Author Topic: What if.. (Read 303 times)

AtmkRstr · « **on:** November 12, 2002, 08:53:04 AM »

What if the Me-262 was a piston engined fighter?

http://homepage.tinet.ie/~steven/images/whirl_inflbw.jpg

It's actually a Westland Whirlwind. It'd be nice to have in AH, but there wern't many produced.

Manufacturer:
Westland

Crew/Passengers:
one pilot

Power Plant:
two 885 hp Rolls-Royce Peregrine piston engines

Performance:
Max Speed: 360 mph (579 km/h)
Service Ceiling: 30,300 ft (9,235 m) Range: 800 mi (1,287 km)

Weights:
Empty: 8,310 lb ( 3,769 kg) Gross: 11,388 lb (5,166 kg)

Dimensions:
Span: 45 ft 0 in (13.72 m) Length: 32 ft 9 in (9.98 m)
Height: 11 ft 7 in (4.32 m) Wing Area: 250 sq ft (23.23 sq m)

Armament:
four 20 mm cannon and provisions for 1,000 lb (454 kg) of bombs

Cost:
Unknown

ramzey · « **Reply #1 on:** November 12, 2002, 10:57:52 AM »

Slow, poor rollrate, poor climb. Slowing half speed each cannon burst, unstable in flight. Low number produced, most used as patrol plane. Sure death on MA and SEA /for pilot of course/

ramzey

frank3 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 12, 2002, 12:29:17 PM »

well, looks like the P38, and with a topspeed of 360 mph it must be good

whgates3 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 12, 2002, 01:12:05 PM »

the Westland Welkin was the good version of that plane. most if not all of the problems (problems caused by rushing the whirlwind program early in the war) solved, range vastly increased, ~30 MPH faster & still has those 4 x 20mm hispanos

ramzey · « **Reply #4 on:** November 12, 2002, 01:46:01 PM »

anyway used in small numbers, better for AH will be Beufighter

ramzey

whgates3 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 12, 2002, 11:09:59 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by ramzey
anyway used in small numbers, better for AH will be Beufighter

certainly much more deserving anyway - with the range issuse the AH mossie has, one might say that it is actually a beaufighter missing 2 .303 guns. the argument for the whirlwind would be dogfighting ability - it was reputedly a quite manuverable fighter, only a bit bigger than the Spit and smaller than a P-47

M.C.202 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 14, 2002, 12:52:53 AM »

All this nice bird needed was two Isotta-FraschiniRC 25/60 Zetas with 1,500hp for the same weight. The problem was the under developed (and low production) Peregrine at 885 hp.
360mph at 15,000ft is not bad in '40.

frank3 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 14, 2002, 01:23:12 PM »

it's pretty look-alike a Havilland plane to me