Westland Lysander Mk II – RAF, Western Desert, 1940

Corgi Aviation Archive Legends AA36803: Westland Lysander Mk II of the RAF, Western Desert, 1940. Legends models are not limited and come on a display stand within a plastic blister on a card diorama base.

Length 5.25 inches Wingspan 8.25 inches

The Lysander is a two-seat artillery-spotting and reconnaissance monoplane. Three squadrons of Mk Is and three of Mk Us equipped during 1938–39 moved to France with BEF in 1939; about 50 Lysanders were shot down and 30 destroyed on the ground in May 1940. Other squadrons were operational during 1938–39 in Egypt, Palestine and India; they later served in Greece, North Africa, Western Desert and Gibraltar. As many as 12 squadrons were flying Westland Lysanders in the UK in 1940, when provision was made for one 20-mm cannon to be fitted on each wheel faring (for anti-invasion role) in place of one 250-lb. Smoke Curtain Installation (SCI) mounted on each stub wing, which could imply the use of poison gas.

Designed to meet an Air Ministry specification for an army co-operation aircraft, the Lysander was first flown on June 15th, 1936. This unconventional looking aircraft had contoured wings that were angled slightly forward so that the pilot was positioned in front of the wing. Its roles included reconnaissance, message pickup, artillery spotting and some limited bombing, but its superb short takeoff and landing capabilities are what set it apart from other aircraft of its time, making it perfect for special night missions such as transportation of agents and supplies to and from mainland Europe.