G-EBJT  Westland Widgeon I                                    (c/n  WA.1671)

                              

                                    The original Westland Widgeon I (seen below) was built specifically for the 1924 Air Ministry's
                                    Light Aeroplane Competition, held annually for many years at Lympne in Kent.   For the comp-
                                    etition it was powered by a 1,096 c.c. Blackburn Thrush three cylinder air cooled radial, and
                                    merely bore the number 6.   Like so many of these very light entrants, it came to an early grief
                                    in the trials, being hit by a downdraft on the very first circuit of the course and withdrew.   Recog-
                                    nizing that the machine was under-powered, Westland re-engined it with a 70 h.p. Armstrong
                                    Siddeley Genet, and under this guise, it became the Widgeon II.   The above shot was taken after
                                    this change of power plant had been made.