worked on securing export sales for the Siskin. Siskin sales played a major role in the company's fortunes for a time. Romania ordered 65 aircraft, but cancelled the order following a fatal accident at Whitley Abbey, Coventry on 18 February 1925 when a Romanian pilot died in a crash on take off, during acceptance tests. Political pressure by France may have also contributed to the order's cancellation however. The Siskin IIIA was the main production version, which was first ordered during 1926, and was the first all-metal framed aircraft to be procured in quantity for the RAF. This variant was to have been powered with a Jaguar IV, but was given a supercharged Jaguar IVA engine instead. The supercharger had little effect on performance below , but greatly improved speed and climb above that height. The Royal Canadian Air Force received 12 IIIAs between 1926 and 1931 after evaluating two Siskin IIIs. Early production examples were built by Armstrong Whitworth but due to production demands for the Atlas, some Siskin IIIA production was subcontracted out to Blackburn, Bristol, Gloster, and Vickers. Operational history Royal Air Force During May 1924, the RAF's first Siskin IIIs were delivered to No. 41 Squadron at RAF Northolt. Shortly thereafter, No. 111 Squadron also received the model; its adoption enabled No. 111 to become the RAF's first high-altitude fighter squadron. The Siskin III was relatively popular amongst its pilots, being a highly manoeuvrable aircraft, although slightly underpowered. Between 1925 and 1931, Siskins were frequently presented at RAF exhibitions of flying; one particular feat performed was the linking of three aircraft by cords between their interplane struts, necessitating careful formation flying to not break these cords until the finishing manoeuvre was performed. During September 1926, the first deliveries of the improved Siskin IIIA variant were made to No. 111 Squadron. In total, the Siskin was operated by eleven RAF squadrons. By 1931, the type was showing its age, leading to the Air Ministry considering either to recondition them or to procure new-built fighters to replace them. During October 1932, the final Siskins in RAF service were withdrawn, the type having been replaced by the newer and more capable Bristol Bulldog. Sweden The second Siskin II aircraft was sold to the Royal Swedish Air Force in 1925. It was equipped with skis and flown in an experimental capacity for a time. Canada Between 1926 and 1939, Canada