« Reply #30 on: June 12, 2009, 10:02:19 PM »
The Westland Whirlwind was the Hampden's crazy second cousin. But damn, what a hard hit she had (4 20mm all on centerline). Below 6K, could out turn a 109. Withdrawn for service for no real reason with a very good combat record
(Image removed from quote.)
The reason for the withdrawl from service of the Whirlwind was other cannon-armed fighters, like the Hawker Typhoon and the Bristol Beaufighter were becoming available and the Whirlwind was tightly designed around the Rolls Royce Peregrine engine which was being built in considerably lower numbers than the Napier Sabre,the Merlin and the Bristol Hercules.Changing the Whirlwinds Powerplant was not a feasible Option.Only 116 Whirlwinds and a corresponding number of Peregrines (302)were built.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2009, 10:12:30 PM by Blake7 »
Logged
Wir sind die schwarzen Husaren der Luft,
Die Stukas, die Stukas, die Stukas!
Immer bereit, wenn der Einsatz uns ruft,
Die Stukas, die Stukas, die Stukas!
