This rare colour photograph, taken by H.H. Chapman at either Biggin Hill or Kenley in May 1939, depicts Lysander Mk IIs L4808 and L4805 of 16 Sqn, with a third “Lizzie” just visible at right. The aircraft are fitted with removable stub-wing bomb carriers on each main undercarriage leg. Both aircraft were built by Westland at Yeovil, and were part of a batch of 32 delivered to 16 Sqn in April 1939. Lysander L4808 survived until 1940, when it was destroyed on June 1; its companion L4805 served with 16 and 239 Sqns, 6 AACU, 12 Group AAC Flight and 116 Sqn before becoming an instructional airframe in 1943.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Westland Lysander - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1936

Three Lysander Mk Is of No 16 Squadron formate for The Aeroplane’s camera over Salisbury. Oversize squadron codes and two-colour overpainted roundels were a feature of Service marking schemes in the lead-up to the war.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Westland Lysander - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1936

Deliveries of the Lysander to the RAF began on May 15, 1938. No 16 Squadron at Old Sarum, where the School of Army Cooperation was located, was the first to replace its Audaxes with Lysanders, the first arrival being L4675. This neat formation was photographed for The Aeroplane on a training flight from the unit’s home base.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Westland Lysander - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1936