CWH Westland Lysander first flight

[v2]

After many years of restoration, the Canadian Warplane Heritage's Westland Lysander finally took to the skies on June 9, 2009.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMeXckf7Tbo

 

[Thorlifter]

Sweet!!! Just wonder if the "bumble bee" paint job was for pretty or was it modeled after a squadron.

 

[Glider]

Unless I miss my guess, it looks like a target tug scheme

 

[Colin1]

I wouldn't have chosen it personally
The target tug role was normally the ignominious duty performed by a type that had simply become obsolete for all else - hardly a fitting way to remember an aircraft. I'm all for representing all roles that a type served, I recall the applause a fair few years ago when a restored Spitfire was liveried in PRU blue - someone had finally remembered the sterling service the Spitfire gave in that role but restored Spitfires were and are alot thicker on the ground than restored Lysanders, I think the RAF scheme of dark earth and olive drab with night undersurfaces would have been far more evocative of the type's heyday.

 

[pbfoot]

Its an RCAF bird and was only used domestically with the exception of 400 sqn which used them overseas for 1 month It was used as a target tug by 4? squadrons both flying examples in Canada are painted with the same scheme

 

[Colin1]

...both flying examples in Canada are painted with the same scheme

That just lacks imagination

 

[pbfoot]

That just lacks imagination

Here the Lysander was considered a trainer along with its counterpart the Fairey Battle

 

[Butters]

That was great! I remember getting a 1/48 model of the Lysander as a gift when I was a kid. I was kinda disappointed because I was into jet fighters then, but by the time I had it built and painted, I was a fan of the funny lookin' thing.

I do prefer the camo scheme with one underwing black, and the other white, but I understand why the CWH would want to restore it in its RCAF service colours. That's real history.

Thanks, v2

JL