Westland Dreadnought

Westland Aircraft

Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1915
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft

The Westland Dreadnought was a pioneering single-engine fixed-wing monoplane mail aircraft developed to evaluate the aerodynamic concepts of wing and fuselage integration proposed by Woyevodsky. This British experimental design was produced by Westland Aircraft under commission from the Air Ministry. Only one unit was constructed, which unfortunately crashed during its maiden flight, resulting in serious injuries to the test pilot.

Design and development

Characterised by its forward-looking design and innovative construction methods, the Dreadnought was inspired by the aerodynamic theories of Russian inventor N. Woyevodsky. Initial validation of these ideas occurred through wind tunnel experimentation, which yielded promising results, prompting Westland Aircraft to proceed with building a full-scale model. Originally, the concept was for a twin-engine plane with a wingspan of 70 ft. The aircraft incorporated advanced aerodynamic features, including a seamless aerofoil contour that extended across both wing and fuselage surfaces. Notably, it lacked any wing bracing—a rarity among British aircraft of that era. Its structure was entirely metal, utilising drawn channel sections covered with corrugated sheet metal panels. Although initially intended as a twin-engine model equipped with retractable landing gear, the final version featured a single 450-horsepower Napier Lion II 12-cylinder engine and fixed undercarriage, enabling a top speed of approximately 102 miles per hour.

Operational history

Following the completion of the Dreadnought, pilot Arthur Stewart Keep conducted initial taxi runs and brief airborne hops. On 9 May 1924, he embarked on the aircraft’s maiden flight test. Although the plane exhibited initial stability, it soon became evident that Keep was struggling to maintain control. Shortly thereafter, at an altitude of approximately 100 ft (30 m), the Dreadnought stalled and crashed. Keep was ejected from the aircraft, sustaining serious injuries that ultimately resulted in the amputation of both legs. Despite this accident, he continued his career with the company and only retired in 1935. Following this incident, the Dreadnought project was discontinued; however, the innovative concepts implemented during its development represented a significant step forward in aircraft design and continue to be recognized for their contribution today.

See also

• Junkers – early innovator of various all-metal monoplane designs featuring corrugated skin.
• McDonnell XP-67 Bat – a subsequent aircraft characterized by entirely aerofoil-shaped components.
• Stout Batwing Limousine

References

Notes

Bibliography

• James, Derek N. Westland Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-847-X.
• Lukins, A.H. The Book of Westland Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Harborough, 1944.
• Mondey, David. Westland: 2 Westland. London: Jane's, 1982. p. 17.