Westland-Hill Pterodactyl

Pterodactyl 1A (Flight 1928)

Pterodactyl 1A pictured from below (Flight 1928) - note the reptile-like paint scheme

The Westland-Hill Pterodactyl series of experimental tailess or flying wing aircraft designs were developed starting in the 1920s. They are named after the genus Pterodactylus, a well-known type of Pterosaur commonly known as the pterodactyl.

They were designed by Geoffrey T. R. Hill and built by Westland Aircraft, having their first flights from RAF Andover. The first (Pterodactyl I, IA and IB) were high wing tailess monoplanes with fully moving wingtips for control built to overcome the issue of stalling and spinning. In some designs the main upper wing was supported by struts from a stubby lower wing to form a sesquiplane (unequal-span biplane). Later designs included fighter and transport aircraft.

The designs were credited as being inspired by observation of seagulls and used fully moving outer wingtips for control. If both tips were moved in the same way they functioned as elevators, in opposite ways then as ailerons

The pioneer tailless aircraft designer John William Dunne assisted Hill with the early designs.

Aircraft

• Pterodactyl I

Glider, built by G T R Hill and his wife in 1924; later fitted with Bristol Cherub engine in co-operation with the Air Ministry.

• Pterodactyl IA

First Westland-built example, a braced monoplane with Bristol Cherub engine.

• Pterodactyl IB

The IA fitted with an Armstrong Siddeley Genet engine and smaller rudders.

• Pterodactyl IV

Three seat cabin monoplane of 44 ft 4 in span and 19 ft 6 in length, produced in 1931. Pitch and roll control by elevons. Also a braced monoplane, the wings had variable sweep through a small range of angles, to allow longitudinal trim in flight in the absence of any horizontal stabiliser.

• Pterodactyl V

Fighter design in the form of a sesquiplane with straight lower wing. Fitted with a 600 hp Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine and 2 Vickers machine guns, it demonstrated equal capability to conventional fighters of the day, but other issues prevented it from going into production.

• Pterodactyl VI.

Designed to Specification F.5/33 for a 2 seater fighter aircraft with front mounted turret. Pusher engine design with powered, front-mounted, gun turret.

• Pterodactyl Mk VII

Designed to Specification R1/33. Flying boat with two tractor and two pusher engines

• Short Brothers-Hill Pterodactyl VIII

Proposed Flying wing transatlantic passenger aircraft with 5 pusher Rolls-Royce Griffon engines.

On display

The Pterodactyl 1A of 1925 is held by the Science Museum London.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Granger Archaeopteryx
  

References

• Lukins, A.H.; The book of Westland aircraft, Aircraft (Technical) Publications Ltd.
• British Aircraft directory 9 February 2007
• Intriguing aircraft 9 February 2007
• Westland history 9 February 2007

External links

• Tailless British aircraft designs modelled
• Flight 1934
• Flight 1970 "the Pterodactly story"
• Flight 1926 THE TAILLESS AEROPLANE
• "Plane That Looks Like A Bat Is Without A Tail", September 1931, Popular Mechanics MK A1 Pterodactly