Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (Warpaint Series 21) By Ken Wixey
Publisher: Pan 1999 | 40 Pages | ASIN: B000ZCOQGW | PDF | 29 MB
Publisher: Pan 1999 | 40 Pages | ASIN: B000ZCOQGW | PDF | 29 MB
DESTINED to play an important part in RAF Bomber Command's bombing offensive against Germany during the early years of World War 2, the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley was one of three 'strategic' bomber types with which Britain went to war in September 1939. Its partners were the Handley Page Hampden and Vickers Armstrong Wellington, both originally intended as day bombers to replace older aircraft in RAF medium bomber squadrons. They were conceived two years earlier to the Whitley, which was designed from the outset as a heavy night bomber to replace ageing Vickers Virginia and Handley Page Heyford biplanes and the RAF's first monoplane night bomber, the Fairey Hendori with its fixed undercarriage. Most successful of this trio of early World War 2 British bombers was the Wellington, but nevertheless Whitleys carried out the first leaflet ('Nickel') raids over Germany's homeland, made the first bombing attacks on mainland Germany, were first to cross the Alps and attack targets in Italy and among the first RAF bombers to drop bombs on Berlin.