Westland Widgeon (G-APTW)
NAHR category - Noteworthy
Aircraft History
The Widgeon was a civil development of the earlier Dragonfly, but didn't enjoy great commercial success and only fifteen were eventually produced. There was a plan upgrade to twenty four existing Fleet Air Arm Dragonflys to Dragonfly HC.7 standard (as the Naval Widgeon was to become) but this was abandoned and it contributed to the decision to stop production.
G-APTW History
G-APTW was used by a number of companies as a corporate transport, but its claim to fame was appearing in the Alistair MacLean film "Where Eight Bells Toll" in 1971 (starring Anthony Hopkins, Robert Morley and Jack Hawkins) for which it was painted up in pseudo Royal Navy colours. It was withdraw from service in 1973 and exhibited in a number of museums and collections before being acquired by NEAM in 1993.
G-APTW at NEAM Jan-08