Whirlwind Fighter Project Updates

Thanks for the update. Glad the project is still very much alive.

the rear fuselag eis in kit form at the moment and the fuselage Jig is ready to start putting it into position.
We have had unfortunate problems with our site for the workshops and display building that have now hopefully
been resolved this has resulte din a delay of some ten and half months.An update will be issued further on the project shortly.
The hard core foundation and trench work footings are down for the workshops building.Not not decent weather
for concrete to be laid down and the buidling erected at this momen tin time.

In their latest (September) newsletter it says that they’re still having trouble setting up their workshops to enable them to carry on with the build. It doesn’t elaborate any further, unfortunately!

Sorry for dragging up an old thread, but what’s the current state of this project. Is it still ongoing?
Cees

The Whirlwind is almost built, I would guess about another 5 hours to finish.

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Keeping me busy until I can get my hands on the full size one.

Hi Dave

Updates are that Gunnar has just re-drawn the whole rear fuselage in the latest version of Solidworks, and is busy generating pdfs of a complete set of new production drawings. I’ll pm you a link to some un-dimensioned drafts. Yesterday Gunnar and I thrashed out the very last grey area, the recognition flare dispenser, tube and aperture – so the rear fuselage monocoque model is complete.

Mike is still doing some Spitfire stuff – by the time he is ready those drawings will be on good old fashioned paper and winging their way to Yorkshire.

Gunnar will also provide a material requirements list. I’ll circulate it, and it’s up to everyone to use their contacts to try to get the best possible quotes on this – ideally sponsorship in kind. The money is in place for the rear fuse, but the more we have left for the next phase the better!

I should be seeing Mike E next weekend, any updates in the mean time?

Dropping in..

Article here describing the VDM approach – http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1940/1940%20-%203291.html

The relationship between the different organisations involved in providing these spinners was very complex, and created by Govt edict. Westland used CSA’s VDM spinners on De Havilland prop hubs for the Whirlwind. CSA were sub-contractors to de Havilland. Both had their own proprietary designs available, CSA’s being the licenced VDM solid type.

There is an interesting exchange in Flight‘s letters column which shows the deteriorating relationship between DH and CSA/VDM – It is also interesting, and possibly related to this spat, that it is hard to find a post-1940 use of a CSA/VDM spinner on a DH prop, though they do appear frequently on Rotol props (MkII Spitfire, for example).

The situation was resolved for DH by taking on Sankey’s (GKN) as an alternative sub-contractor from September 1941 – Sankey’s not having rival designs of their own. Again, this seems to be largely a decision of the Ministry, who also gave them a contract to produce Rotol spinners – as well as the free loan of some plant and machinery, some of which appears to have been ex-CSA –http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=149-db25&cid=5-4-14#5-4-14

In 1942, one of the Sankey family ended up as regional controller for the Ministry of Production while his brother ran the business, continuing to receive contracts from.. the Ministry of Production.

Shortly afterwards CSA were hauled over the coals by the very same Ministry of Production for their “refusal.. to meet Minister’s requirements by way of design and production of spinners for propellers” – http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C3447202

We have been scratching around for information (drawings mainly) on the Whirlwind spinners.

We believe them to be licence built V.D.M (of Germany) designs made by Constant Speed Airscrews (C.S.A).

Frustratingly the nacelles and spinners are poorly represented in the information we have, the spinners in particular. The profiles would have been drawn by Westland, but the fitting and construction would have been largely left to the maker.

Matt B might drop in with a bit more detail but I’ve briefly summed up the situation here just to get the ball rolling and cast the net out.

So does anyone know anything about C.S.A and what became of them? We only know that by the 1950s they were making alu kitchens, as seen here.

http://salvonews.blogspot.co.uk/2006/06/salvofair-raf-hendon-and-english-rose.html

It is, really. Mike seems confident.. the primary structure does break down into fairly simple major components, but then Petter seems to have gone on to add extra layers of over-engineering.

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With enormous thanks to Steve Vizard, and through Matt P’s wizardry, we now have 3D scans of the largest chunks of P6966 accurate to 0.008 inch – here’s a sample image of one of the nacelle / spar sections.

This data will be fed straight into Gunnar’s CAD design, and thus incorporated in the ‘production’ drawings that this generates.

Good work, looks a complex piece, but when broken down into components I bet it’s quite simple (ish).:eek:

Many thanks to the members of Mid Kent branch Royal Observer Corps Association who raised £7.00 towards the pound for pound appeal. It doesn’t matter how much it is as every little helps. Can you help us to raise money as well?

That’s a nice piece of scanning. Is this a GOM scan? I had an instument panel scanned recently, and it was surprisingly affordable.

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With enormous thanks to Steve Vizard, and through Matt P’s wizardry, we now have 3D scans of the largest chunks of P6966 accurate to 0.008 inch – here’s a sample image of one of the nacelle / spar sections.

This data will be fed straight into Gunnar’s CAD design, and thus incorporated in the ‘production’ drawings that this generates.

Looking forward to a teleconference at some point, Dave, once Gunnar has handed over the drawings. Wish I lived closer so I could do more ‘hands on’ – I’m sure that goes for a few of us.

Cheers Matt, now the summer is drawing to a close (sadly), I will be able to get to the workshop most weekends as my business comitments ease off during autumn/winter.

Dave.

Hi All,
Great progress keep up all the good work your goal will be attained. :eagerness:

Geoff.

Thanks Folks!

Mr Merry, you’ll certainly have plenty to be getting on with soon :D!

Matt B

Fantistic News. looking forward to seeing metal being cut. What a credit to everyone on the project in particular the CAD people.

Great news on the funding, thank you to the member who has donated. I’m looking forward to working with Mike E and building it. Thanks again, I’m so looking forward to working on this project.