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Introduction
The Westland Welkin, meaning ‘Vault of Heaven’, was a British high-altitude heavy fighter designed by Westland Aircraft Company as an answer to Luftwaffe high-altitude bombers during World War II. Its development began in 1940, following the appearance of the Junkers Ju 86P, which flew reconnaissance missions at altitudes exceeding 39,000 feet. A development of the earlier Westland Whirlwind, the main design feature of the aircraft is the massive 70-foot high-aspect-ratio wing, made to squeeze as much lift as possible out of thin, high-altitude air. The aircraft was powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk.76/77 engines with two-stage superchargers to ensure high-altitude efficiency, and a groundbreaking pressurized cockpit, a complex system using a double-layer perspex canopy and heated air to prevent frost. By January 1941, the Ministry of Aircraft Production authorized the construction of two prototypes under Air Ministry Specification F.4/40, later revised to F.7/41. The first prototype flew on November 1, 1942.
During testing, the Welkin faced challenges typical of high-altitude aircraft, including a limited flight envelope and susceptibility to compressibility stall during dives. The pressurised cockpit was an added complexity, requiring extensive pre-flight checks. Despite these difficulties, the aircraft achieved a service ceiling of 44,000 feet, making it well-suited to its intended role. However, the threat it was designed to counter dissipated when modified Supermarine Spitfires intercepted Ju 86 bombers in 1942, forcing the Luftwaffe to abandon such missions. By the time the Welkin entered production in August 1943, its mission had become redundant. A total of 77 aircraft were produced, along with 26 engine-less airframes, though only two Welkins were briefly used by the RAF Fighter Interception Unit at RAF Wittering in 1944 for high-altitude tactics training.
In an effort to save the Welkin from obsolescence, a two-seater, radar equipped, night-fighter variant, the Welkin NF.Mk II, was designed and developed under Specification F.9/43. However, only one prototype was completed, as the de Havilland Mosquito proved more capable in the night fighter role. While the Welkin never saw operational combat, its advanced pressurization systems and design features influenced future high-altitude and pressurized jet aircraft development.
Specifications
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