Airspeed Queen Wasp

Lore & Background

The Queen Wasp was built to meet Air Ministry Specification Q.32/35 for a pilotless target aircraft to replace the de Havilland Tiger Moth based de Havilland Queen Bee. Two prototypes were ordered in May 1936, one with wheeled landing gear for Royal Air Force use and the other as a floatplane for Royal Navy use for air-firing practice at sea. The aircraft was a single-engined biplane constructed of wood with sharply-tapered wings and fabric-covered control surfaces. An enclosed cabin with one seat was provided so the Queen Wasp could be flown manually with the radio control system turned off. The radio control system was complex with a number of backup safety devices to ensure radio and battery operation was uninterrupted. A trailing receiver aerial was winched out after takeoff and served as an automatic landing device which was activated when the trailing aerial weight hit the runway. The sensitivity of the system in turbulent weather meant that an alternative landing signal was used to initiate a landing procedure.

The landplane first flew on 11 June 1937, and the floatplane on 19 October 1937. The floatplane was successfully catapulted from HMS Pegasus in November 1937. In flight tests, the aircraft was found to be underpowered and water handling difficulties necessitated a redesign of the floats by their manufacturer, Short Brothers. Although the production run of 10 aircraft was begun (P5441–P5450), only three more aircraft were completed and delivered to the Royal Air Force. Airspeed proposed a number of unsuccessful designs derived from the Queen Wasp including the AS.38 communications aircraft and the AS.50 trainer developed to meet Specification T.24/40.

Reader's Guide

The Queen Wasp represents a transitional step in British target drone development, bridging the earlier Queen Bee (a converted manned aircraft) and later purpose-built drones. Its design incorporated advanced radio control features for its time, including a trailing aerial automatic landing system and multiple backup safety devices. However, the aircraft was found to be underpowered in flight tests, and the floatplane version required a redesign of its floats by Short Brothers due to water handling difficulties. Despite an initial order of 65 aircraft contingent on flight test success, only a production run of 10 was begun, and ultimately only three more aircraft beyond the prototypes were completed and delivered to the Royal Air Force. The Queen Wasp never entered series production. Airspeed's subsequent proposals for derived designs—the AS.38 communications aircraft and the AS.50 trainer—were also unsuccessful. The aircraft was operated by both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, but its limited production and operational shortcomings prevented it from fulfilling its intended role as a replacement for the Queen Bee.

Did You Know?

• The Queen Wasp was built to replace the de Havilland Queen Bee target drone.
• Two prototypes were ordered in May 1936: one landplane for the RAF and one floatplane for the Royal Navy.