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Project Plan Draft (very long)

Posted by Simon King on Mon Apr 29, 2002 03:21:39 PM

In reply top Can I suggest.... posted by Paul on Mon Apr 29, 2002 08:10:31 AM

Here's a draft - comments anyone??


Westland Whirlwind Project


PROJECT BRIEF ? for discussion

Background

In February 1936, the Air Ministry issued to the aircraft industry, Tender of Specification F37/35 in response to Operational Requirement OR 31 requesting a day- and night- fighter for operation at home and overseas. The F37/35 Specification sought a fighter armed with 4 Hispano-Suiza 20mm cannon.

Amongst the designs offered was the Westland P9, a twin engined machine powered by two 885hp Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines and featuring a magnesium alloy monocoque fuselage. The Westland P9 was ultimately adopted as the successful submission and a total of 114 aircraft were eventually constructed as the Westland Whirlwind, starting in July 1939.

The aircraft entered Squadron service in the Autumn of 1940, serving only with 137 and 263 Squadrons. The aircraft was declared obsolescent on January 1st 1944 and withdrawn from service with most survivors being scrapped by September of that year. A single airframe, P7048 was retained by the manufacturer and registered as G-AGOI flying from October 1946 as a company ?hack?. This aircraft, the sole survivor was scrapped in May 1947, thus rendering the Westland Whirlwind extinct.

Project Aim

The aim of ?the Westland Whirlwind Project? is to reproduce a single example of the Westland Whirlwind Mk 1 aircraft.

It is intended that the project will result in a non-airworthy reproduction of the Westland Whirlwind, built to original plans with, where possible, the original materials. The reproduction will use whatever original parts, including engines, undercarriage and (deactivated/replica) armament as are currently available. The intention is to produce a reproduction aircraft which is indistinguishable from an aircraft in Squadron service during the Second World War.

Project Phases

1. Establish Project Committee, capable of raising funds and supervising each stage of the Project

2. Identify industry support for project

3. Identify national museum support for project

4. Examine opportunities for Lottery Heritage Fund resourcing of project

5. Identify location to act as project focus/store/workshop

6. Identify surviving Whirlwind artefacts in public/ private collections

7. Investigate potential for donation of such artefacts to the project or their use as patterns

8. Seek surviving drawings for aircraft

9. Seek official Air Ministry (AP) publications on the aircraft, notably servicing guidance

10. Commission missing drawings for the aircraft using CAD as appropriate

11. Refurbish existing artefacts

12. Seek materials for the reproduction

13. The project construction will be broken down into a number of finite stages viz
? Cockpit/nose section
? Fuselage
? Tail empennage
? Wings
? Nacelles, including engines/engine mounts/cowlings
? Undercarriage.

14. The aircraft will be finished in the then current Day Fighter scheme of Dark Green/Ocean Grey/Medium Sea Grey to the appropriate British Standards. Given that only 2 Squadrons operated the aircraft it might be appropriate that the Squadron codes of both squadrons are exhibited on either side of the aircraft. This is however subject to discussion and it may be that a representative squadron aircraft will be chosen at random.

15. Identity of the aircraft will either be that of the largest remaining original artefact incorporated into the reproduction, or failing that, P7123, a number one on from the final wartime production aircraft.

16. The disposition of the complete airframe is as yet undetermined but it is hoped that the reproduction will be of sufficient standard for it to be willingly displayed by the Museum authorities in the RAF Museum at Hendon.


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