Hello flyers,
For some time I have mused over some of the similarities between the Fw 187 and the Westland Whirlwind fighters of WW2, in respect of their histories and their original intended roles, and ultimately their relegation to minor roles.
Both designs recieved inferior power plants than were specified.
What effect would the Whirlwind have had if it had got the Merlins it cried out for? And what would have happened to The Fw 187 if it had had the DB600’s from the start?

Cheers
Peter

Peter I'm not familiar with the FW187 but I've read that the Whirlwind would have been in a diferent class had it been fitted with Merlin engines. It just shows how getting the right airframe/engine combination is vital. Witness the Manchester, badly let down by its poor powerplants yet transformed when fitted with 4 merlins to become the Lancaster. Also the P51, mediocre performance at altitude with the Allison engine yet a war winner when fitted with the merlin.

:-) It has always amazed me that the Whirlwind was never even rtro-fitted with Merlins. Just imagine what a twin Merlin combo on an airframe of that size could have achieved?
Mal

Hi there

The Fw 187 and Whirlwind are two of my favourite "what ifs"...

Bizarrely, in October 1940, it was Westland themselves who originally balked at the idea of fitting Merlins, because they claimed it would defeat the whole point of the small, compact fighter whose airframe was unable to accept them.

They did eventually put forward a proposal for a Merlin-engined 6-gun version. They forecast a performance of 410 mph, 37,000 ft ceiling and 800 miles range.

When the Whirlwind was retired, its designer W.E. Petter claimed it should always have been based around the Merlin... but, instead, it was simply too small and too weak to be easily adapted.

Perhaps an even greater loss was the Supermarine design for a 6-cannon, twin Merlin fighter; in 1938 it was forcast to have a top speed of... wait for it... 465 mph!

As for the Fw 187... imagine it with DB 601s or BMW801s... let alone possible later developments. Some idea of its potential can be drawn from its use as a development aircraft for the Ta 154.

Do I feel some conversion builds in the air?

All the best

Rowan

When I eventually get the Fw 187 on the table, I intend to do just that, the DB600's on the single seater air- frame.
Cheers
Peter

As an experiment I have just tried and succeeded in placing a picture in post for first time.
What a joy.
Cheers
Peter

The usual reason given for not fitiing Merlins was that priority was given to Spits, Hurricanes, Lancs and Mossies; and later the Mustang.