09/01/2025
They might need our book....
No. 137 Squadron Operational Record Book
JANUARY 1942
RAF Matlaske
Thursday 8th January 1942
Fine, with good visibility & though there was cloud towards midday, it was patchy & general flying conditions were excellent. No Operational flying called for, but a total of 22 hours training & instructional flying was carried out. This included ‘homings’, single-engine landings, Camera-Gun, low-flying & aerobatics, Weather deteriorated considerably in the afternoon & night flying training cancelled.
JANUARY 1943
RAF Manston
Friday 8th January 1943
Air-to-Ground Firing.
Rhubarb
0840-0915. Clothing store at Auchy les Hesdin. Abandoned off Dungeness, due to insufficient cloud.
P7095 P/O Robert Leslie Smith DFM
P7011 Sgt Aubrey Cartwright Smith
Anti-Shipping Attack
1735-1840. Boulogne-Somme Estuary for nine E-Boats seen leaving Boulogne at 1700 by Spitfires of No.91 Sqn.
P7114 F/O John Michael Bryan
P7046 W/O Arthur Gaston Brunet RCAF
P7148 P/O James Reginald Rebbetoy RCAF
P7092 F/S Desmond Arthur Roberts RNZAF
No. 263 Squadron Operational Record Book
JANUARY 1942
RAF Charmy Down & RAF Colerne
Thursday 8th January 1942
The twelve pilots with Whirlwinds which had been fog-bound at Exeter returned to Charmy Down.
F/L Warnes on an endurance test was airborne for 2 hours 35 minutes & had 32 gallons of petrol left (17 & 15 for each engine).
JANUARY 1943
RAF Warmwell & RAF Predannack
Friday 8th January 1943
RAF Warmwell
Aerodrome u/s except for emergency flying.
Convoy Patrol
1325-1410. South of St. Aldhelms Head going west.
P6971 F/S Walter Roylance Wright
P7007 Sgt James Ian Simpson
Today’s photograph is the Project so far, or at least what is on display at the Kent Battle of Britain Museum Trust (www.kbobm.org) at Hawkinge, our active partner in the Project. Pete Smith, our Chief Engineer, is busy and working in subzero temperatures construction the tail unit which should arrive at the Museum this year and then it will be attached to the fuselage, cockpit and nose section, that can be seen in the photograph.
For further information on the Whirlwind Fighter Project and how you can help us to support the reconstruction of this often-forgotten aircraft, please have a look at the Projects Website: https://www.whirlwindfp.org/
The Whirlwind Fighter Project have not only set their goal of recreating a full-size Westland Whirlwind Fighter but to also to help promote knowledge and understanding of this often-forgotten aircraft. Hence why for 2025 we are sharing extracts of both No. 137 and No. 263 Squadrons Operational Record Books. We are also planning to create a central depository of knowledge of this aircraft and her personnel. We are hoping to expand our knowledge, as well as yours!
If you can help with any additional information / photographs / documentation on the aircraft, pilots, groundcrews of either of No. 137 and No. 263 Squadrons (you may well have had relations serving on these squadrons?) please either message us through this our page or by email: [email protected]. We would love to hear from you.
Please ‘like’, ‘comment’, and ‘share.’ By doing so, you help us to commemorate the Westland Whirlwind Fighter, the pilots that flew them, and help raise awareness that we are bringing this previously extinct aircraft back, by re-engineering and recreating a full-size non-flying example.
The cockpit, nose section, and fuselage are already on display at our active partner in the Project, the Kent Battle of Britain Museum Trust at Hawkinge (www.kbobm.org)
Many Thanks as always…
