Friday 29 April 2016

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk.IIIA - Foreign Users

The Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the 1920s that was used by some foreign users, Canada and Estonia, more precisely.

The Royal Canadian Air Force used the Sisikin from 1926 until 1939. They were sent in 1926 to be tested under winter flying conditions, equipped with skis instead of regular wheels and the original modified type was piloted by Clenell H. Dickins. It was considered as a very advanced airplanes fighter for the time and the RCAF eventually bought them and they were assigned to the Flight No.1 based at Camp Borden and Trenton, in Ontario.
In 1937 the Flight was reformed and it became the No.1 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force and was moved from Trenton and Borden to Calgary, in Alberta.

It remained active with that unit until 1939 when, due to the outbreak of the war, it was replaced by the more modern Hawker Hurricane.
It also equipped the first RCAF flight demonstration unit, the Siskin Air Demonstration team, nicknamed 'The Siskins'.

Apparently, Estonia also purchased some Siskins, not the fighter ones, but the trainer one, the Siskin IIIDC, which was a two-seater. However further details about those airplanes under Estonian command are unknown.










Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_Whitworth_Siskin
2. http://www.canadianwings.com/Aircraft/aircraftDetail.php?SISKIN-6
3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters.

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