CWH “STOL and Stealth” Machine Nears Completion
By Robert Donnelly

After Over 22-Years, The Lysander is Almost Ready. Sitting in the Restoration Area, the machine looks as if it is simply receiving its annual winter inspection. The wings are installed. The fabric skin is tight and smooth and any metal panels are in place. The much sought-after wheels have been installed, and the big radial engine with its propeller is at the ready. From some perspectives, the old bird looks a bit like a dragonfly. Painted in striking yellow and black stripes, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Westland Lysander seems ready for the sky.
In fact, that moment has been a long, long time coming.

Amazingly, our Lysander has spent more than half of its life as a CWH asset; a significant part of the collection for over three decades. Back in 1973, two incomplete airframes were obtained, and the decision was made to restore the one in the best condition, using parts from the second as necessary. The selected aircraft, a Mark III, was manufactured in 1942 by the National Steel Car Company (Victory Aircraft) in Malton, Ontario under licence from the Westland Aircraft Corporation, England.

The restoration project itself was started in 1983 by The Friends of the Canadian Warplane Heritage in Niagara Falls, New York, and is now into its twenty-third year! Records from then indicate that the FCWH group felt that return to flight was only short time away. After considerable exertion, they finally decided that the job was bigger than the resources they could muster. So, in 1997, the aircraft was returned to the Canadian Warplane Heritage where a new team continued the immense effort to restore it to flying condition.

Had anyone known then that more than twenty-years would elapse from start to finish; I wonder whether they would have even started. Thankfully, those first visionaries did not know how long it would take, and moreover that, indeed, they did start. Now, after many thousands of hours, several starts and stops, and with incredible dedication, faith, and skill from a team of volunteers, the elusive goal of flight is now close.

Perhaps, even, in sight.

Few Remain

Lysander aircraft have a proud and singular history – a notable place in aviation history is firmly etched and honourably earned. Of the 1,650 aircraft built, in four variants, there are apparently only two aircraft still flyable; a figure the CWH hopes to change significantly in the near future. Of that total, 225 were built in Canada under licence.

Our “Lizzie”

Some discussion took place over the years that centred on what role the restored CWH Lysander would portray. At one time, it was even painted black to emulate those Special Operations Executive missions that many “Lizzie’s” flew. However, there is a vast amount of data in the CWH files that virtually confirms the provenance for the CWH aircraft (National Steel Car airframe #1202) and its RCAF (2363) registration.

The CWH’s stated mission is to acquire, document, preserve, and maintain a complete collection of aircraft that were flown by Canadians and the Canadian military services from the beginning of World War II to the present.

So, our Lysander has been faithfully completed to what the CWH team believes was its role, that of a target tug, with the distinctive “bumble bee” paint scheme; a role characteristic of virtually all of the Canadian production models.

But some of the systems are not quite as original.

Westland Lysanders and their Canadian variants were equipped with air brake systems, as is the Museum’s Lancaster. But because of the scarcity of air brake actuating bladders, a perennial issue with the Lancaster, the decision was taken to convert to hydraulic braking. And as an additional consequence, serviceability has vastly improved. So has braking power. In fact, the conversion to hydraulic brakes is not unique. The “Brooks” Lysander was also converted during its restoration.

Machined cast magnesium was the material of choice by Westland for Lysander wheels, but the wheels obtained with the airframes over thirty years ago were so badly corroded that they were feared completely unusable. Attempts to recreate the original design in aluminum were also unsuccessful. So, the wheels, now in place, are painstakingly repaired examples of the original units.

Our aircraft actually now has the Dwight Brooks Lysander wheels, brakes, and rudder bar.
A second seat that was originally used by observers is no longer with the machine. And given that seat belts were not used for that position in wartime, some serious thought will be needed to make the position useable, because according to Duane Freeman, CWH Chief Engineer, “No seat belt is simply something we would never do.”

The CWH “Lizzie” is in full running condition, having had several run-ups of the engine and very short distance taxiing on the tarmac. Some minor instrumentation and electrical work also still needs to be done, but the machine is essentially complete.

C. of G. calculations also have to be made, and they will differ somewhat from those that 2363 had in the 1940’s. “As a target tug, this Lysander would have been equipped with a target winch,” continued Duane, “plus a frame would have been added to the tail to prevent the tow cable from fouling the controls. That all was added weight that we do not have to deal with.”

Other weight saving in the restored machine comes from new technology equipment such as batteries and radios that were much heavier in their wartime variants. However, the hatch that originally contained lead weights used as counterweight for establishing wartime C. of G’s is still there.

After some initial quirks, when the big Mercury offered balky and smoky performance, the machine has now been satisfactorily “tweaked” into running very smoothly. Duane told me that he was, “tickled with how it runs.” And Rex Russell, CWH Volunteer Administrator also observed, “The last time Duane had it running, it sounded so sweet…”

Full operating power was also successfully achieved during short tests. In fact, after one run-up, Duane commented, “We had to be very careful. Above 1800 rpm, the machine wanted to nose over, requiring us to secure the tail to the ground. The whole aircraft vibrated and shook – you could tell it just wanted to fly.”

Soon? Maybe?

‘Way Ahead of its Time

The Lysander’s unique wing trailing edge flap and leading edge slat arrangement is a precursor to those highly complicated computer-controlled systems that are standard on virtually every high performance commercial and military aircraft today. At the time of its introduction, however, it was unheard of.

Interestingly, it is NOT controlled from the cockpit. Although they operate together as a system, flaps and slats, inboard and outboard, and even port and starboard will extend or retract based upon the need of the machine. A complex system of wires, levers, and actuators interconnects both inboard and outboard flaps and slats. They operate with amazing effortlessness, based upon the airspeed and attitude of the aircraft, and without modern electronics.

Lysander flight performance is unique – they can seemingly hang in the air, taking off and landing in surprisingly short distances.

“The Lysander will be stable at airspeeds as low as 45 miles per hour,” added Duane, “With everything hanging out. Although I would certainly not want to; 45 mph is not an airspeed that pilots would be looking for unless landing on a baseball diamond!”

“The outboard slats operate independently of each other and the trailing edge flaps, while the inboard slats and trailing edge flaps are interconnected as one system. The outboard slats will extend first at a higher airspeed, while the inboard system operates at a much lower airspeed. This system activates in stages as the aircraft takes off and lands. It is something to see in action, seamlessly extending and retracting with only fingertip pressure.”

“It is so sensitive that the flaps will deploy often simply in reaction to the air currents. Right now, just opening the hangar doors will get this machine’s attention and it can be quite startling to be standing there when it is working, apparently all by itself. Of course, we are studying the adjustments needed to ensure its proper operation,” Duane concluded. And, with no sense of irony.

Given the amount of lift that the unique wings provide and its incredible low-speed performance, a Lysander will be off the ground, or land, in just over one hundred meters. When painted black and given those flight characteristics, they would also be very quiet, almost unnoticeable during their clandestine comings and goings.

STOL and Stealth – a long time before those phrases were even thought of.

And now, the BIG question.

When will the CWH Lysander fly? I asked Duane Freeman, CWH Chief Engineer, to put fresh batteries in his crystal ball.

“I’m pretty confident we’ll be ready for Summer 2006”, was his prediction. Given that he is thankfully adverse to risk taking, that is extremely good news, and we can all mark THAT in our calendars!

Please click on photos to enlarge

Lysander photo1:

The CWH Westland Lysander on the hangar floor, almost ready to go.
Photo courtesy of Chad Martin.

Lysander photo2:

The Lysander frame sitting in a farmer’s field some where in Manitoba.
Photo courtesy of Bill Tourtel.

Lysander photo3:

The Lysander frame, from the field in Manitoba, sits in the original Warplane Heritage hangar as the restoration begins.
Photo courtesy of CWHM Archives.

Lysander photo4:

The CWH Lysander receives its distinctive ‘Bumble Bee’ paint job in the museum hangar.
Photo courtesy of CWHM.