The BT-1 belongs to the category of warplanes which just missed, in this case by a couple of weeks, having an operational role in WW2 and has for all practical purposes been forgotten. Nevertheless its importance was probably higher than is currently recognised for at least two reasons. Designed by Ed Heinemann the BT-1 was sufficiently successful to allow him to go on to design such aircraft as the Boston/Havoc, Invader and Skyhawk, some of America's most famous aircraft. Despite its shortcomings, including a deadly spin, the BT-1 led the way to its successor, the SBD Dauntless, which wrote...
The BT-1 belongs to the category of warplanes which just missed, in this case by a couple of weeks, having an operational role in WW2 and has for all ...
The Westland Whirlwind belongs to that category of aircraft which entered production but failed to live up to their designers' expectations. Its unreliable engines can be seen as a major reason for this but it only serves to hide other serious problems. Indeed, even with better engines the results would probably have been the same, as the concept of a twin-engined fighter aircraft capable of meeting single-engined fighters escorting bombers formations on an equal footing was fallacious, as combat in WW2 was soon to prove. The true story of the Whirwind and the pilots who flew it is here told...
The Westland Whirlwind belongs to that category of aircraft which entered production but failed to live up to their designers' expectations. Its unrel...