What are these things (well) above the wheels?

A: They are sponsons for the hanging of external stores (i.e. bombs).
(Or in some cases containerized dingies.)

How do you call the aerodynamically (*) shaped
features in which the wheels are nested?

A: The coverings are commonly refered to as spats, and because they
often became caked with mud it was common enough for them to be
removed in the field.

Also why do the wings have this double taper
(see next picture where it's more apparent)

A: The outer leading edge of the wing has a slat fitted to it. The
inner portion tapers backward for pilot visibility, and has no slat.
The plane was an army cooperation (i.e. observation) model. At low
altitudes the ability for the pilot to look around is paramount.

Waldo.





On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:36:32 -0400, "Charles Manoras"
wrote:





__________ 1938 Westland Lysander 1
A No 208 Squadron Westland Lysander, patrolling the Suez
Canal in 1939, circles the Gebel-Mariam monument


What are these things (well) above the wheels?

How do you call the aerodynamically (*) shaped
features in which the wheels are nested?

(*) or at least one would hope so.

Also why do the wings have this double taper
(see next picture where it's more apparent)?

Thanks.