Westland Whirlwind (fighter)

The Westland Whirlwind was a British twin-engined fighter developed by Westland Aircraft, and the first single-seat, twin-engined, cannon-armed fighter of the Royal Air Force. When it first flew in 1938 it was among the fastest combat aircraft in the world, and with four 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon in its nose it was the most heavily armed. Protracted problems with its Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines delayed the project, and only 114 were built. Just three RAF squadrons were equipped with it during the Second World War and, despite its success as a fighter and ground-attack aircraft, it was withdrawn from service in 1943. It is a different aircraft from the later Westland Whirlwind helicopter.