A long-standing debate is addressed by our Chief Engineer.
It has come to the attention of the WFP that a number of claims have been made on various social media platforms stating that P7056 will fly. This is incorrect
A little research into the background to the Whirlwind's unique cooling system and flap combination, with some surprising connections. Please note this is a blog by a member of the project. It comes from observation of the emerging design and available evidence. It does not represent absolute 'fact' or any statement by the project apart from an indication of ongoing research presented for interest only.
A stroke of good fortune, invaluable help from a friend of the project, and the principle of checking everything twice meant that P7056 will be 'right' in a way no previous model or depiction has.
There are still many who believe the Whirlwind was never an effective weapon of war. These remarkable survivals, 16mm film reels that recorded automatically whenever the cannon button was pressed, offer evidence to the contrary..
A previously unrecognised contribution of the Whirlwind came at the very end of its career - attacking V-weapon sites in Cherbourg as part of Operation Crossbow.
A chance meeting at the Museum led to the rekindling of old memories and a moment of reflection.
We are going the extra mile with P7056 - including items that were previously unknown, undocumented or just plain obscure.
We are committed to replicating every detail even if forgotten for 80 years,, no matter how inexplicable, and regardless of whether the viewing public are likely to ever see it. One example of this is the curious warning placard behind a door within a door.
The Whirlwind Fighter Project have been honoured to receive the Robert Pleming Memorial Prize from Aviation Heritage UK, the supporting professional body behind the British aircraft restoration and preservation scene.
The Whirlwind was said to have been let down by its engines. This never added up to the WFP's Matt Bearman and in an article originally published in The Aviation Historian quarterly Matt unearths some surprising facts. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A BLOG BY A MEMBER OF THE PROJECT, STEMMING FROM OBSERVATION, AND NOT ANY ATTEMPT TO STATE 'FACTS'. FULL REFERENCES APPEAR IN THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHED ARTICLE and IT IS PRESENTED HERE FOR INTEREST.