Westland Lysander V9312 | Aircraft Restoration Company

  • STATUS: Airworthy
  • LOCATION: Duxford
  • OWNER:Aircraft Restoration Company
  • ROLE: Army co-operation and liaison aircraft
  • BUILT: 1938
  • LENGTH: 30 ft 6 in\ 9.29 m
  • WINGSPAN: 50 ft 0 in\15.24 m
  • ENGINE: 1 × Bristol Mercury XX radial engine, 870 hp (649 kW)
  • MAXIMUM SPEED:  212 mph\341 km/h
  • RANGE: 600 miles\966 km

Westland Lysander V9312 (G-CCOM) was built by Westlands during 1940 and is believed to be the only solely Westland built Lysander to be restored to airworthy condition in the UK, the others having incorporated Canadian built components.

The aircraft was taken on charge by the RAF at 33 M.U. at Lynham on 4th January 1941 and subsequently served with 613, 225 and 4 Squadrons.

On 26th April 1942, whilst serving with 4 Squadron, V9312 suffered Category B accident damage to a wing. This was repaired at Fairfield, Watford and whilst there it was converted to target tug status. The aircraft was then sent to Liverpool, from where it sailed to Canada arriving on 18th October 1942.

After 15 years of restoration, at 6pm on the evening of 8th August 2018, Westland Lysander V9312’s nine cylinder Bristol Mercury Engine burst into life for the first time since 30th December 1944. Once the engine setup had been completed, and a few personal touches in the form of a roundel red spinner and wheel covers had been added, the Lysander took to the skies on 28th August 2018.

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