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Westland Wyvern and Contra props

Posted by Joe Scheil on Tue Feb 18, 2003 08:57:32 PM

In reply top Re: British Aircraft Identification posted by bill word on Tue Feb 18, 2003 07:15:50 PM


What British single engine aircraft had counter-rotating
props?

A good trivia question to be sure, I will start with the Spitfire (too many different ones to list)Seafire, Seafang, the MB-5, the Supermarine Seagull, Short Sturgeon, Hawker Fury I, Wyvern, Fairey Gannet...others?

As for the Wyvern only one example survives, VR137 a RR Eagle powered example. Seven were made with VR137 being the last. It is now at Yovilton I believe, and is reported to have never flown, as the Eagle was cancelled in Dec. 1946. The Eagle was perhaps the greatest production Rolls Royce piston engine, a 24 cylinder H configuration that first flew in that same year. The 7 reciprocating Eagle Wyverns were used in trials and expended in tests. The production Wyvern used a Armstrong-Siddeley Python turboprop and was long in development (6 years). The Wyvern production example also was very large, same as a C-47 and twice the weight of a Firebrand! It was the first turboprop combat aircraft, and the knowledge gained from the program attempting to tame the engine for carrier use was invaluable. Unfortunatly no examples of the production aircraft survive, though several were ditched, one in Falmouth Bay (VW868), and not recovered. (Tony, Cees?)
Hope this helps.

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