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Westland Dreadnought

The Westland Dreadnought was an experimental fixed-wing monoplane with a single engine, designed to test the aerodynamic wing and fuselage design concepts of N. Woyevodsky.

The aircraft was constructed by the British aircraft manufacturer, Westland Aircraft, for the Air Ministry.

The aircraft’s unique design and construction method were based on the theories of the aforementioned Russian inventor.

The design was initially intended for a twin-engine aircraft with a wingspan of 70 feet.

However, the final design featured a 450-horsepower Napier Lion II 12-cylinder engine, which allowed the Dreadnought to reach speeds of up to 102 miles per hour.

The Dreadnought’s aerodynamically advanced design featured a continuous aerofoil section over all parts of the aircraft, including the fuselage.

Notably, the aircraft had no form of wing bracing, which was unusual for British aircraft at the time.

The construction of the aircraft was all-metal, comprising drawn channelling with a skin of corrugated sheet panels.

This method of construction may be compared to modern stressed skin construction.

Regrettably, only one aircraft was built, and it crashed on its maiden flight, causing severe injuries to the test pilot.

Despite this setback, the Westland Dreadnought remains a significant milestone in aviation history, representing a pioneering effort to test new aerodynamic concepts and construction methods.

Specifications

Crew

Two

Capacity

Eight passengers

Length

56 ft 0 in (17.08 m)

Wingspan

69 ft 6 in (21.19 m)

Height

16 ft 4 in (4.98 m)

Wing area

840 sq ft (78.1 m2)

Empty weight

5,623 lb (2,556 kg)

Gross weight

6,900 lb (3,136 kg)

Powerplant

1 × Napier Lion II, 450 hp (336 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed

102 mph (164 km/h, 89 kn).

Sources
Westland Aircraft Since 1915-Derek N. James.
The Book of Westland Aircraft-A H Lukins.
Westland, Plane Makers 2-David Mondey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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