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The prototype flew in October 1938 and deliveries to RAF squadrons began in Sept 1940. We need to shave off about four months through either starting earlier or expediting production - one issue (according to Wikipedia) was RR Peregrine engines were not delivered to Westland until Jan 1940, leaving aircraft on the line waiting for powerplants.How would you get any significant numbers by June 1940?
See the thread 'Did the prop Doom the Whirlwind' regarding performance at altitude etc. Did The Prop Doom The Westland Whirlwind? An easy fix had it been recognised an remedied.
As I said, such debates are irrelevant, though Dowding certainly got the 'infinity of trouble' he predicted for the type. They are irrelevant because the engine around which the aircraft was designed was not ever going to be available in any numbers.
The Merlin powered version was proposed by Petter directly to Fighter Command (which did not in any case decide what fighters the RAF adopted) in January 1941, a bit late for the BoB, and was a non starter for any number of reasons.
I think Tizard's assessment of the Whirlwind is brutally true. It used two engines that had no other use and consumed 50% more material than a Spitfire to do the same job less efficiently. When you are fighting a war to survive, as the British were in 1940, such considerations are not taken lightly.
Then my vote is to send the two squadrons and their spares to RAF Seletar.A lot of people focus on the over engineering of the prototypes, Petter's reluctance to promptly address the (many) problems that were revealed, Air Ministry infighting over cannon armed fighters and even the Whirlwind's disappointing performance at the altitudes at which the BoB would be fought, but it is all, frankly, irrelevant.
When the first production Peregrine was delivered in February 1940 the decision had already been made to cease production after 290 units. To all intents, the Whirlwind was doomed from that point on, and there was nothing which would save it, or make it a viable proposition for the summer and autumn of 1940.
Then my vote is to send the two squadrons and their spares to RAF Seletar.
You're right of course, I'm just seeking some theatre for the Whirlwind to shine in. Malaya ain't it.That's a long way from Yeovil. Both squadrons spent most of their time either in the South West close to Yeovil, or at least the South of England, close to manufacturer support.
No. 263 did venture as far as Drem and Grangemouth, briefly, but all their other bases were in the South West (Exeter, St Eval, Portreath, Filton, Charmy Down, Warmwell, Colerne, Fairwood Common, Angle (across the Bristol Channel in Wales), Harrowbear and Zeals).
No. 137, apart from a week up at Drem in August 42, were slightly more adventurous, spending most of their time in East and South East England, so a couple of hundred miles or so from Yeovilton. They were based at Charmy Down, Coltishall, Matlaske, Drem, Snailwell and Southend.
Sending such unreliable aircraft to Singapore, on the other side of the world, seems like a good way of rapidly having two non-operational squadrons with unserviceable aircraft on strength.
"The Typhoon had both of it's engines bolted together driving one propellor. " Yes, the Sabre has 2 crankshafts, but it was not 2 engines bolted together. The engine block is one piece.
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The Typhoon power plant (engine, prop, radiators/oil coolers, and other bits and pieces may well have been cheaper than two complete Peregrine power plants. I don't know and am willing to give benefit of the doubt. However it was by no means the two to one ratio implied by the statement.
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Now, I'd cancel or redirect any necessary attention or resources to get the Mosquito to both North Africa and Malaya. Can you imagine the destruction of the IJAF if the fighter variant could be available..... faster than any Japanese fighter, armed to destroy any Japanese bomber.... but sigh, it's not to be.Unfortunately they did a few d-tours until they got to the real diamond - the Mosquito, the best fighter of WW2!