Canadian Warplanes 1: Armstrong Whitworth Siskin

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin

(Library and Archives Canada Photo,  MIKAN No. 3642452)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 60), later (Serial No. 306), Rockcliffe, Ottawa, Ontario, 12 Jul 1934.

The Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a biplane single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft.  The Siskin was one of the first new RAF fighters to enter service after the First World War; it was noted for its aerobatic qualities, and was flown by the RCAF aerial demonstration team "The Siskins".

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. III (2), (Serial No. J7758), 10, (later 301), and (Serial No. J7759), Mk. IIIA (8), (Serial Nos. 20), (later 302), 21 (later 303), 22 (later 304), 23, 59 (later 305), 60 (later 306), 61, 210, (later 309), Mk. IIIDC dual control (2), (Serial Nos. 62), (later 307), and 63 (later 308), for a total of 12 aircraft.  

(Library and Archives Canada Photo,  MIKAN No. 3387955)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIAs in a hangar in Edmonton, Alberta, 1929.

Development of the Siskin was heavily influenced by RAF Specification Type I, including its initial use of the ABC Dragonfly radial engine. Making its first flight in May 1919, the Siskin possessed good qualities in spite of the Dragonfly's poor performance. In the following year, the much better Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar was installed and flight with this powerplant was made on 20 March 1921. In response to Air Ministry Specification 14/22, the aircraft was redesigned with an all-metal structure, and orders were placed in 1922.

It was angular in form, with little attention paid to obvious avenues for drag reduction. Perhaps its most distinctive feature was its fixed conventional landing gear, which had relatively lengthy oleo strut shock absorbers carrying the axle, which was in turn connected by radius rods to a pair of V-struts situated behind the axle. Its wings were of unequal span. It was powered by a single ABC Dragonfly radial engine, which was installed on the nose in a streamlined cowling. To regulate the engine's temperature, each individual cylinder had its own cooling channel. Armament consisted of a pair of Vickers machine guns mounted directly in front of the pilot.

Between 1926 and 1939, Canada operated a sizable fleet of Siskins. During 1926, the British Air Ministry had dispatched a pair of Siskin IIIs to Canada, where they underwent testing by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) under winter flying conditions. The Siskin was considered a modern type at the time of its acquisition by the RCAF, which opted to purchase the Mark IIIA. The Canadian procurement involved both new-built aircraft and second-hand RAF Siskins being supplied to numerous RCAF squadrons.

The Siskin equipped the Fighter Flight at Camp Borden and Trenton. During 1937, the Flight became No. I (Fighter) Squadron, and was transferred from Trenton to Calgary in August 1938. The unit continued to operated the Siskin up until the outbreak of the Second World War, shortly after which the type was rapidly retired and replaced by Hawker Hurricane monoplane fighters. Following the Siskin's withdrawal by the RCAF, the airframes were turned over to various technical establishments for use as instructional airframes. (Wikipedia)

(RCAF Photo)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. III, (Serial No. J7758), RCAF (Serial No. 10), later (Serial No. 301), ca. 1926.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3543750)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. III, (Serial No. J7759), ca. 1926.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580253)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA,  RCAF (Serial No. 20), Rockcliffe Aerodrome, Ontario, 24 Aug 1929.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642437)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. III, RCAF (Serial No. 20), with S/L R.S. Grandy.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3204025)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. III, RCAF (Serial No. 20).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3387958)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 20) and (Serial No. 59), being christened as, respectively, "Lieutenant Sir Arthur Whitten Brown" and "Captain Sir John Alcock", RCAF Station Camp Borden, Ontario, ca. 1932.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642441)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), ca 1934.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642440)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), ca 1934.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642436)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), later (Serial No. 302), with F/L Beamish, No. 1 Squadron.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580614)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), later (Serial No. 302).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580615)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), later (Serial No. 302).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3574039)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), later (Serial No. 302), RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580532)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA,  RCAF (Serial No. 23), P/O Gobeil, 21 Aug 1930.

Siskin Roundels.

‍

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203301)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 302), No. 1 (F) Squadron.  

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203339)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 60), later (Serial No. 306), 13 Jul 1934.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642452)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 60), later (Serial No. 306), 13 Jul 1934.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203750)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial Nos. 21, 20 and 59), ca 1934.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203432)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 59), with F/O E.A. McNab, F/L F.V. Beamish, P/O E.A. McGowan, ca 1929.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3204024)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 20), with P/O E.A. McGowan, 24 August 1929.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580530)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 59), with F/L F.V. Beamish, F/O E.A. McNab, P/O McNab, 21 August 1930.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3204023)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 59).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3643674)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA trio, RCAF (Serial No. 59), (Serial No. 21).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203740)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), ca 1934.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 33545937)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), taking off to take part in an aerial display.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 362442)

Armstrong-Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 21), front view.

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF (Serial No. 22), later (Serial No. 304), on skis, from the Fighter Flight at RCAF Station Camp Borden, Ontario.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580142)

Armstrong-Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, RCAF, three in a row, front view.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3521018)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA, left to right, RCAF (Serial Nos 210, 21, 20 & 60), 12 Jul 1934.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3577686)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. IIIA lined up Rockcliffe, Ontario, 21 Aug 1930.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3650315)

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk. III dual control training aircraft, RCAF (Serial No. 63), St Hubert, Quebec, 1928.

‍