Difference between revisions of "Whirlwind P.9"
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<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' --> | <!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' --> | ||
| − | Packed with wide 2 layers of armour (both of | + | Packed with wide 2 layers of armour (both of 9 mm) in front of the pilot, covering the 20 mm cannons and the engine. The bulletproof glass (60 mm) will also be helpful in head-ons or when hunting turret defended planes. |
The Whirlwind P.9 has a vulnerable tail as the elevator and ailerons generally will be blown off if the enemy gets to blaze you from behind or wins in a head-on. Hence you should avoid be caught off guard as it will much likely end your flight capacities. | The Whirlwind P.9 has a vulnerable tail as the elevator and ailerons generally will be blown off if the enemy gets to blaze you from behind or wins in a head-on. Hence you should avoid be caught off guard as it will much likely end your flight capacities. | ||
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The P.9 is very effective in a boom and zoom role due to its good climb rate, and powerful armament. However, the relatively low wing break speed in RB does limit you in this role. The Whirlwind P.9 has a good turn rate for a heavy fighter but will be easily out-turned by single-engined fighters. The use of combat flaps will help to balance out this disadvantage. Care must be taken when using the combat flaps, however, as they are prone to snapping off at a relatively low speed. | The P.9 is very effective in a boom and zoom role due to its good climb rate, and powerful armament. However, the relatively low wing break speed in RB does limit you in this role. The Whirlwind P.9 has a good turn rate for a heavy fighter but will be easily out-turned by single-engined fighters. The use of combat flaps will help to balance out this disadvantage. Care must be taken when using the combat flaps, however, as they are prone to snapping off at a relatively low speed. | ||
| − | At this battle | + | At this battle rating you will see many [[BV 238]]s and [[Me 264]]s. Heading on these bombers will usually guarantee you a kill, but you still need to be careful of the powerful defensive armament of them. |
=== Manual Engine Control === | === Manual Engine Control === | ||
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<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | ||
| − | During the Mid-1930s, development of combat aircraft in Britain was accelerated, when a war with Germany was becoming more apparent. While trusty and advanced, the Hurricane and Spitfire lacked in range and armament, and in 1935 the British Air Ministry issued operational Requirement F.37/35 which called for a heavy fighter design to be fitted with four | + | During the Mid-1930s, development of combat aircraft in Britain was accelerated, when a war with Germany was becoming more apparent. While trusty and advanced, the Hurricane and Spitfire lacked in range and armament, and in 1935 the British Air Ministry issued operational Requirement F.37/35 which called for a heavy fighter design to be fitted with four 20 mm Hispano cannons. Many British aircraft manufacturers responded, but it was found that the submission made by Westland Aircraft of Yeovil in Somerset would be the one selected in 1937. |
| − | Known as the P.9, Westland's fighter design featured innovative designs such as low mounted wings with the engines mounted in under-wing pods, as well as the four | + | Known as the P.9, Westland's fighter design featured innovative designs such as low mounted wings with the engines mounted in under-wing pods, as well as the four 20 mm Hispano cannons being mounted in the nose. The aircraft aso featured two Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines, which were proven by that point in the inter-war period with aircraft such as the Hawker Fury and Handley Page Heyford biplane bomber. The canopy, being a bubble design, gave excellent all around visibility and combined with a "Tail-Dragger" configuration allowed for the installation of a high-mounted elevator assembly. The tail design was initially planned to incorporate a twin-tail design, but this was found to be impractical as the disturbed air from the engines affected performance. |
The first flight of the new aircraft, now designated the Whirlwind, took place in October 1938 with the prototype aircraft being made of an all-metal design with flush riveted construction as well as magnesium skin at the rear of the fuselage. Initial flight testing proved impressive, so much so that the Air Ministry considered rushing the aircraft into production. These considerations were dismissed as a decision was reached to swap the Kestrel engines with newly developed, supercharged Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines, outputting over 850HP compared to the Kestrel's 650HP. | The first flight of the new aircraft, now designated the Whirlwind, took place in October 1938 with the prototype aircraft being made of an all-metal design with flush riveted construction as well as magnesium skin at the rear of the fuselage. Initial flight testing proved impressive, so much so that the Air Ministry considered rushing the aircraft into production. These considerations were dismissed as a decision was reached to swap the Kestrel engines with newly developed, supercharged Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines, outputting over 850HP compared to the Kestrel's 650HP. | ||
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== Media == | == Media == | ||
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ;Skins | ||
| + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=whirlwind_p9 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
;Images | ;Images | ||
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;Related development | ;Related development | ||
| − | + | * Westland [[Whirlwind Mk I]] | |
| − | * Westland [[ | ||
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era | ;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era | ||
| − | |||
* Grumman [[XF5F]] Skyrocket | * Grumman [[XF5F]] Skyrocket | ||
* Grumman [[XP-50]] | * Grumman [[XP-50]] | ||
| − | * Kawasaki [[Ki-45 (Family)|Ki-45 | + | * Kawasaki [[Ki-45 (Family)|Ki-45]] |
* Lockheed [[P-38 (Family)|P-38]] Lightning | * Lockheed [[P-38 (Family)|P-38]] Lightning | ||
| − | * | + | * Yakovlev [[Yak-2 KABB]] |
== External links == | == External links == | ||
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
| − | |||
* ''other literature.'' --> | * ''other literature.'' --> | ||
Revision as of 22:18, 12 September 2022
| This page is about the British gift twin-engine fighter Whirlwind P.9. For the other version, see Whirlwind Mk I. |
Contents
Description
The Whirlwind P.9 is a gift rank III British twin-engine fighter with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB/SB) and 3.7 (RB). This aircraft was introduced in Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm" during the 2018 World War Two Chronicles. It was later re-released during Update 1.91 "Night Vision" as a reward for Operation "Shipyard". Whirlwind P.9, an experimental pre-production vehicle, is the direct ancestor of the British Whirlwind Mk I heavy fighter. Development of the aircraft began in 1937 and the aircraft in this series had plenty of time to fight against German aircraft and ships during the Battle of Britain.
General info
Flight performance
The Whirlwind is agile and speedy in level flight. The manoeuvrability is surprising, and even better with the use of flaps, making it possible to dogfight with most of the twin-engine fighters and, with skill and situational advantages, some single-engine planes as well. Just be wary of not draining all your speed while dogfighting enemies.
If played conservatively, this plane can be a tenacious opponent, especially when having an altitude advantage as this allows the Whirlwind P.9 to dive, fire, and then escape from enemies all with the same energy. This way a pilot can exploit the Whirlwind P.9's great speed to minimize the enemy's chance of getting a successful hit.
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 4,877 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 559 | 543 | 9144 | 24.2 | 25.1 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 650 |
| Upgraded | 602 | 580 | 21.9 | 23.0 | 18.2 | 15.0 | ||
Details
| Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 676 | 265 | 465 | 433 | 265 | ~10 | ~5 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 420 | < 420 | < 450 | > 324 |
| Compressor (RB/SB) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Setting 1 | ||
| Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
| 4,575 m | 885 hp | 947 hp |
Survivability and armour
Packed with wide 2 layers of armour (both of 9 mm) in front of the pilot, covering the 20 mm cannons and the engine. The bulletproof glass (60 mm) will also be helpful in head-ons or when hunting turret defended planes.
The Whirlwind P.9 has a vulnerable tail as the elevator and ailerons generally will be blown off if the enemy gets to blaze you from behind or wins in a head-on. Hence you should avoid be caught off guard as it will much likely end your flight capacities.
Modifications and economy
2 × 70 / 220 / 380 % 2 × 154 / 154 / 154 % | Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Offensive armament
The Whirlwind P.9 is armed with:
- 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.I cannons, nose-mounted (121 rpg = 484 total)
The four cannons make the Whirlwind P.9 well-armed for head-on engagements or Boom & Zoom tactics, as the four nose-mounted cannons will shred through everything, especially with the Ground Targets belt due to its AP ammunition. If pilots rather the enemy planes catch on fire, it is recommended to use the universal or stealth ammunition belts which offer this kind of benefit, unfortunately at the cost of somewhat reduced armour piercing performance. Keep in mind the reduced ammo of the cannons and the ability of some planes to turn off fires with self-sealing fuel tanks. The choice of engagement is up to the pilot.
Although gun convergence is a personal choice, it's suggested to set the gun convergence of the nose-mounted cannons to 600 m as the four cannons are lined horizontally (vertical convergence if Boom & Zooming). This allows scoring great shots at the moment when diving onto an enemy without getting to close or too far away. Just enough to align with the target's flight trajectory and release a short burst. If engaged with them in a dogfight just keep in mind this distance.
Usage in battles
The Whirlwind P.9 should be used similarly to other heavy fighters. The flight characteristics are very similar to the Whirlwind Mk I with the main difference being that the Whirlwind P.9 has more than double the ammunition count.
The P.9 is very effective in a boom and zoom role due to its good climb rate, and powerful armament. However, the relatively low wing break speed in RB does limit you in this role. The Whirlwind P.9 has a good turn rate for a heavy fighter but will be easily out-turned by single-engined fighters. The use of combat flaps will help to balance out this disadvantage. Care must be taken when using the combat flaps, however, as they are prone to snapping off at a relatively low speed.
At this battle rating you will see many BV 238s and Me 264s. Heading on these bombers will usually guarantee you a kill, but you still need to be careful of the powerful defensive armament of them.
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Controllable | Controllable Not auto controlled |
Not controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Auto control available |
Combined | Not controllable 1 gear |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Devastating armament in 4 x nose-mounted 20 mm Hispano cannons
- Guns are tightly packed which makes it easier to aim
- Decent manoeuvrability for a twin-engine fighter
- Decent roll rate for a heavy fighter
- Deadly with the Ground Targets belt
- Gets an airspawn
Cons:
- Ammo can deplete pretty quickly (though still double that of the Whirlwind Mk I)
- Slower than average dive speed
- Unlike the Mk I variant the P.9 can't take any secondary weapons
- Experiences severe control stiffening at speeds above 500 km/h
- Vulnerable to speedy fighters
- Very low red-line speed
History
During the Mid-1930s, development of combat aircraft in Britain was accelerated, when a war with Germany was becoming more apparent. While trusty and advanced, the Hurricane and Spitfire lacked in range and armament, and in 1935 the British Air Ministry issued operational Requirement F.37/35 which called for a heavy fighter design to be fitted with four 20 mm Hispano cannons. Many British aircraft manufacturers responded, but it was found that the submission made by Westland Aircraft of Yeovil in Somerset would be the one selected in 1937.
Known as the P.9, Westland's fighter design featured innovative designs such as low mounted wings with the engines mounted in under-wing pods, as well as the four 20 mm Hispano cannons being mounted in the nose. The aircraft aso featured two Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines, which were proven by that point in the inter-war period with aircraft such as the Hawker Fury and Handley Page Heyford biplane bomber. The canopy, being a bubble design, gave excellent all around visibility and combined with a "Tail-Dragger" configuration allowed for the installation of a high-mounted elevator assembly. The tail design was initially planned to incorporate a twin-tail design, but this was found to be impractical as the disturbed air from the engines affected performance.
The first flight of the new aircraft, now designated the Whirlwind, took place in October 1938 with the prototype aircraft being made of an all-metal design with flush riveted construction as well as magnesium skin at the rear of the fuselage. Initial flight testing proved impressive, so much so that the Air Ministry considered rushing the aircraft into production. These considerations were dismissed as a decision was reached to swap the Kestrel engines with newly developed, supercharged Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines, outputting over 850HP compared to the Kestrel's 650HP.
Media
- Skins
- Images
- Videos
See also
- Related development
- Westland Whirlwind Mk I
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Grumman XF5F Skyrocket
- Grumman XP-50
- Kawasaki Ki-45
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning
- Yakovlev Yak-2 KABB
External links
- Operation "Shipyard": H-34 and Whirlwind P.9
- Official data sheet - more details about the performance
- [Wikipedia] Westland Whirlwind (fighter)
| Westland Aircraft Limited | |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | |
| Fighters | Whirlwind Mk I · Whirlwind P.9 |
| Turboprop | Wyvern S4 |
| Helicopters* | |
| Attack | AH Mk.1 Apache** |
| Utility | Wessex HU Mk.5 · Scout AH.Mk.1 · Wasp HAS.Mk.1 · Lynx AH.Mk.1 · G-LYNX |
| *After World War II, Westland Aircraft focused on building helicopters and changed its name to Westland Helicopters. | |
| **Licensed AH-64D | |
| See Also | Boeing Aircraft |
| Britain premium aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | Tuck's Gladiator Mk II · ▄Boomerang Mk I · ▄Boomerang Mk II · ▄D.520 |
| ▄Martlet Mk IV · ▄Corsair F Mk II · ▄Hellcat Mk II · ▄Thunderbolt Mk.1 · ▄Mustang Mk IA | |
| Hurricane Mk.I/L FAA M · Spitfire Mk.IIa Venture I · Spitfire F Mk IXc · Plagis' Spitfire LF Mk IXc · Spitfire F Mk XIVc · Prendergast's Spitfire FR Mk XIVe | |
| Typhoon Mk Ib · MB.5 | |
| Twin-engine fighters | Hornet Mk.I · Whirlwind P.9 |
| Jet fighters | Attacker FB.2 · Hunter FGA.9 · Lightning F.53 · Meteor F Mk.8 Reaper · Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 · F-4J(UK) Phantom II · ▄MiG-21 Bison |
| Strike aircraft | ▄Wirraway · Beaufighter Mk I (40-mm) · Wyvern S4 |
| Harrier GR.1 · Strikemaster Mk.88 | |
| Bombers | ▄Avenger Mk II · ▄Boston Mk I · ▄Catalina Mk IIIa · ▄DB-7 · ▄Havoc Mk I · ▄Hudson Mk V · Swordfish Mk II |
