Aeromilitaria 4-1997

Westland's Pterodactyl Flying Boat

  The Pterodactyl VII was a four-engined tail-less flying boat, designed after experience with the smaller Pterodactyl I, IV and V The latter was a two-seat fighter and it was a logical progression that brought about the Pterodactyl VI nose-turret fighter and the Mk.VII maritime reconnaissance aircraft.
  This aircraft had a short boat-shaped hull with a parasol wing. The four engines were mounted in tandem pairs and were probably Kestrels.
  A contract was placed by the Air Ministry with Westland for the design and in April 1935, the RAE carried out water tank tests on a model. Two schemes were investigated, one with wing floats and the other with sponsons. Saro undertook the hull design.
  The results favoured the sponson version as it would seem to have a better take-off and was more seaworthy. It was not as stable laterally as the float version but there were no differences in the tendency to porpoise and the maximum speed would be similar. With floats, it was calculated that take-off would take 40 seconds and 580 yards; with sponsons it would be 29 seconds and 427 yards.
  Some wind tunnel tests were also carried out at Farnborough. At the time, RAE reports tended to call them 'wind channels'.