Westland Lysander

The Westland Lysander was the result of a requirement in the mid 1930's by the Royal Air Force for an 'army co-operation' aircraft, for tactical reconnaissance and artillery observation. Westlands designers, Arthur Davenport and 'Teddy' Petter interviewed RAF pilots to establish the ideal capabilities of the aircraft, but failed to understand the Army's needs. Low speed handling, a good field of view and short take off and landing performance were prioritised. In 1936 the Air Ministry ordered production and first examples entered service with RAF Squadrons in 1938. After the outbreak of war, 175 Lysanders were sent to France and Belgium, with 118 lost during May and June 1940. It became clear that the aircraft was unsuitable for the role for which it was originally designed. It was relegated to UK coastal defence and Air Sea Rescue duties during 1940 and 1941, but from from August 1941 it was used in the role for which it was to became most successful and famous, with RAF 138 and later also 161, 'Special Duties' Squadrons, clandestinely transporting agents of the newly formed Special Operations Executive (SOE) and other personnel, such as downed and escaping RAF crews, to and from German occupied France and Belgium under cover of darkness. 101 agents were landed and 128 repatriated before flights ceased with the allied invasion of Europe after 6th June 1944. The Lysander also served as a target tug and communications aircraft, with both the RAF and Royal Navy. 24 were also used by the Free French Air Force in North West Africa. The Royal Canadian Air Force used 329 Lysanders in Canada for training, army co-operation, anti submarine patrols, search and rescue and target towing.
The Finnish Air Force had 10 Lysanders, the Irish Air Corps had 6, the Turkish Air Force - 36, Portuguese Air Force - 8, US Army Air Force - 25, Indian Air Force - 22 and Egyptian Air Force - 20. The Australian, South African and Polish Air Forces also operated a number, using crews based in the UK and European theatre during WW2.

In total 1786 Lysanders were built, with 225 of those manufactured in Canada.
Only 13 Lysanders have survived, mostly in museums, 4 of which are airworthy. The Lysander here is one of only 2 airworthy examples currently in the UK.
Built originally for the RAF as V9552 this aircraft went to Canada in 1942 as a target tug for the RCAF. Post WWII it was sold to a Canadian collector and then, in 1971, went to the Strathallan Collection in Scotland where it was restored to flying condition by late 1979. Grounded in 1986 it was stored, then went Duxford in 1997 for restoration. Purchased by the SVAS it joined the Collection in 1998. It arrived painted in standard RAF camouflage with additional markings to represent No. 309 (Polish) Squadron while operating from bases in Scotland between 1940 and 1942.

In the autumn of 1999, with the aid of a donation from the family of Peter Vaughan Fowler who had flown with 161 Squadron on Lysander operations during World War II, it was repainted in black overall with the markings of his aircraft, bearing the serial V9367. A fixed ladder was installed to allow rapid access to the rear cockpit – as fitted to facilitate picking up agents; a dummy 150 gallon long range fuel tank was attached below the fuselage. In this configuration the Lysander III S.D. (Special Duties) was employed by No. 161 RAF Squadron on clandestine night flying operations from RAF Tempsford and Tangmere between 1942 and 1945.

After undercarriage repairs during 2015 the Lysander returned to airworthiness in April 2016.

(Filmed during the Shuttleworth Family Airshow 2018)

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