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| Chris Hayward |
January Newsletter.
Happy New Year
Welcome to the first issue of 2015.
Another year is upon us and the project is still moving ahead very slowly. With all the preliminary work done on the rear fuselage we are all hoping that we can finally start to put some of the metal structure together, it has been a long time coming but it will be worth it in the end. I would like to thank all those who gave us help through out last year, whether it was financial, parts or searching for information it all goes into the pot and adds to what we need to finish off our Pride of Yeovil.
Rene tells me that Gunnar has now sent him the plans for the main undercarriage and that he will start the CAD drawings of these in the new year.
Rene tells me that Gunnar has now sent him the plans for the main undercarriage and that he will start the CAD drawings of these in the new year.
We have a lot going on this year what with Westlands 100th anniversary and also our second AGM the time and place of which I will let you all know when I have sorted it out.
Matt has been working on the aerial and has now given it a coat of paint to bring it back from the sad state on the left, it now looks much better and is ready to be fitted.
Pilot Officer Roy Fredrick Ferdinand
He was born in West Ham London on the 10th of May 1920 and worked for Marylebone Council in their Audit office. He was awarded his wings on the 4th of April 1940 while at No 6 Flight Training School. Before he converted to the Whirlwind with 263 Squadron he had already built up 28 Ops on Hurricanes. Unfortunately he was killed at the young age of 21 while on approach to land at Filton while flying P7045 his aircraft stalled from 50 feet and burst into flames on impact.
Whirlwind Stories
P7062
28th of June 1941 she was delivered to 39MU at Colerne. On the 16th of the following month she moved to the Starveall Farm disposal, on the 20th of September she joined 263 Squadron at Charmey Down, 6 days later she was moved to 137 Squadron who were also at the same Airfield.
On the 7th of January 1942 she suffered an accident at Coltishall in which her pilot Jack Maddocks was injured. She was then sent to Westlands for repair after wads she went to 18 MU at Dumfries and on the 18th of July 1942 she joined 263 Squadron at Angle and carried he code as above.
In February 1943 she crashed near Chisledon, Wiltshire. Her pilot Frank Hicks was killed.
Operational hours were 63:20
Parts
On the 7th of January 1942 she suffered an accident at Coltishall in which her pilot Jack Maddocks was injured. She was then sent to Westlands for repair after wads she went to 18 MU at Dumfries and on the 18th of July 1942 she joined 263 Squadron at Angle and carried he code as above.
In February 1943 she crashed near Chisledon, Wiltshire. Her pilot Frank Hicks was killed.
Operational hours were 63:20
Parts
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| Copyright WFP |
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| Copyright Whirlwind Fighter Project |
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| P/O Roy Fredrick Ferdinand
G-AGOI revisited
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Pilot Officer Roy Fredrick Ferdinand
He was born in West Ham London on the 10th of May 1920 and worked for Marylebone Council in their Audit office. He was awarded his wings on the 4th of April 1940 while at No 6 Flight Training School. Before he converted to the Whirlwind with 263 Squadron he had already built up 28 Ops on Hurricanes. Unfortunately he was killed at the young age of 21 while on approach to land at Filton while flying P7045 his aircraft stalled from 50 feet and burst into flames on impact.
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| Copyright Westland Archives
Another picture of P7048 ( G-AGOI ). one of the men in this photo is according to Dave Gibbings,
Fred Ballam, who to those interested in Westland Aircraft was a mine of information on many of the Companies Aircraft. He was even up to correcting some of the drawings of the Whirlwind as created by the late Mike Keep. Fred passed away a few years ago.
 The above drawing was rescued from the Web so I can only assume that it is OK to post it here. Once a month I have been running a featured Whirlwind on our Facebook page, last month it was the turn of P7055 'Bellows Argentina No1' because of that I have received from Ricardo Martin Lezon the Air Movement Card for the aircraft. Martin who lives in Argentina has an interest in the Bellows Aircraft.   Many Thanks to Ricardo for the above two photos. Just to bring some light entertainment to this months issue, while searching the web for other information I came across this photo, now someone has been having a bit of fun with Photoshop and have chosen a Whirlwind for part of the subject, there must be a story behind it as the logo underneath the canopy says 'Broken Promise' we can only speculate as to the meaning behind this picture.  One of the other search areas that we are looking at for information are the Whirlwind crash sites in St Brelades Bay in Jersey. There are two Whirlwinds that were shot down on December the 7th 1942 P6987 and P7105 both are known to be in the area, I have been trying to find some contact details for Tony Tittering who is a local diver and lives on Jersey. I am told that he specialises in wrecks from WW2 if anyone out there can help put us in contact with Tony we would be very grateful. 
Wanted
Still looking for fuel Gauges
Can you help
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The Whirlwind Fighter Project is a member of the BAPC
Contact details.....chris-hayward@outlook.com
Copyright Whirlwind Fighter Project 2010-2015
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