Westland Wapiti TT

[RAL]

I'm seeking information on the type and installation of TT equipment employed on RAF Westland Wapiti target towing aircraft.  I'm planning on modelling a 1/48 RAAF Wapiti TT.  Just as the RAAF adopted the RAF instructions for C&M in the interwar years, I'm assuming (yes, I know that one should never do that) that the RAAF utilised the same TT set-up as the RAF.  Any and all assistance would be appreciated.

 

RAF

Sydney, Australia 

[Magpie22]

G'day Roger,

 

This seems a roundabout way to communicate. 

 

I believe that the RAAF used the Type C Twin Drum winch in at least one Wapiti. I don't know if other Wapitis carried this winch, but A5-33 certainly did. On Technical Staff, Air Board, Drawing No. A-1264, "Arrangement of Dual Drum Target Gear" for the Demon, instructions are given to remove the Twin Drum Type C Target Towing Gear, Bowden cable connection, and Twin Container for 8 ft Flags from Wapiti A5-33, for the prototype installation on the Demon.

 

The drawing is dated August 1936. A5-33 was received by the RAAF at the end of 1930. She served with No. 1 Sqn and then went to No. 1 FTS in July 1936. In January 1937 she went to No. 1 AD, and then back to FTS in July that year. I suspect that the TT gear was removed when she was at No. 1 AD. I suspect that the TT gear was installed in the UK before delivery. The record card does not mention anything about TT gear being installed, either in the UK or in Australia. 

 

The shot below shows the pick up points, and braces, for the pannier, visible under the '3' and just ahead of the frame where the metal skinning ends. Incidentally, the drawing mentions pannier not panniers as implied in the In Miniature article on the Demon TT A/C. This shot was probably taken after the TT gear was removed. Was she the only Wapiti so fitted?

 

 

There appears to have been at least one other Wapiti fitted to tow banners. This was A5-12, X, of No. 1 Armament Training Station, based at Cressy, circa 1940. This appears to be quite a different installation with the banner stowed under the inner wing or fuselage. In the photo below, the tow cable can be seen coming from under the fuselage and then looping forward to the stowed banner. THis appears to be a one man operation - no operator visible in the rear.

 

 

HTH,

Cheers,

Peter M

[RAL]

Thank you, Magpie 22.  I'll email you separately shortly.

 

RAL 

[John Aero]

I scavenged this from the net some years ago. I don't know who to credit which is why I've severely cropped the photo to the detail we need. This is a standard RAF Wapiti TT installation of which I have come across very little information whilst working on my Wapiti/Wallace drawing project which was stalled due to ill health.  Visible in the picture is the under slung winch crate and just behind this, the bomb aimers lozenge shaped hatch, through which I believe the drogues are dispatched and just seen at the top of the underside is the square opening through which (I think) the twin pulleys for the cables protrude as seen in the lower photo in post 2. It seems that the Australian crate is mounted further forward. There is remarkably little in the Long Drag a short history of Target Towing on these hand cranked early winches.

 

John

 

 

 

 

 

[Magpie22]

John,

Thanks for that info. Roger and I will need a little time to digest it. It certainly adds a bit more to the TT installations we have been looking at on the Wapiti and Demon. There is one very strange set up on a RAAF Wapiti which appears to be a Type B winch mounted on the Scarff ring of a Wapiti. Will follow up when time permits.

Peter M

[RAL]

Many thanks, John.  That is certainly a very interesting image of the TT installation on a Westland Wapiti.  I wholeheartedly agree regarding the lack of definitive information on these early TT installations and the paucity of information in Don Evans "The Long Drag".  There must be information out there somewhere; as they say in the classics "it is just a matter of finding it".  The quest continues.

 

As an aside, do we know what the significance is of the swastikas on the surfaces of the lower wings?  I appreciate that they are not German related per se but would be interested to know what the symbols represent ...

 

Thank you again for your response.

 

RAL (aka Roger)

Sydney, Australia

[John Aero]

Off the top of my head I think it's 84 Sqn at Shaibah using the sign as good symbol as used by a number of ancient communities.

 

John

[RAL]

Thank you, John.  I had a feeling that it was a good luck symbol or such.  A shame that it was hijacked by Mr Hitler and his cronies … 

 

Regards

 

Roger

[Patrik]

On 9/19/2019 at 10:56 AM, John Aero said:

I scavenged this from the net some years ago. I don't know who to credit which is why I've severely cropped the photo to the detail we need. This is a standard RAF Wapiti TT installation of which I have come across very little information whilst working on my Wapiti/Wallace drawing project which was stalled due to ill health.  Visible in the picture is the under slung winch crate and just behind this, the bomb aimers lozenge shaped hatch, through which I believe the drogues are dispatched and just seen at the top of the underside is the square opening through which (I think) the twin pulleys for the cables protrude as seen in the lower photo in post 2. It seems that the Australian crate is mounted further forward. There is remarkably little in the Long Drag a short history of Target Towing on these hand cranked early winches.

 

John

Sad to hear that the Wapiti/Wallace drawing project was stalled due to ill health, John. I wish you that your health improves soon, and with it the hopes for seeing accurate Wapiti/Wallace kit renew.

Patrik