Chris Hayward

July Newsletter

                  Welcome to the first of the quarterly newsletters

 We have our 3rd AGM on the 16th of July if you are planning to attend please could you let me know via the email address on the bottom of this Blog also if you go to this link you will find a copy of last years AGM so that you can catch up on what is going on.

http://www.whirlwindfighterproject.org/apps/blog/categories/show/1174865-announcementshttp:

Our AGM, this year it will be on the 16th of July at Fishburn Airfield, Bishop Middleham, DL17 9DY.

This is where P7056 will be constructed and you will be able to look around the workshop and visit the other aircraft that will be on site there, hopefully Mike will be fit enough to tell us a little about the Airfield and the plans that he has for the museum that will form there.

The meeting will start at 11:00 and break for tea and sandwiches at 12:30.

I know that it is a bit further North than the last meeting but hopefully we will see as many of you as possible.

Here's some text to help find Fishburn Airfield more easily:

1. address is Fishburn Airfield, Ferryhill, County Durham DL17 9DY
2. it is located up a concrete farm road on the east side of the A177 which runs (loosely speaking) between J61 and J60 of the A1(M), with J60 being the southerly of the two junctions.
3. your satnav should get you onto the A177 from either of these A1(M) junctions & going in the correct direction.
4. the white uphill concrete single-track farm road is signed WEST HOUSE FARM (visible if approached from the north, less easily from the south).  At the top of the hill take the right fork signed to the Airfield.  Distance from A177 is about 1/2 mile.
5. parking space by the clubhouse seems rather limited..........I guess there might be special parking nearby.
6. footnote: don't follow any signs to Fishburn itself unless to reach the A177.

 

                                                      Plan for the day.

11.00 meeting starts

12:30 lunch Break

13:30 Mike talk on the plans for the Airfield.

A look at progress so far on P7056

Skype call to France with

Mr. Gildas Saouzanet

 

Timing TBA.

 A chance to have a look at the airframes that will form part of the new historic collection.

Raffle

End.

One of the items that we are discussing at this years meeting will be how you, the members, can help with the CAD work needed to finish our project. Please find below a copy of Gunnars email.

Hi Guys!

It’s been a while since I’ve been in contact with any of you. I have to partly blame my job for that, I have a lot to do these days, and it seems to continue for a while. Sadly it means I have had little time to focus on the drawings and 3d model of the Whirlwind. BUT, the other reason I’ve been quiet, is that I’ve been working on the Whirlwind…

So, let me explain. I have been using SolidWorks as my main CAD software for the modeling so far. It is probably the best modeling program for what we’re doing, but it’s quite difficult to share the model with others and the license cost is huge. Lately, we’ve had requests from volunteers asking to help with the 3D model and drawings. In order to utilize this, I’ve made a change of software. I have spent a couple of months now, transferring the SolidWorks model to Autodesk Fusion360. There are some important reasons for that, and I’d like to list them for you all now.

• Autodesk fusion360 is a very capable CAD Software.
• It is freely available for enthusiasts and private persons. You can get a free 1 year license which can be further extended by a year or two
• No files exists, it’s all in the cloud. This is one of the important issues, and the main reason for making the switch. It means:
• Continuous backup, never loose a file due to virus or machine crash.
• The same files are accessed all over the world, files can be shared globally.
• Models are always up to date and latest version.
• Works both on Windows and Mac, models can be viewed on phone, iPad, Mac or Windows PC.
• Model is always available for review, with or without download option.
• I can manage files and people in the project. Invitation by email, and I can add or suspend people on the fly.
• The Fusion360 document handling will also contain Westland drawings and some of my design documents - no need for DropBox access for every new volunteer.

The benefits for the project is basically that all volunteers with CAD knowledge can get access to the model, or a part of the model, for making parts or drawings. I can still manage the files and assign tasks to the other volunteers. If someone wants to leave I can remove their access. We’re not restricted by location, timezone or much else. For the most complicated tasks, I can still use SolidWorks and transfer the models between the two softwares.

Anyway, I’m in the process of making a document describing the design process and how to make parts and drawings for the project. As soon as I’m ready with that, and I have renamed all remaining files to the part list numbering system, we can contact all CAD volunteers to check their interest and experience in the field and invite those that really can contribute to the project.

For everyone else, non CAD users, they can access an online viewer and look at the model and progress. It is the same data as the CAD users are working on, so it will always be up to date. Here is the link to the model: http://a360.co/1WnVjzp the password is: wfp2016

 If someone wants a closer look and explanation of the system, I can arrange an online presentation at a suiting time.

If any of you wants to check out cloud based CAD software, I can recommend Fusion 360. Create a profile, and start  using it here: http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview.

That’s all for now.

Cheers.

Gunnar. 

We are very lucky in having support from many parts of the world, I would like to thank both of the following people for their kind donations.

Robert Johnson, Sunbury

Brian Ages, Israel

Many thanks to our team member Dave Gibbings who sent me a picture of a Peregrine engine that he had found. 

Copyright WFP2011/2016

Parts of Whirlwinds keep cropping up from time to time, even more so now since we have started this project which I suppose is only to be expected. The latest item to fall into our hands is part of the Hispano Cannon Magazine system. Which we aquired from a well known auction site.

Copyright WFP2011/2016

Congratulations

One of our Whirlwind/Battle of Britain pilots Grp Captain Len Bartlett who was a F/L on 137 Squadron and who now lives in Australia turns 100 shortly. Len was one of 6 Group Captains chosen to represent the RAF at Churchill's funeral. While flying P7111 he claimed a Ju88 as damaged and suffered a tail wheel collapse while landing P7058. He finished the war with  a DSO, mentioned in dispatches, US legion of merit and 4 ememy aircraft destroyed.............a very modest WWII hero! 

 Sad news

Just to let you know, John Shellard – Johnnie S – has passed away , just short of his 93^rd Birthday.

Although he was not allowed to fly the last Whirlwind on 263 Squadron by Geoff Warnes, he followed our progress with interest.

He shot down the only Me.262 by a Typhoon, just before the end of the war, and survived 18 months flying ground-attack missions when the loss ratio was comparable to that of Bomber Command.

we got to know him quite well, and can say that he was a true gentleman.

John Shellard

George and John

               Shop

              Please visit or web shop where you will find items for sale to help support the project.

http://www.whirlwindfighterproject.org/apps/webstore/ 

Contact....chris-hayward@outlook.com

CopyrightWFP2011/2016.

 

  

May reminder for AGM

Our AGM, this year it will be on the 16th of July at Fishburn Airfield, Bishop Middleham, DL17 9DY. 

This is where P7056 will be constructed and you will be able to look around the workshop and visit the other aircraft that will be on site there, hopefully Mike will be fit enough to tell us a little about the Airfield and the plans that he has for the museum that will form there.

The meeting will start at 11:00 and break for tea and sandwiches at 12:30.

I know that it is a bit further North than the last meeting but hopefully we will see as many of you as possible.

Chris.

Chris Hayward

April Newsletter                      

Several things to go through in this issue but first I would like to pass on our best wishes to Mike Eastman and his family.

Mike has just undergone a tripple heart bypass and is on the road to recovery. Mike as you all know is our Chairman and is responsible for putting together the metal for P7056 hence part of the reason for the delay in the build, hopefully he will be back in the workshop soon.

Secondly this will be the last of the monthy newsletters we will be going quarterly as from the 1st of July.

AGM

Thirdly our AGM, this year it will be on the 16th of July at Fishburn Airfield, Bishop Middleham, DL17 9DY. 

This is where P7056 will be constructed and you will be able to look around the workshop and visit the other aircraft that will be on site there, hopefully Mike will be fit enough to tell us a little about the Airfield and the plans that he has for the museum that will form there.

The meeting will start at 11:00 and break for tea and sandwiches at 12:30.

I know that it is a bit further North than the last meeting but hopefully we will see as many of you as possible.

I will send out monthly updates and reminders for the AGM.
 

A short story from Rob Bowater about a contact that he had from France during the preparation of his book.

I received the enclosed from Gildas Saouzanet during the research for my book. Not strictly of use for the build, but gives some background.

Hi Rob,

Please find the following :

A long time ago, there’s been an exchange of information about P/O David Stein. I’d like now to share with you the following.

Here’s the translation I tried to make from a French book

October 30, 1941

Kermebel, around 11:30 am, clear weather; suddenly, I hear the Flak. Some aircraft are attacking Ploujean airfield. Looking at the sky toward this direction, we suddenly see flames from one of them.  I still remember Mrs Prigent crying (in Breton language)« O va Doué, an tan zo ebarzh » what means « Oh my god, it’s in fire » In flames, it tries to go toward the channel, while the Flak fires more and more. it’s close to its end and is going to crash.

For a few seconds, it disappears to our sight, and a dark column of fume arises in the sky.

It seems not to be so far away. Two of us take our bicycles and ride toward this fume. It’s at Kerdiny, on the left when going to Mesgouez between Kerhervé and the Guernevez., in a beetroot field, that the crash happened. The flaming wreck of the aircraft is here sunk into the Breton ground. A few people from the neighbouring are here, but we can do nothing for the pilot, whose a part of his body we can see, awfully burnt in the destroyed cockpit.

Suddenly, sound of engines, the Germans arrive ; Immediately they are hollering « Raus und schnell… schwein (Get out and hurry, …pigs), and under their arms threaten. We have to, la mort dans l’âme (french expression I’m unable to translate), leave the field under the Jerries’ smiles and jokes : « Tommy kapout ».

What a requiem…Not even any respect for a dead enemy.

I must say that the first to arrive where from the Whermacht. Later on will come a group from the « Landeuscchützen Kompanie der Luftwaffe » that will take the dead body with more respect.

He was for a time buried with honours at Plougean Cemetery.

The wreck didn’t stay long. Flowers were rapidly  laid in the field, that the irritated Jerries’ crushed under their boots. Then, a wood cross was discreetly erected, and at its base, new flowers were laid, moreover on November first.

It was the twin engine fighter « Whirlwind n° P7015 from 263 RAF Fighter Squadron , whose pilot was Flying Officer David Stein, aged 26, who took off this morning from Ibsley, near Bournemouth in the Dorsetshire for a « Rhubarb » mission. These low altitude attacks, with such fast aircraft fitted with four 20 mm cannons, were very deadly.

Copyright Gildas Saouzanet

From the book: « Plougasnou, de l’occupation à la Libération », Jean Le Gros Collection Section Patrimoine du foyer rural de Plougasnou. (18 juin 2001) ISBN : 2-9508369-3-3

Unfortunately, the author has already passed away. I don’t know how he was able to say it was D. Stein aircraft, but it seems he made some research to complete what he witnessed.

Cheers

Gildas Saouzanet

Rob continues the story
 

A bit about David Stein

He scored the Whirlwinds first kill, a Ju.88 on 12 January 1941 but it was not confirmed until after P/O Grahams victory on 8 Feb was celebrated as the first.

Rhubarb 35 on the 30^th October 1941 by F/O Stein P7015 and Sgt Ridley P6994 failed to locate the aerodrome and were forced to make two circuits over the town of Morlaix before they identified it. Sgt Ridley saw no aircraft on the aerodrome, but described the area as ‘so well camouflaged, that it would have been easy to miss them!’ He did see one unidentified aircraft in a Bessoneau type hanger which he attacked, but while firing he heard and felt a ‘woof’ and something struck his starboard main plane. He pulled up sharply and saw F/O Stein nearby with one engine on fire and climbing as if preparing to bail out. He then lost him in cloud as he headed for the coast with oil and glycol streaming from his own starboard engine. As he crossed the Channel he was able to climb to 400 feet before the glycol temperature reached 150°, the oil pressure reached zero, and he was forced to shut it down. He transmitted a ‘Maidez’ but managed to reach Predannack where he overshot his landing and stopped in the barbed wire perimeter fence. Unfortunately, F/O David Stein did not return and was listed as missing. The ORB noted that, ‘His loss to the Squadron was inestimably great, as a pilot, humourist or friend.’ He had in fact crashed in flames at Kerdiny near the aerodrome and although his body was seen in the wreckage he has no known grave.

Rob

These are the pictures of parts found of what is believed to be P7015's crash site in Brittany.

copyrightWFP2011/2016

Mr. Saouzanet asked, if we can, to identify (as the most knowledgeable group of Whirlwind experts) one or many of the parts they have found.  It is clear between him and I that we would do our best to assist with the parts ID but that we cannot offer guarantees.

copyrightWFP2011/2016

Gunnar was able to quickly identify the above part as being from a Whirlwind thus confirming that the parts found were from P7015.

Matt Bearman said that it's a very distinctive shape, for a purpose pretty much unique to the Whirlwind - a diagonal cross member providing part of a 'Warren Girder' mainspar with a streamlined cross section as it sits in front of the radiator. Not a form you'd find on anything else operational. Possibly the most distinctively Whirlwind small item it's possible to find.

 

“What did you do in the war Daddy”? by Dave Gibbings

Derek James the author has died at the age of 92. Derek was a prolific writer and a top Rank aviation author, he is well known in this area, having produced ‘Westland Aircraft since 1915’, generally accepted as the definitive reference book on Westland

Derek joined Gloster Aircraft Company as an apprentice early in World War II, and as such found himself to be in a ‘Reserved Occupation’. Intent on doing his bit he became a member of the Royal Observer Corps. In 1944 he was 20 years old when he volunteered to be an aircraft spotter and part of the Seabourne unit on D-Day, with the ships of the invasion fleet, identifying aircraft in an attempt to avoid friendly fire incidents. He went in to Sword Beach three times, while on board the ‘Empire Cutlass’, setting foot on the beachhead on the third occasion.

He was one of the recipients of the ‘Legion d’ Honneur’ recently awarded by France to D-Day veterans. As a result of his service on D-Day he was also ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’ a distinction that often understates the true merit of its award.

Dave Gibbings

If you want to know more about the Royal Obeserver Corps from its conception to it's stand down in 1991 then I can recomend Derek's own book on the Corps called " Attack Warning Red" and if you get the second edition there is a picture of me( Chris hayward ) as part of the Banner Party at the laying up ceremony at the RAF Church on the final page ( just scraped in).

Found

Copyright WFP2011/2016

 We are very lucky to have found this de Havilland prop Spider for £100. As the 'heart' of a DH bracket propeller assembly, similar spiders have recently changed hands for several thousands. While not the exact type (this is 3,000 series - Hunting Provost etc) and so fractions of an inch different from the 4,000 series of the Whirlwind), it is close as we can get - original 4,000 series DH spiders just aren't available any more. From this basis we can build an externally identical prop.

It shows that it is possible to find propeller parts that the project can afford. Please everyone keep their eyes peeled. There will be de Havilland or Hamilton standard cylinders, brackets and shells out there, just as this spider was! Any leads or information, please contact Matt Bearman on bearmat81@hotmail.com

 Bomb Carrier

Here are some snaps of our newly purchased Mk.III universal bomb carrier currently 

residing in my parents garage. 

My shed is too full at the moment but it's perfectly safe there for the moment as a 

temporary home. I'll want to take some measurements first before sending it 

up to Mike.
 
Many thanks to Colin Smithson for finding the ebay listing and contributing some 
cash for the acquisition.
 
cheers
Matt Painter.

copyrightWFP2011/2016

copyrightWFP2011/2016

Please visit our shop for up to date prices and availability.

Webstore

Contact..chris-hayward@outlook.com

Copyright WFP 2011/2016