Canadian Warplanes 1: Westland Wapiti

Westland Wapiti

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3232304)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 513), RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario c1938.

The Westland Wapiti was a two-seat general-purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s.  It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in RAF service.  The Wapiti was first flown in 1927 and entered service with the RAF in 1928.  It remained in production until 1932, with a total of 565 being built.  It equipped twenty squadrons of the RAF, both overseas (particularly in India and Iraq) and in the UK, remaining in RAF service until 1940.  It also served with the  Royal Australian Air Force, the RCAF, the Royal South African Air Force and with the Indian Air Force.  The Wapiti is named for the elk, one of the largest species of the deer family and one of the largest land mammals in North America and eastern Asia.  (Wikipedia)

RCAF No. 3, No. 10 and No. 100 Squadrons flew the Westland Wapiti.  The first Westland Wapiti Mk. II (Serial No. J9237), was taken on strength by the RCAF for winter trials on 17 March 1930.  The RCAF acquired a further 24 Wapiti Mk. IIA (Serial Nos. 508-513) and (Serial Nos. 527 -544), on 5 March 1936.

No. 3 (Bomber) Squadron departed Calgary, Alberta for their new wartime station at Halifax, Nova Scotia immediately on 26 Aug 1939. after being alerted about impending hostilities.  Seven aircraft made the trip eastwards, (Serial Nos. 509, 510, 513, 532, 535, 542 and 545).  Three more Wapitis joined the flight from RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario, (Serial Nos. 538, 541 and 544).  The Wapitis from Calgary made a number of stops which included North Bay, Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario and a refuelling stop at Megantic, Quebec.  Other more easterly stops included Millinocket, Maine and Moncton, New Brunswick.  The squadron was re-designated as No. 10 (BR) Squadron at Halifax on 5 Sep 1939.

No. 10 Squadron, RCAF, was formed as a bomber squadron  at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 5 September 1939.  Mobilized on 10 Sep 1939, it was redesignated No. 10 Bomber Reconnaissance (BR) Squadron on 31 Oct 1939.  As part of Eastern Air Command, the squadron flew Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA from Sep 1939 to May 1940, Douglas Digby Mk. I from April 1940 to April 1943, and Consolidated Liberator Mk. II, Mk. V and G.R. Mk. VI aircraft from April 1943 to Aug 1945, on East Coast anti-submarine duty.  The squadron was active for the duration of the Second World War.  While based on the East Coast of Canada and Newfoundland, it established an RCAF record for 22 attacks on U-boats and successfully sank three (U-520 on 30 Oct 1942, U-341 on 19 Sep 1943, and U-420 on 26 Oct 1943), garnering the unofficial title "North Atlantic Squadron."  

No. 10 (BR) Squadron was disbanded at Torbay, Newfoundland, on 15 Aug 1945.  During its service, the squadron lost seven aircraft and 25 aircrew, of whom 24 were killed or missing, 1 wounded, and had 27 non-operational fatalities, includingthree drowned and six non-fatal.  Members of the squadron earned 24 DFCs, 6 AFCs, 1 GM, 1 AFM, 3 BEMs and 33 MiDs.  (Samuel Kostenuk and John Griffin, RCAF Squadrons Histories and Aircraft, 1924-1968 (Samuel Stevens Hakkert & Company, Toronto & Sarasota, 1077), National Museums of Man, National Museums of Canada, pp. 31-32.

Westland Wapiti Mk. II (1), (Serial No. J9237), Mk. IIA (24), (Serial Nos. 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 537, 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544), for a total of 25 aircraft.

Detailed records of all known RCAF and Canadian casualties in the RAF during the Second World War may be viewed on line in the Canadian Aircraft Serials Personnel Information Resource (CASPIR). The CASPIR website is researched, coded, and maintained entirely by Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM) volunteers with one staff assisting periodically. This work has taken several years and is unlikely to be finished as continuing research leads to “new finds” and rediscovered Canadian aviation heritage and history.  The CWHM volunteer team looks forward to continuing to update and correct the record as additional information and photos are received. For the Wapiti, check here.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642446)

Westland Wapiti Mk. II, RAF (Serial No. J9237) on skis. being tested in Canada by the RCAF before it was taken on strength.

Loaned to RCAF 17 March 1930, for cold weather trials. Used by Test Flight and/or Test and Development Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. Later purchased by RCAF on 19 March 1937, but not known if RCAF serial number issued. (CASPIR)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642445)

Westland Wapiti Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. J.9237) on skis, 16 March 1931.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642444)

Westland Wapiti Mk. II, RAF (Serial No. J9237), was the first Wapiti taken on strength by the RCAF for winter trials on 16 March 1931.

Loaned to RCAF 17 March 1930, for cold weather trials. Used by Test Flight and/or Test and Development Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. Later purchased by RCAF on 19 March 1937, but not known if RCAF serial number issued. (CASPIR)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642443)

Westland Wapiti Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. J.9237) on skis.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580749)

Westland Wapiti Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No.) on skis, 31 March 1932.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3545909)

Westland Wapiti fuselage used for instruction.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo,  MIKAN No. 3203302)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 509), No. 3 Squadron.

Ex RAF K1152. Shipped from Manchester, UK on 22 February 1936. Assembled, cleaned, and insepcted by Canadian Vickers at Montreal. Delivered to RCAF with upper fuselage and wings painted yellow. With No. 3 Squadron from 1 June 1937. Took part in formation flight from Rockcliffe to Halifax and return, 21 to 24 June 1938. Flown from Rockcliffe to Calgary, Alberta, 18 to 24 October 1938. Flew from Calgary to Halifax 26 August to September 1939. Used by No. 10 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Halifax, NS, 1939/40. Later became Instructional Airframe A 36. (CASPIR)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581414)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 544), (Serial No. 541), and (Serial No. 538), No. 3 (Bomber) Squadron, at Rockcliffe, Ontario, 30 Aug 1939.  These aircraft were en route to their war station at Halifax, Nova Scotia, from their former base at Calgary, Alberta.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3256692)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 544), (Serial No. 541), and (Serial No. 538), No. 3 (Bomber) Squadron, at Rockcliffe, Ontario, 30 Aug 1939.  These aircraft were en route to their war station at Halifax, Nova Scotia, from their former base at Calgary, Alberta.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3583641)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 540), Instructional airframe A43, RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario, 8 Dec 1944.

Ex RAF J9617. Delivered in overall aluminum finish. In service at Trenton in 1938. Became instructional airframe A43, used at RCAF Trenton. (CASPIR)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581156)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 513), RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario.

Ex RAF K1328. Shipped from Manchester, UK on 22 February 1936. Assembled, cleaned, and insepcted by Canadian Vickers at Montreal. Delivered to RCAF with upper fuselage and wings painted yellow. With No. 3 (B) Squadron, RCAF Stations Trenton, Ontario, Rockcliffe, Ont., Calgary, Alberta, and Halifax, NS, 1 June 1937 to September 1939. Took part in formation flight from Rockcliffe to Halifax and return, 21 to 24 June 1938. Flown from Rockcliffe to Calgary, Alberta, 18 to 24 October 1938. Flew from Calgary to Halifax 26 August to September 1939. With No. 3/10 Squadron, RCAF Station Halifax, September 1939. Used by No. 10 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Halifax, NS, 1939/40. Later became Instructional Airframe A 37. (CASPIR)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581107)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF, pilot's hood open, 3 July 1937.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581105)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, port side pilot's hood open, 3 July 1937.  

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581106)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, pilot's hood, rear view, 3 July 1937.  

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3545983)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 510), No. 3 Squadron, 1938.

Ex RAF K1318. Shipped from Manchester, UK on 22 February 1936. Assembled, cleaned, and insepcted by Canadian Vickers at Montreal. Delivered to RCAF with upper fuselage and wings painted yellow. With No. 3 (B) Squadron from 1 June 1937. Took part in formation flight from Rockcliffe to Halifax and return, 21 to 24 June 1938. Flown from Rockcliffe to Calgary, Alberta, 18 to 24 October 1938. Flew from Calgary to Halifax 26 August to September 1939. Later became Instructional Airframe A 63. (CASPIR)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3545901)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 510), No. 3 Squadron, 1938.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642469)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA, RCAF (Serial No. 510), No. 3 Squadron, 31 Aug 1939.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 33581416)

Seven Wapitis of No. 3 Squadron, RCAF, after arrival at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario, 30 August 1939.

(RAF Photo)

Westland Wapiti Mk. IIA floatplane, RAF (Serial No. 503).

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