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WESTLAND WAPITI

The early 1930s were characterized by two trends worldwide: the Depression and disarmament. The first meant that there was little money to buy new aircraft for the RCAF, and the second gave a reason not spend what money there was. As a result, even with the rise of Fascism in Europe, in 1935 the Canadian government could afford only second-hand, inferior fighter aircraft like the Westland Wapiti.

The return to power of Prime Minister Mackenzie King in 1935 allowed for the reorganization of the air force to provide for some token coastal defence. The RCAF, like the two other services, was tied to its British counterpart (the RAF) for organization and equipment. Accordingly, although the purchase of American aircraft would have been cheaper, Canada continued to look toward Britain for its equipment. In 1935, Ottawa ordered six Westland Wapiti bombers and four Blackburn Shark torpedo bombers. Neither aircraft was adequate for Canadian purposes; both were second-hand from the RAF. The Westland Wapiti biplane had been named after the North American elk — appropriately, for like that creature, it was defenceless. The aircraft itself was little more than a copy of the De Havilland 9A of Great War vintage. It was underpowered, poorly designed, “glided like a brick,” and had little to recommend itself. The RAF had found it wanting even for use at its stations in the Middle East and was pleased to unload it on the penniless Canadians. The biplanes, having braved the desert and tribesmen’s bullets, arrived in Canada in deplorable condition. The contract to clean their cockpits of scorpions and camel dung (if the hapless RCAF pilots were to be believed) was given to an Ottawa street car company that was owned by the Ahearn family, which, by coincidence, had been generous supporters of the Liberal party’s re-election.

National Archives of Canada PA 63307

Westland Wapiti.

But the Wapitis (nicknamed “What a pities”) were Canada’s only bomber in the 1930s and were assigned to RCAF No. 3 Squadron. Based at Ottawa, they took part in military exercises at Camp Borden until 1938, when No. 3 was moved to Calgary to better train on bombing runs. With the war, the RCAF gratefully demoted the Wapitis to training and observation roles.

National Archives of Canada PA 63J19

Wapitis at Ottawa, the RCAF’s only bomber in the 1930s.