Armstrong Whitworth Whitley a Bomber Command stalwart

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

Following on from last week’s blog double double, where we posted separate blogs to mark the impending release of our new Consolidated B-24H Liberator and the long-awaited re-introduction of the Supermarine Swift FR.5, we are please to report that we have another double blog offering for you this Easter weekend. This time, we’re featuring our scale modelling tributes to two classic British aviation types which both made their first flights during the 1930s, a time of great change for Britain’s modernising military forces.

This first update marks the welcome return of the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V kit to an Airfix range, in a guise which first appeared as a new tooling release back in 2015 and as such, just too early to benefit from featuring in a Workbench update – we intend to address that situation now. Although a rather unusual looking aircraft, we will see how the Whitley was actually an advanced bomber for its time, introducing a number of ‘firsts’ for an RAF aircraft following its service entry. We will, of course, also be covering the details behind the two quite different scheme options included with this kit and how no collection of Bomber Command aircraft models can be considered complete unless it includes a Whitley.

Posted separately, our second blog of the week marks the re-introduction of another British aviation favourite, one which was a fine example of the design talents of the team at the Supermarine Aviation Works prior to their work on the famous Spitfire. A rugged and extremely versatile amphibious biplane aircraft, the Walrus was the very embodiment of everything the Supermarine company had built their reputation on and whilst it may have looked like an aircraft from a previous era of aviation, how it served with distinction throughout the Second World War. It also happens to make for a truly spectacular model build project, particularly in this 1/48th scale incarnation.

From a Workbench blog perspective, something Airfix fans have always been able to rely on is the fact that each and every blog ever posted to the Airfix website can be accessed via our main Workbench homepage, where of course, you will be able to find both these latest blog additions.    

Right then, our first port of call is Yorkshire and two of the RAF stations which were home to Bomber Command Whitley squadrons at the start of the Second World War.

A new heavy night bomber for the RAF

A Whitley flying straight and level, but with its wing orientation giving it its trademark nose down attitude.

From an aviation advancement perspective, the 1930s must have been a fascinating decade in which to be an aviation enthusiast. Not only were some of the largest and most capable biplane aircraft ever conceived now gracing the runways of RAF stations the length and breadth of the UK, but also a new breed of technologically advanced monoplane designs were pushing the boundaries of aviation to ever greater heights. One aircraft which highlights this period of change more effectively than most was the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, a monoplane heavy night bomber which could hardly have looked more different from the Handley Page Heyfords and Vickers Virginias they were intended to replace. 

The design of the Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 (Whitley) was submitted in response to an Air Ministry requirement for a modern new heavy night bomber, an aircraft which had to conform to some strict design parameters of speed, weight and range, but also could not have a wingspan no greater than 100 feet, so the aircraft could fit inside a standard RAF hangar. As the design progressed, Armstrong Whitworth moved away from their traditional construction techniques and instead built their new bomber as a semi-monocoque design, utilising advanced stressed skin coverings over the fuselage and most of the wings. Significantly, it was the first RAF aircraft to adopt this advanced construction technique.

The Whitley was also designed using an innovative modular construction method, with separate nose and tail sections mating with the main central fuselage, with this section also incorporating the central wing section. The wings themselves were also produced in three sections, with the outer wings being attached to the same large central fuselage/wing assembly. The Whitley was initially powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Tiger radial engines, which each drove their own three-bladed, two-position variable pitch propellers and again, would be the first RAF aircraft to feature such technology.

Without doubt, the most significant design feature associated with the Whitley was its wings, which were both extremely large in area and positioned at an unusual angle. Even though the Tiger engines were some of the most powerful units available to the design team at the time, there were some concerns about the operation of the aircraft during the critical take off and landing phases of flight. The design lead on the project didn’t have experience in incorporating flaps into his previous designs, let alone an aircraft of this size and as the Whitley would clearly be operating at operational weight, they took a rather radical decision.

In order to help the aircraft at lower speed stages of its operation, the entire wing was positioned with an 8.5 degree angle of incidence and whilst this certainly helped the aircraft as intended, when the Whitley was flying straight and level, the angle of the wings gave the bomber quite a noticeable nose down attitude. Whilst this might be viewed as a clever way the design team solved a significant problem, the rather awkward angle at which the aircraft flew increased its drag coefficient and as a consequence, reduced both its speed and range performance.

One from the Workbench archives, this CAD file computer rendered image shows a Whitley Mk.VII in Coastal Command submarine hunting configuration.

Incredibly, whilst the flaps were subsequently added to the wings prior to the service introduction of the aircraft, the cost of redesigning the entire wing in both monetary and project delay terms was deemed unacceptably prohibitive. As a consequence, the 8.5 degree wing incidence stayed, as did the Whitley’s unusual nose down flying attitude, something which would be a distinctive feature of the aircraft throughout its service career.

When the prototype Whitley made its first flight from the factory airfield which gave the bomber its name in March 1936, it was actually an impressive and innovative aircraft, significantly more advanced than the aircraft currently in service and on the verge of attracting more Air Ministry orders. It’s interesting to note that so much faith was placed in this new design that significant orders were placed for the Whitley even before the prototype had left the ground, however, this could possibly be attributed to the Air Ministry’s need to equip the Royal Air Force with a more modern bomber type, as opposed to the ground-breaking nature of its design.

Nevertheless, the first Whitleys into RAF service differed little from the prototype aircraft from a specification perspective, however, it would benefit from almost constant upgrade and improvement throughout its service introduction. When it came to defending itself, the five-man crew of those first Whitley bombers were cruelly exposed, with just a single Vickers K gun mounted in rudimentary, manually operated front and rear turrets to protect them. Some aircraft were trialled with a retractable dustbin turret underneath the belly of the bomber, however, these were quickly dispensed with because in operation, they were little better than useless and dramatically reduced the performance of the aircraft from both drag and additional weight perspectives.

A Whitley Mk.V being bombed up at its home base prior to embarking on an early WWII bombing raid.

In fact, the lack of available turrets even meant that some of the first Whitleys delivered for RAF service had no defensive armament whatsoever, with the front and rear turret positions faired over with shaped aluminium panels instead. This wasn’t deemed too much of a problem at the time, because the Whitley was introduced as a night bomber and at that time, officials were confident that the Luftwaffe didn’t have a cohesive system of nightfighter defences in place.

It could be argued that the first Whitleys to enter RAF service were not exactly as the Air Ministry had been hoping for when placing their initial specifications, however, the bomber would be upgraded and improved throughout successive production runs, continually equipping the Whitley with ever more powerful engines and more effective defensive firepower, all the while introducing an ever increasing list of ‘Firsts’ for this important RAF aircraft.

By the start of the Second World War, the RAF had just under 200 Whitleys in service, however, only five of these were the latest Mk.V variant, with No.77 squadron being formed to shepherd this most capable variant of the bomber into service. From a mark progression perspective, the Mk.I represented a significant capability upgrade for the RAF over contemporary types, introducing a host of technological ‘firsts’. The Mk.II saw the introduction of more powerful engines and the first in RAF service to feature 2 stage supercharged engines, whilst the Mk.III featured the introduction of redesigned outer wing sections, incorporating a higher angle of dihedral for improved performance and a further upgrade to the Whitley’s bomb carrying capabilities.

The Mk.IV Whitley was the first variant of the bomber to make use of Rolls Royce Merlin powered engines, along with marking the introduction of the rear firing Frazer Nash FN20 power operated turret and four machine guns, which at that time, made the Whitley the most heavily rear-defended bomber in the world.

Whitley Mk.V – The war ready Whitley

Box artwork inspiration, this beautiful image clearly shows the phase of flight where the designers of the aircraft were hoping to help pilots with the operation of this mighty night bomber. The Whitley occupies a significant position in the history of a modernising Royal Air Force.

The variant of Whitley bomber which attracted the attention of the Airfix design team was the one which resulted in the introduction the most capable variant of this bomber in service by the time the Second World War began and the one which was arguably the most capable night bomber in service at that time. Unfortunately for the RAF, they only had five of them in service by the outbreak of war, with the vast majority of aircraft available to them all being of the less capable earlier marks.

The Mk.V was produced as a direct result of a desire to make the Whitley more combat effective, at the same time as providing crews with an aircraft which possessed greater combat survivability. The rear fuselage of the bomber was extended quite significantly, to allow the rear gunner a much more effective field of fire, moving his turret clear of the bomber’s large and similarly redesigned vertical stabilizers. The latest Merlin X engines were also fitted to this variant and the Whitley’s bomb carrying capabilities were also further increased to 7,000lb of bombs carried internally in both the bomb bay and wing root bays.

Deliveries of this impressive variant only started in August 1939 and as mentioned previously, only five aircraft had been received by the newly formed No.77 Squadron by the time war was declared on 3rd September.

Let’s now take a closer look at the details behind the two scheme options included with this enthralling kit, as it prepares to take its place in an Airfix range once more.

Scheme A – Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V N1380/DY-R, Aircraft flown by Squadron Leader John Charles MacDonald, No.102 Squadron Royal Air Force, No.4 Group Bomber Command, Driffield, Yorkshire, England, March 1940.

In its position as the RAF’s latest heavy bomber in service and the first bomber introduced specifically to bomb by night, the RAF’s Whitley squadrons would be heavily involved during the early months of the war, although initially not in a role you might expect. The first Whitley incursions into enemy controlled airspace were to deliver millions of leaflets onto the population of Germany, warning civilians about the futility of war and how they had been betrayed by their own leaders in being dragged into conflict.

Before long, these bomb loads of words were being replaced by exploding bombs, and this particular Whitley had the distinction of being the first RAF bomber to deliberately drop bombs on an enemy target during the Second World War. Having initially refrained from bombing where civilian populations could be affected, the Royal Air Force were instructed to bomb a German target following a Luftwaffe raid against Scapa Flow on 16th March 1940, a raid which killed both military personnel and civilians.

On the night of 19th/20th March, Squadron Leader John Charles MacDonald, Officer Commanding No.102 Squadron at Driffield, was tasked with leading the squadron’s contribution to an attacking force of 50 bombers, 30 of which were Whitleys, against the German coastal airbase at Hörnum on the southernmost tip of the island of Sylt, which lay out to sea on the German-Danish border. Home to a fleet of mighty seaplanes which had been harassing British shipping and were involved in mine laying operations across the North Sea, the raid was intended to cause maximum damage to the facilities at Hörnum in an act of reprisal, whilst historically marking a significant development in the state of the war.

The Whitleys of No.4 Group Bomber Command led the attack, with MacDonald and the crew of Whitley N1380 claiming the distinction of being the first British bomber to drop bombs on a German target in WWII, with the attack reported to have lasted around four hours. Handley Page Hampdens from No.5 Group followed the Whitleys into the target and during this concerted attack, many aircraft reported seeing their bombs finding their marks with impressive levels accuracy. All but one bomber returned to their bases, with the only casualty being a Whitley which was thought to have been struck by enemy flak and being forced to ditch in the North Sea.

Following the raid, newspapers across the Commonwealth reported a great strategic success having been scored by Bomber Command, with the raid claiming many German aircraft destroyed, along with the complete destruction of much of the infrastructure surrounding this important seaplane base. Unfortunately, whilst a subsequent reconnaissance mission sent to assess the effectiveness of the raid did show signs of damage to the target, it was much lighter than had been claimed, resulting in something of a press blackout of raid details, with officials claiming the weather hadn’t been clear enough for conclusive post raid pictures to be taken.

Full scheme details of this truly historic RAF bomber.

The story behind this particular Whitley inspired the creation of the stunning box artwork which will soon be gracing the shelves of model shops everywhere.

Whilst marking a change in strategy for the RAF, the raid against Hörnum highlighted clear deficiencies in the accuracy of Bomber Command operations and immediately initiated a study on how future raids could produce better results, a study which would eventually lead to the creation of the RAF’s pathfinder force.  

As for Whitley Mk.V N1380, she would see plenty of action over the coming weeks, but was lost almost exactly two months later as the war entered a worrying new phase for Britain and the Royal Air Force. Sent to destroy bridges over the River Oise at Ribemont during the German onslaught against France, a force of some 77 bombers crossed the Channel during this operation, with the Ribemont force knowing they would be pressing home their attack against the bridges at extremely low altitude and in danger of coming under heavy enemy fire. 

Having successfully released its bombs over the target, N1380 was thought to have been hit by flak and without sufficient height to make good their escape, the aircraft came down just before midnight southeast of St Quentin, with the tragic loss of all on board. The RAF bombers developed during the mid 1930s and in service at the outbreak of WWII would have to carry a heavy operational burden during the early months of conflict, even though it could be argued they were effectively obsolete by that time. Nevertheless, they continued to be flown by heroic crews who were determined to perform their duty and show the enemy that Britain and the Commonwealth were going to challenge them at every turn during the months of fighting to come.

Scheme B – Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V Z9226/ZA-K, No.10 Squadron Royal Air Force, No.4 Group Bomber Command, Leeming, North Yorkshire, England, December 1941.

Wearing a smart overall black scheme which could hardly be more different from the traditional Bomber Command scheme featured in the other option with this kit, Whitley Z9226 is presented here in the colours of an RAF No.10 Squadron bomber and in this presentation, highlights how the aircraft was also used to perform several other roles during its service career.

RAF No.10 Squadron reformed in January 1928 as a night bombing unit at Upper Heyford and would go on to fly several of the unusual bomber types in service over the following decade, including the Handley Page Hyderabad, the Vickers Virginia, and the Handley Page Heyford. On 25th January 1937, the unit moved to RAF Driffield as part of the recently established No.4 Group Bomber Command, converting to the new Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.I on their arrival, a new and extremely capable night bomber which was just coming into service.

At the outbreak of the war, the squadron initially commenced operations by flying ‘Nickel Raids’ over cities in enemy territory, where millions of propaganda leaflets were dropped on civilians, imploring them to instruct their leaders not to pursue the war any further and how they were being lied to about the true cost of another European war. 

In June 1940, prior to the German occupation of the Channel Islands, No.4 Group Bomber Command dispatched a force of 36 Whitleys to the Islands to take on fuel and as a staging post for an audacious bombing strike against the Italian cities of Turin and Genoa. A raid which proved to be more symbolic than effective, it was intended to be a defiant Allied show of strength in the immediate wake of the Italians entering the war on the side of the Germans, showing the Italians that their cities were now at the mercy of the RAF’s night bombers.

This stunning all-black Whitley will be a difficult modelling project proposition to refuse.

The raid went ahead despite protestations from the French, who didn’t want to provoke the Axis forces into retaliatory attacks at a time when they were exposed militarily and would probably be unable to counter such a strike if it did happen. Only 13 bombers managed to reach their targets due to them flying through extremely poor weather on route and two aircraft would be lost during the raid. This still represented a significant feat of airmanship for the crews involved, as the bombers were forced to fly through severe thunderstorms, with aircraft suffering lightning strikes, being buffeted by high winds and encountering severe icing. The effects of icing prevented the aircraft from climbing above the storms, meaning the entire mission was something of an ordeal for them.

The all-black scheme applied to this Whitley also hints at two of the other roles this early bomber was asked to take on, that being paratrooper trainer and clandestine support aircraft, where Whitleys were used to support agent delivery and resistance supply flights into enemy occupied France, extremely dangerous operations which relied on the pilot’s skill and exceptional navigation.

Whitleys would also take part in the first bombing raid mounted against Berlin on the night of 25th/26th August 1940, but even though the aircraft was rugged and well-liked by their crews, the introduction of Bomber Command’s first four engined heavy bombers would hasten the withdrawal of the Whitley from front line bombing operations. Having said that, aircraft were brought back to take part in Bomber Command’s powerful 1000 bomber raids, when these maximum efforts often required every serviceable bomber available to be pressed into action.  

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V Z9226 would be lost on a mission sent to strike at targets around Düsseldorf on the evening of 27th December 1941. Having taken off from its home base at RAF Leeming in the fading light of evening, the aircraft was thought to have attracted the attention of Luftwaffe searchlight units on the run into the target, with several lights coning the aircraft and tracking its progress until a patrolling nightfighter arrived on the scene. It’s thought that the bomber fell victim to the Messerschmitt Bf 110 nightfighter crewed by I./NJG.1’s Ace pairing of Hauptmann Streib and Feldwebel Ruscher. The bomber’s crew of five were all lost and later laid to rest in Rheinberg War Cemetery.

Full box artwork presentation for a Bomber Command classic which we are pleased to be re-introducing to the 2024 Airfix range.

Although it rarely receives the recognition it deserves, the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley was a really important aircraft in the history of a modernising Royal Air Force, and hopefully, the impending availability of this beautiful kit will lead to more people discovering the many qualities the RAF’s first heavy night bomber to enter service. As a display piece, no collection of Bomber Command aircraft could ever be considered complete without a Whitley proudly taking its place amongst it.

This beautiful new model is now due for imminent release.

Please don't forget to check out our other blog post this weekend, where the distinctive Supermarine Walrus is the subject of our attention.

We are afraid that's all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back next Friday with more project development updates and the very latest Airfix kit exclusives. In the meantime, we are always keen to hear your views on all things Airfix and in particular, any thoughts and opinions you may have regarding our Workbench blog. If you would like to drop us a quick line, could we please ask that you use our workbench@airfix.com email for all correspondence. 

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