How much did the Peregrine I weigh though?
I also agree that the Merlin probably wouldn't work, I think it's too large for the fit, as well as too heavy (the 1710 might have worked size wise, but it was still heavy compared to the peregrine and was not domestically produced). Remember, the Whirlwind was light for a heavy fighter, lighter than the Meteor actually (about 10,400 lbs loaded, 11,400 lbs max) and was only slightly larger than the Hurricane and actually had a lower frontal area. If work on the Peregrine had continued it could have been made more reliable and powerful (maby more than 1000 hp) and maby a second supercharger could be added for altitude performance (like in later merlins), but the Merlin was of higher priority. Pluss the Whirlwind still had altitude problems (due to the Perigrine's low critical altitude) and short range for a heavy fighter. Though in the early stages of the war it was faster than the Spit, and the firepowere, was virtually unmatched, but lack of reliable or even available engines doomed it.
quote: "the Merlin had become much more important to the war effort and the Peregrine was relegated to a secondary status. Soon the engine was cancelled outright and since much of the performance of the Whirlwind depended on the careful streamlining around that specific engine, there was little choice but to cancel the aircraft as well."
Though with that high tail and the engine placement, it might have been possible to fit some Welland turbojets on it, they were small and light enough. (though the landing gear would still need to be redesigned, and the range would be even shorter, though still reasonable for an interceptor, and external tanks could help) Though jets would certainly solve the altitude problem.
The bubble canopy was also a nice feature which was ahead of its time, the lightning was the only other production craft at the time with one (the Gloster F.5/34 also had one but was cancelled).
It also had a veryy clean airframe and good aerodynamics. It could go 360 mph, and had good low-altitude performance. The range was somewhat inadequate for escort at ~800 miles and a combat radius of under 300 mi.
quote: "The resulting design was quite small, only slightly larger than the Hurricane in overall size, but smaller in terms of frontal area. All of the wheels fully retracted and the entire aircraft was very "clean" with few openings or protuberances. Careful attention to streamlining and two 885 hp Peregrine engines powered it to over 360 mph (580 km/h), the same speed as the latest single-engine fighters, using much higher-powered engines. The speed quickly garnered it the nick-name Crikey.
The first prototype (L6844) flew on 11 October 1938 with production starting early the next year. It exhibited excellent handling and was very easy to fly at all speeds. The only exception was landing, which was all too fast. Fowler flaps were added to correct for this problem, which also required the horizontal stabilizer (tailplane) to be moved up, out of the way of the disturbed air flow when the flaps were down. Hopes were so high for the design that it remained "top secret" for much of its development, although it had already been mentioned in the French press."
Though there was a proposal for a redesign with Merlin engines:
"Westland argued for the creation of the Mk II model using two Merlin engines, but by this time the role was becoming less important. As Bomber Command turned to night bomber missions the need for an escort fighter became less important. By 1940, the Supermarine Spitfire was mounting 20 mm cannons, so the "cannon-armed" specification was also being met. The main qualities the RAF were looking for in a twin was range and ordnance load (to allow for the carriage of radar), which the Bristol Beaufighter could do just as well as the Whirlwind."
Another comment: "No better proof of the Whirlwind’s quality can be given than the fact that in the intense combat conditions of Northern Europe, a squadron flew the same fighter mark (not just the same fighter type but the same airframes) for three years. When No. 263 Squadron received its first Whirlwind, the newest Spitfire in service was the Mk IA; by the time it gave them up, the Mk XIV was a month away from entering service. If the Whirlwind had been a "bad" aircraft, it never would have served with Fighter Command for that length of time. A second Whirlwind squadron, No. 137, flew the type from September 1941 until June 1943."
From:
Westland Whirlwind (fighter) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"(An appraisal
Philip J.R. Moyes notes in Aircraft in Profile 94: The Westland Whirlwind, “The basic feature of the Whirlwind was its concentration of firepower: its four closely-grouped heavy cannon in the nose had a rate of fire of 600 lb./minute – which, until the introduction of the Beaufighter, placed it ahead of any fighter in the world. Hand in hand with this dense firepower went a first-rate speed and climb performance, excellent manoeuvrablity and a fighting view hitherto unsurpassed. The Whirlwind was, in its day, faster than the Spitfire down low and, with lighter lateral control, was considered to be one of the nicest ‘twins’ ever built… From the flying viewpoint, the Whirlwind was considered magnificent.”
Bruce Robertson, in The Westland Whirlwind Described[3] quotes a 263 Squadron pilot as saying, "It was regarded with absolute confidence and affection.”
At low level, the aircraft was a devastating fighter-bomber, armed with both cannons and bombs, and it could hold its own with the Bf 109 at low-level. The performance of the Peregrine fell off at altitude, so the Whirlwind was used almost exclusively at low level.
The aircraft is well summed up by Francis K. Mason’s comments in Royal Air Force Fighters of World War Two, Vol. One:
“Bearing in mind the relatively small number of Whirlwinds that reached the RAF, the type remained in combat service, virtually unmodified, for a remarkably long time…The Whirlwind, once mastered, certainly shouldered extensive responsibilities and the two squadrons were called upon to attack enemy targets from one end of the Channel to the other, by day and night, moving from airfield to airfield within Southern England.
“In retrospect the lesson of the Whirlwind is clear… A radical aircraft requires either prolonged development or widespread service to exploit its concept and eliminate its weaknesses, Too often in World War II such aircraft suffered accelerated development or limited service, with the result that teething difficulties came to be regarded as permanent limitations.”
In 1941, the Luftwaffe started a number of extremely high-altitude bombing missions using specially modified Junkers Ju 86 bombers and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters carrying bombs. These were met by modified Spitfires, but the pilots were extremely exhausted as a result of the forced-air breathing system. The Air Ministry then ordered a new purpose-built high-altitude fighter with a pressurized cockpit, and Westland responded with a new twin-engined design known as the Welkin. However, the Germans called off the attacks, unaware of the British problems and the Welkin was produced in an even more limited number, only 77.)"
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