RAY WATKINS COLLECTION
No. 8884. Westland Witch (J8596) Royal Air Force
Photograph from Westland

Westland Witch

04/30/2009. Remarks by Ray Watkins: "In 1925 the Air Ministry issued specification 23/25 for a two-seat, single-engined day bomber to replace the Hawker Horsley. Prototypes were ordered from Gloster (G.25 Goring), Handley Page (H.P.34 Hare), Hawker (Harrier Mk.I) and Westland.

The monoplane Witch was the most advanced of the competing aircraft (all other being biplanes) but none complied fully with the specification, and showed little improvement over the existing type, so no production orders were placed. The sole Witch was delivered to RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire, where it was used for testing parachutes and for parachute training."


Created April 30, 2009