Westland Whirlwind Aircraft

Whirlwind I, 137 Sqn RAF. Copyright: Arvo Vercamer

Production Details

Design Company:

Westland Aircraft Limited

First Flight:

11 October 1938

Whirlwind Prototypes:

2 - Westland Aircraft Ltd

Whirlwind I:

114 - Westland Aircraft Ltd

Type Specification

Applies to:

Westland Whirlwind I

Type:

Twin engined single seat fighter or fighter bomber

Wing:

Low wing cantilever monoplane. Wide span centre section of constant chord but tapering slightly in thickness, and two outer sections tapering in chord and thickness. All metal structure

Fuselage:

All metal monocoque of oval section

Tail Unit:

Cantilever monoplane type. Tailplane mounted half way up fin. All metal construction

Landing Gear:

Retractable type. Main wheels retract into rear portion of the engine nacelles. Fully retractable tail wheel

Power Plant:

Two Rolls-Royce Peregrine twelve cylinder Vee liquid cooled geared and supercharged engines, each rated at 885 hp at 15,000 ft, in underslung nacelles mounted midway between fuselage and the extremities of the centre section. De Havilland three bladed constant speed airscrews

Accommodation:

Enclosed cockpit forward of trailing edge of wing

Armament:

Four 20 mm cannon mounted in nose of fuselage. Provision for two 500 lb bombs carried externally under wing

Span:

45 ft

Length:

31 ft 6 in

Height:

10 ft 10 in

Wing Area:

250 sq ft

Empty:

7,840 lb

Loaded:

10,385 lb

Max Cruise Speed:

360 mph at 15,000 ft

Rate of Climb:

1,550 ft/min

Service Ceiling:

30,000 ft

Range:

900 miles

Preserved in British Museums

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