speed: 135 mph ( 217 km/h) Cruising Speed: 110 mph (177 km/h) Service Ceiling: 20,600 ft (6,280 m) Range: 360 min (579 km) |
| Weights: | Empty: 3,180 lb (1,442 kg) Maximum Take-off: 5,400 lb (2,449 kg) |
| Dimensions: | Span: 46 ft 5 in (14.15 m) Length: 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m) Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.61 m) Wing Area: 468 sq ft (43.48 sq m) |
| Armament: | one .303 in (7.7 mm) forward firing machine gun on fuselage side and one Lewis gun in rear cockpit. Provision for up 580 lb (263 kg) of bombs |
| Cost: | Unknown |