Westland Whirlwind

[MightyQuinn]

I see some of you have talked about the "Westland Whirlwind" and those threads are now closed.


I have attached a photograph of a Tribute Plaque I discovered attached to a German anti-aircraft bunker on the channel island Jersey.
It displays 2 brave pilots names who flew "Westland Whirlwinds" that where lost attacking german shipping from the guns that once stood here.

We all owe these guys bigtime.

I would expect these aircraft that lie in the sea would be classed as a war grave and can not be touched.....

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p165/mighty_quinn/Whirlwind4.jpg

Regards
MightyQuinn

[RETDPI]

Apparently Woodward was OC 263 at the time..

[Fantome]

In the museum in the little township of Swansea on the east coast of Tasmania there are on the wall tributes to a Whirlwind pilot (from the district) and his crewman, including some excellent photos of men and machine.

If any reseacher wants details, I would be happy to pass on addresses etc.

[Brian Abraham]

fantome - Whirlwind was single seat. Presume by "crewman" you mean groundcrew.

[Schiller]

I suspect there's some confusion creeping in here between the WWII twin-engined single-seat fighter, which is presumable the aircraft referred to in the plaque, and the much later Whirlwind helicopter (in effect, a Sikorsky S55 built under licence by Westland) which would, indeed, have had a crewman.

[wz662]

Next you'll be telling me that the Westland Wessex isn't (wasn't) a three engined high winged passenger aircraft.:rolleyes:

[Spodman]

I don't expect there would have been many helicopters lost in action off that headland in 1942, so maybe there were two aircraft???

[Brian Abraham]

When I said the Whirlwind was single seat that was the case in '42. Igor still had a few years to go before coming up with the S-55. The US Defense Department awarded Sikorsky a contract to develop such a helicopter in 1948, and the first prototype flew for the first time on November 10 1949. The first prototype British Whirlwind helo flew in August 1953 and entered service shortly afterwards.

The Westland IV and Westland Wessex were high wing, three-engined light transport aircraft built by Westland Aircraft. The Westland IV first flew on 21 February 1929 at which time it was powered by the 95 hp Cirrus engine. The Wessex of 1930 used more powerful Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major engines as well as some other changes; the two Westland IV were subsequently converted to Wessexes giving 8 aircraft in total. Not dissimilar in looks to the famous Fokker Trimotor.
Photo of Wessex at,
http://www.novembertango.co.uk/maglas/section1apr2004.htm

What is it with the Brits recycling names. Was it a cold war tactic to confuse the Soviets? (tongue in cheek but I wonder...........)