Westland Walrus

The Westland Walrus was a British spotter and reconnaissance biplane built by Westland Aircraft for the Royal Navy, which in 1919 urgently needed a three seat aircraft of that kind. To save money it was adapted from part completed Airco DH.9A airframes left over after the First World War, following an earlier attempt by Armstrong Whitworth, the Tadpole. Westland fitted a 450 hp Napier Lion II engine in place of the Liberty, added a cockpit for an observer and radio operator, a prone observing position in a ventral pannier, a jettisonable undercarriage, flotation bags, hydrovanes and arresting gear, and made the wings detachable. The prototype flew in early 1921 and handled poorly, test pilot Stuart Keep calling it a vicious beast, yet 35 more were ordered. It served with No. 3 Squadron RAF and the Fleet Spotter Flights until replaced in late 1925, and never operated from carriers.