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Circa 1943.
The Whirlwind was developed to fullfill a requirement (F.37/35) for a long range escort fighter. The type was a stable and pleasant aircraft to fly and had a formidable amount of firepower for the time. Unfortunately development was delayed by the unreliable Peregrine engine. Also the type suffered from an unusually high landing speed (80 mph) which meant that the type couldn't operate from short, grass fields. These issues led the type to see only limited production.
Eventually two squadrons, nos 263 and 137, were equipped with the type and in August 1941 escorted Blenheims on an attack against Cologne in daylight. After the RAF switched to night bombing the type was relegated to cross-channel straffing and bombing sorties.
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WARBIRDS RESOURCE GROUP > BRITISH AVIATION > PREVIOUS PAGE