The Widgeon was the first high-wing monoplane to be built by Westland. The design originated as the result of a discussion regarding the relative merits of a biplane or a monoplane, to be entered in the Air Ministry’s Light Aeroplane Competition of 1924, and as both types had promising points in their favour it was decided to build one of each.
Originally intended to be powered with a twin-cylinder Bristol Cherub engine, the Widgeon was eventually flight-tested with a three-cylinder Blackburne Thrush engine. At the Competition trials, held at Lympne in the autumn of 1924, the machine was flown by Captain Winstanley, but was unluckily wrecked by a down-current on its first circuit of the course.
Undismayed by this set-back the Westland design team, realising that the Widgeon was underpowered, had it rebuilt and fitted with the more powerful Armstrong Siddeley Genet engine, a five-cylinder radial of 70hp. The results of the competition proved that engines in the 30-40hp class were quite unsuitable for two-seat light aeroplanes.
With the new engine installation the machine became known as Mark II of the series, and was used by Westland for full-scale tests of various theories connected with monoplane design. In the late twenties the Widgeon Mark II took part in many sporting flying events, eventually becoming the property of Dr. Whitehead-Reid, of Canterbury.

Widgeon Mk II
Engine: 1 x 70hp Armstrong Siddeley Genet
Max take-off weight: 370 kg / 816 lb
Empty weight: 215 kg / 474 lb
Wingspan: 9.3 m / 31 ft 6 in
Length: 6.2 m / 20 ft 4 in
Height: 2.2 m / 7 ft 3 in
Wing area: 12.47 sq.m / 134.23 sq ft
Max. speed: 116 km/h / 72 mph

For some time the Air Ministry’s Directorate of Technical Development had been interested in the theories of a Russian inventor, M.Woyevodsky, whose idea of the perfect aeroplane was that the fuselage and wings should be in the form of a continuous aerofoil, with external wing bracing eliminated, rather like the modern conception of the “flying wing.”
Several Woyevodsky models were tested in wind-channels and, when the results seemed to confirm the inventor’s claims, the final model was handed over to the Westland design staff to be put into practical form. This rather idealistic model was of a twin-engined freight-carrying monoplane of 21.1m span and a length of 17.08m, with a wing area of 78.04sq.m. A retractable undercarriage was also a feature of the model design, and the single 450hp Napier Lion engine.
The original model design was translated into an all-metal monoplane and construction methods employed were also ahead of the times, use being made of drawn metal channelling and corrugated metal panels, much in the style of the modern “stressed skin” method of manufacture.

The Dreadnought was completed in the spring of 1923, and its taxying trials attracted considerable local interest. Captain Keep conducted these tests, often accompanied by Mr. Bruce, and had the machine satisfactorily airborne for a few yards in short hopping flights.
Everything pointed to the success of this unique design, but the initial test flight, which took place on an afternoon in early May, 1923, ended in disaster. After a seemingly smooth take-off the Dreadnought rose steadily towards the aerodrome boundary, but near the factory buildings it was apparent Captain Keep was having difficulty in controlling the machine. Shortly after this the Dreadnought stalled and crashed from a height of about one hundred feet, the engine and wings striking the ground squarely and the fuselage breaking off at the cockpit.
Captain Keep was seriously injured and had to have both his legs amputated, but this major personal misfortune did not lessen his interest or work in aviation, and he has since added many years of technical and advisory service to his career.
The Dreadnought design was abandoned from this point.

Wingspan: 21.1 m / 69 ft 3 in
Length: 17.08 m / 56 ft 0 in
Wing area: 78.04 sq.m / 840.01 sq ft

The 1930 Western Aircraft Corp Sport single place open cockpit monoplane was registered N216Y c/n 1 in mid-1930, powered with a Szekely.

The company vanished shortly after licensing this plane, apparently swallowed up by the Depression, and fate of the plane is unknown as its reg was cancelled in 1932.

Designed by Neil Perdew, the 1931 Westbrook W-5 (ATC 2-444) was powered by a 90hp ACE Cirrus Mk III engine. The ATC were issued in 1933.

The W-5-B Sportster had an 85hp British Cirrus (2-455). Folding all-wood wings and selling for $2,650.

About five were built, and several partly constructed before the business failed in 1931.
NC9N c/n 501 destroyed in a 1931 crash
N853W c/n 502
NC966V c/n 503 lost in a 1938 accident
NC92V c/n 504
possibly c/n 505 unlicensed one

The design was planned for revival in 1939 as the Allied H-28 Sport Trainer, but apparently no planes were built.

W-5
Engine: 90hp ACE Cirrus Mk III
Wingspan: 32’0″
Length: 23’6″
Useful load: 500 lb
Max speed: 125 mph
Cruise speed: 100 mph
Stall: 40 mph
Range: 400 mi
Seats: 2

W-5-B Sportster
Engine: 85hp British Cirrus
Seats: 2