Whirlwind: The Westland Whirlwind Fighter

The RAF's first single-seat, twin-engined, cannon-armed fighter was a contemporary of the Spitfire and Hurricane; it was fast, a delight to fly, a brilliant performer as a low-level strike aircraft using bombs and guns by day or night, and well able to hold its own in a dogfight even with Fw 190s. Yet it only fully equipped two squadrons and was withdrawn from service in 1943, its full potential never fully explored or exploited. Why?
The Air Staff never trusted the design, yet there were occasions when the Whirlwind squadrons were able to scramble while other fighters were grounded due to the weather. Its two engines and structural strength meant many a safe return for pilots who would otherwise have had to ditch or who would have been killed in crashes. The men who flew it, loved it, and it did sterling service attacking enemy airfields, trains and ships before its premature retirement.
One 'official' reason why it was considered unsatisfactory, much quoted in other books, is that its high landing speed restricted the number of airfields from which it could be flown. Here, this argument is shown to be pure myth. Using the records and diaries as well as personal comments from the pilots of 263 and 137 Squadrons who flew the Whirlwind into battle, Victor Bingham at last puts the record straight. He shows how obstinacy at Westland against incorporating suggested improvements, lack of drive in getting the aircraft into production quickly, official mistrust and the failure of Rolls-Royce to develop the Peregrine engine properly were the real reasons the Whirlwind has been consigned to the wings of the stage of history.
Beginning with a detailed description of the aircraft's design, development and construction, its flight testing and its entry into service, the author then gives a virtual day-by-day account of its operations —some unsuccessful (but rarely due to faults in the aircraft itself), most highly successful and often dramatic. Illustrated by excellent line drawings as well as many rare photographs from private collections, and including appendices giving brief individual histories of every Whirlwind built, technical data and lists of squadrons, stations and commanding officers, this book admirably puts the Whirlwind for the first time into its proper historical context, showing that it was an aircraft indeed ahead of its time.

by Victor Bingham
Published by Airlife 1987 1st edition. 157pp illustrated, index, appendix, diagrams. 19x24 near mint, d/j spine slightly faded.





Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.