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WelkinHigh Altitude FighterWestlandWestland Welkin - British twin-engined heavy fighter from Westland Aircraft Company designed to intercept enemy aircraft at extremely high altitudes in the stratosphere; the word welkin translates as "vault of heaven" or upper atmosphere. Conceived back in 1940, the aircraft was built in response to the appearance of modified bombers Junkers Ju 86P, performing reconnaissance flights over England, in At the time, the British assumed that the Luftwaffe might try to resume bombing England from a great height. The construction of the aircraft was carried out in 1942-43, the first flight was on November 1, 1942. The high-altitude system of the fighter maintained a pressure drop in the pressurized cabin of 0.25 kg/cm² which ensured a pressure in the cockpit at an altitude of 13,700 m, equivalent to an altitude of 7300 m. The cockpit was made in the form of a separate section made of bullet-resistant light alloy up to 11 mm thick in places. The rear bulkhead was made of armor steel.
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