Aviation Archive Issue 25 - 2016 UK

(Jacob Rumans) #1

WESTLAND WHIRLWIND 25


Left: Armourers loading ammunition drums into the four 20mm nose cannon of the Whirlwind, each carrying 60
rounds. The Whirlwind was used to particularly good effect as a gun platform for destroying locomotives.

Far left: With rearming complete, the nosecone of the Whirlwind is replaced by its groundcrew.

Above: The first production Whirlwind was
delivered to No 263 Squadron by its commander,
Sqn Ldr H. Eeles on 6 July 1940. A powerful long-
range fighter-bomber, the Westland Whirlwind
was dogged by the unreliability of its Rolls-Royce
Peregrine engines.


Right: In service, there were teething problems
with the cannon and, more significantly, with the
Peregrine engines. Pilots did find the Whirlwind’s
handling very pleasant, the machine having a
light touch on the controls. However, Whirlwinds
also landed ‘hot’, meaning they couldn’t use
shorter airstrips.

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