Westland Whirlwind (fighter)

This article is about the Second World War fighter aircraft. For the postwar helicopter of the same name, see Westland Whirlwind (helicopter).

Whirlwind
Westland Whirlwind in a rare Second World War colour photograph
General information
TypeFighter aircraft
National originUnited Kingdom
ManufacturerWestland Aircraft
Primary userRoyal Air Force
Number built114
History
Manufactured1940 – January 1942
Introduction dateJune 1940
First flight11 October 1938
RetiredDecember 1943

The Westland Whirlwind was a British twin-engined fighter developed by Westland Aircraft. A contemporary of the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, it was the first single-seat, twin-engined, cannon-armed fighter of the Royal Air Force.

When it first flew in 1938, the Whirlwind was one of the fastest combat aircraft in the world and, with four 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 autocannon in its nose, the most heavily armed.[1][2] Protracted development problems with its Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines delayed the project and only 114 Whirlwinds were built. During the Second World War, only three RAF squadrons were equipped with the aircraft and, despite its success as a fighter and ground attack aircraft, it was withdrawn from service in 1943.

  1. ^ Rickard, J (21 November 2007). "Westland Whirlwind". historyofwar.org.
  2. ^ Moyes 1967, pp. 278–279.