spitfire spares whirlwind stuff

If they do then the fact that it was mounted over a hole in the underlying structure may be apparent as well.

Pete

hello Pete

sent you an email through the forum about Meteor mags did you get it?

Cheers

Graham

In my opinion, it looks like someone started to scratch in the serial and got the last digit wrong so re-did it….so is it XP865?

Graham, did you post the mag switch old chap as there is no sign….I tried pm’g you.

No sorry will try to get it off tom, have been away looking at some complete crashed Merlins two packards and a rolls but thats another story

If they do then the fact that it was mounted over a hole in the underlying structure may be apparent as well.

Pete

Hi Pete,
Good eyes man.. I didn’t spot that ..
cheers
Jerry

Westlands put me on to a chap who was their historian, cannot remeber His name but he did promise me some pictures, but they never appeared.

That would be Mr Fred Ballam, he’s their Archive Consultant, Fred was an apprentice at Westlands in the War and worked on the last two Whirlwinds to leave the factory, he also spent sometime running their wind tunnel…

I have left messages requesting his help for our Whirly, but so far have been unable to speak to him in person, he does leave his home number if it’s urgent, but I don’t think he would be to pleased if I did… 😉

Mind you he must be in his eighties now, so I don’t suppose he gets in there much now… 😉

Stuart

I wonder if anyone has access to a Whirlwind helicopter and could check the data plate to see if it has any of the mods listed on this data plate.

If they do then the fact that it was mounted over a hole in the underlying structure may be apparent as well.

Pete

The two serials XP864 & XP865 were unused and lie in the middle of a batch of Scout helicopters.

It is possible that they were originally allocated to Westlands for helicopters that were subsequently cancelled. The data plate might then have ended up on another Whirlwind so the serial scratched on the back might not relate to the airframe.

I wonder if anyone has access to a Whirlwind helicopter and could check the data plate to see if it has any of the mods listed on this data plate.

I agree its not very clear, but somebody obviously went to the trouble of removing it and scratching something on the back of it.
Do we know how high the MOD numbers went on the Whirlwind Hellicopter?

What are the chances of getting some Whirlwind drawings?

Westlands put me on to a chap who was their historian, cannot remeber His name but he did promise me some pictures, but they never appeared.

In my opinion, it looks like someone started to scratch in the serial and got the last digit wrong so re-did it….so is it XP865?

Graham, did you post the mag switch old chap as there is no sign….I tried pm’g you.

Hi
looks hard to make out the scratch marks,

could X mean ‘ex’

P8645 was a CBAF spit as mentioned, it all gets more interesting.

And could the P be an F ?
And the ‘4’ seems to have an ‘8’ underneath ?

Naill’s research, I have found thro’ experince to be spot on.:D
so the mod’s unless out of sequence ? :confused: would not been higher than 158, as he mentioned.

It’s all a bit of a mystery, why i started the thread out of curiosity.
Westlands are a hard nut to crack, first line of defence seems to be haven’t got anything…
Some drawings do exist, as other board members & fellow whirlwind researchers will confirm.

personally not sure it from a heli,just seemed a high number of mod’s, why I posted here for the expertise on the board.

Just a random,
could it be a engine mod plate of a wright whirlwind ?

Cheers
jerry

I agree its not very clear, but somebody obviously went to the trouble of removing it and scratching something on the back of it.
Do we know how high the MOD numbers went on the Whirlwind Hellicopter?

What are the chances of getting some Whirlwind drawings?

Westlands put me on to a chap who was their historian, cannot remeber His name but he did promise me some pictures, but they never appeared.

It certainly looks wartime Graham, but the scratched serial is quite a clue. P8645 was a Spit which ditched returning from Lille in 1941 so probably not that one!

Thanks Ian

Do you know what P8685 is? I dont think this is from a Hellicopter, what do you think? it may have to high a mod number but it doesnt tye in with a whirlwind Hellicopter either.
Perhaps Westlands ran out of spit mod plates and used a Whirlwind one??? they did build spits there, Its a theory 😉

I just noticed that if you take the X away which seems to be joined across the top you end up with a serial of P 8645 are you sure this is from a hellicopter??

Hi
looks hard to make out the scratch marks,

could X mean ‘ex’

P8645 was a CBAF spit as mentioned, it all gets more interesting.

And could the P be an F ?
And the ‘4’ seems to have an ‘8’ underneath ?

Naill’s research, I have found thro’ experince to be spot on.:D
so the mod’s unless out of sequence ? :confused: would not been higher than 158, as he mentioned.

It’s all a bit of a mystery, why i started the thread out of curiosity.
Westlands are a hard nut to crack, first line of defence seems to be haven’t got anything…
Some drawings do exist, as other board members & fellow whirlwind researchers will confirm.

personally not sure it from a heli,just seemed a high number of mod’s, why I posted here for the expertise on the board.

Just a random,
could it be a engine mod plate of a wright whirlwind ?

Cheers
jerry

It certainly looks wartime Graham, but the scratched serial is quite a clue. P8645 was a Spit which ditched returning from Lille in 1941 so probably not that one!

Jerry

I think you may be right in believing the data plate is from a Whirlwind heli rather than the original Whirlwind. The highest mod number I’m aware of for the Whirlwind fighter is Mod 158 – introduction of Mk III IFF. This was approved 16/12/43 – very late in the aircraft’s life -and then cancelled 1/2/44 shortly after the aircraft was declared obsolescent.

Niall

PS: Stuart – I’ve sent you a PM

Hello Nial

How you 158 do was the highest MOD? Seems like quite a low number to me. I am amazed didn’t think info like that is available on such a rare aircraft.
When I spoke to Westland’s they didn’t seem to have any info that survived.

I just noticed that if you take the X away which seems to be joined across the top you end up with a serial of P 8645 are you sure this is from a hellicopter??

Hi Graham,
Firstly a great site you have, Secondly, my interest was the number of mod’s on the plate, no implied ‘false description’ intended.

‘XP864’ seems to be in a batch of u nused serials so not that, although interestingly a westland batch.

Slightly O/T but when doing MOD(N) stuff we were using brass plates right up until the late 80’s,
cheers
Jerry

Hello Jerry

Thanks.
Certainly a surprise to me, looks like every mod plate I have ever seen from a WWII aircraft, you learn something every day, I had never noticed the serial scratched on the back, until I had occasion to take a closer look.
Although it seems to have 6 characters instead of 5?
I guess this Helicopters history could be traced?
I have noticed that its alloy plated with brass, that seems allot of trouble to go to for a MOD plate? Must admit I cannot see the point of it…

Always amazes me that Westland’s used the same name for two aircraft types.

Have a special interest in the Whirlwind living in Taunton, tried to get some info from Westland’s once they weren’t all that helpful, do you know are there any drawings ?

Jerry

I think you may be right in believing the data plate is from a Whirlwind heli rather than the original Whirlwind. The highest mod number I’m aware of for the Whirlwind fighter is Mod 158 – introduction of Mk III IFF. This was approved 16/12/43 – very late in the aircraft’s life -and then cancelled 1/2/44 shortly after the aircraft was declared obsolescent.

Niall

Hi Naill
Glad to hear from you again, thanks for the info.
cheers
Jerry

Had a look on goggle and it shows some helicopters with an XP serial, therefore it may from a helicopter and the listing has been removed until I can confirm one way or the other its identity.

Hi Graham,
Firstly a great site you have, Secondly, my interest was the number of mod’s on the plate, no implied ‘false description’ intended.

‘XP864’ seems to be in a batch of u nused serials so not that, although interestingly a westland batch.

Slightly O/T but when doing MOD(N) stuff we were using brass plates right up until the late 80’s,
cheers
Jerry

Had a look on goggle and it shows some helicopters with an XP serial, therefore it may from a helicopter and the listing has been removed until I can confirm one way or the other its identity.

Just had another look at this plate on the back it has xp 8645 scratched on it. Not sure if this is an aircraft serial number.

No need I have been watching this thread with interest.
Firstly this plate was sold to me as being an original, whirlwind plate. I have seen allot of these plates and it certainly seems like an early type of plate. I am not sure they would have used a brass plate on a post war Helicopter.
So far it seems to be guessing work but if it’s proved it’s from a helicopter I will happily edit the listing. You should read our disclaimer on the home page, not sure why you added the sarcastic icon at the end of your post.
Are you suggesting it’s deliberately described incorrectly?

Niall… 😉

Whose going to tell them at SpitfireSpares then… :rolleyes: