Canadian Warplanes (5d) Ontario, Ottawa, Canada Aviation & Space Museum: Westland Lysander

‍Canada Aviation and Space Museum,

Musée de l'Aviation et de l'Espace du Canada,

Westland Lysander

The Canada Aviation and Space Museum is located at 11 Aviation Parkway, Ottawa, Ontario.

The aim of this website is to locate, identify and document every historical Warplane preserved in Canada.  Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these aircraft to provide and update the data on this website.  Photos are by the author unless otherwise credited.  Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, correctons or amendments to this list of Warplanes in Canada would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.

(Author Photo)

Westland Lysander Mk. III, RCAF (Serial No. 2374), painted as (Serial No. R9003), CASM.

The Westland Lysander is a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft that was used immediately before and during the Second World War.After becoming obsolete in the army co-operation role, the aircraft's short-field performance enabled clandestine missions using small, improvised airstrips behind enemy lines to place or recover agents, particularly in occupied France with the help of the French Resistance. Royal Air Force army co-operation aircraft were named after mythical or historical military leaders; in this case the Spartan admiral Lysander was chosen. (Wikipedia)

(RCAF photos via Fred Paradie)

Westland Lysander Mk. III, RCAF (Serial No. 1589), ex RAF (Serial No. V9415).  This aircraft was taken on strength 17 Feb 1942, converted to a Target Tug on 29 January 1943 and struck off strength in 1946.  It was transferred to the National Aeronautical Collection and partially restored in Canada.  In the late 1960s it was transferred to India and is currently on static display at the Indian Air Force Museum in Palam, Delhi.  In its place, the Indian Air Force donated the Consolidated (Vultee) B-24L Liberator GR Mk. VIII, RCAF (Serial No. 11130), (5009), HE773, ex-USAAF (44-50154), ex-Indian Air Force, now preserved in the CA&SM.

(DND Photo via Fred Paradie)

The Lysander had excellent short take-off and landing (STOL) characteristics.  For a brief period in 1940, every available Hawker Hurricane fighter in Canada had been sent overseas to fight in the Battle of Britain.  This situation left the RCAF without a modern fighter aircraft at home in Canada.  Two RCAF Lysander-equipped squadrons which were supposed to convert to fighter aircraft but had none to convert to, were re-designated as operational fighter squadrons.  No. 111 Squadron, a Coastal Artillery Squadron which earlier had replaced its Avro trainers with Lysanders and been reclassified as an Army Co-operation Unit, was again reclassified as a fighter squadron – the only one on the Canadian west coast – in June 1940.  Lysander-equipped No. 118 Squadron was also re-designated as a fighter squadron.  The Lysander completely lacked the capability to operate in a fighter role, and neither squadron saw action as a fighter unit while equipped with Lysanders, but their designation as fighter squadrons did allow RCAF fighter pilots to work up at a critical time without having to wait for the arrival of true fighter aircraft.  No. 118 Squadron was disbanded in September 1940, and when it reformed in December 1940, still as a fighter squadron, it was equipped with 15 oobsolete Grumman Goblin fighters produced by Canadian Car and Foundry. Both No. 111 and No. 118 Squadrons soon re-equipped with the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, bringing the brief service of Lysanders in fighter squadrons to an end.  The aircraft was invaluable at landing behind enemy lines and rescuing downed pilots, POW or the resistance.  (David Lynn Courtney)

(Author Photos)

Westland Lysander Mk. III, RCAF (Serial No. 2374), painted as (Serial No. R9003).

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