Westland F.7/30

1934

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  FIGHTERVirtual Aircraft Museum / United Kingdom / Westland  

Westland F.7/30

To meet the requirements of Specification F.7/30 for a four-gun day and night fighter powered by the Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine using evaporative cooling, Westland schemed a parasol monoplane in continuation of the Wizard concept, but found it impossible to combine the required slow landing speed with the 402km/h maximum. An alternative biplane, the P.4, was successfully tendered, however, one prototype being ordered in 1931. With a 600hp Goshawk VIII buried in the fuselage behind the pilot, driving the propeller via a long extension shaft, this single-bay biplane featured a gulled upper wing with short inboard struts in place of the usual cabane, and a staggered lower wing of slightly shorter span. When first flown on 23 March 1934, the F.7/30 had an open cockpit, but a full canopy was soon added. Armament of four 7.7mm Vickers guns was concentrated in the nose. Construction was of metal throughout, with metal skins for the forward fuselage and engine bay, and fabric elsewhere. Ailerons were fitted to the upper wing only, this also having Handley Page slots.

Although it handled well, the F.7/30 was found deficient in performance when tested at Martlesham Heath, and no further development occurred.

Westland F.7/30

Specification 
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight2359 kg5201 lb
  Empty weight1672 kg3686 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan11.73 m39 ft 6 in
  Length8.99 m30 ft 6 in
  Height3.28 m11 ft 9 in
  Wing area34.37 m2369.96 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed298 km/h185 mph

3-View 
Westland F.7/30A three-view drawing (650 x 497)

Comments
bingshuya, 20.06.2011 10:57

what I want to kmow is, was this Teddy Petter's first Design? He was a brilliants designer, but I have always had difficulty making a complete list of his designs.

reply

Fritz Wagoner, e-mail, 19.07.2010 01:20

It's strange to think this airplane competed against the Spitfire in a Design Competition. It may not have won but it's still a neat airplane...

reply

leo rudnicki, e-mail, 23.04.2009 02:48

An Airacobra with a Goshawk engine.

reply

Jan Krahulec, e-mail, 17.07.2008 15:05

Excuse me, but there are no informations about colour scheme of this plane, it is, I seem, impossible to find it. Who can help with this problem? Thank you.

reply

Mick Dunne, e-mail, 29.12.2007 04:11

I always liked this plane (notwithstanding it's inadequate performance)...what I want to kmow is, was this Teddy Petter's first Design? He was a brilliants designer, but I have always had difficulty making a complete list of his designs.

reply

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