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Westland Whirlwind - early radio mast


bryanm

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The first two dozen or so Whirlwind fighters had their radio mast attached to the canopy, before it was moved to the starboard fuselage side just ahead of the windscreen:

 

http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/west_whirlwind.php

https://www.raf-in-combat.com/downloads/november-2015-westland-whirlwind-23-photos/

 

I'm puzzled how this worked.  Although difficult to see on photos, there was presumably an antenna strung between the mast and the fin, but when the canopy was slid back this must have gone slack and flopped around.  Perhaps a good reason to move the mast - or is there another explanation?

 

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7 hours ago, bryanm said:

The first two dozen or so Whirlwind fighters had their radio mast attached to the canopy, before it was moved to the starboard fuselage side just ahead of the windscreen:

 

http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/west_whirlwind.php

https://www.raf-in-combat.com/downloads/november-2015-westland-whirlwind-23-photos/

 

I'm puzzled how this worked.  Although difficult to see on photos, there was presumably an antenna strung between the mast and the fin, but when the canopy was slid back this must have gone slack and flopped around.  Perhaps a good reason to move the mast - or is there another explanation?

 

I'm no expert on the Whirlwind, but there was probably a tension/retraction reel of some sort that took up the slack when the canopy was opened, much like the seat belts/shoulder harnesses in your car.

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Hi

   nothing in the AP manual for the early a/c 

 

  i cant recall seeing a photo at the mo 

 

  i am off to work soon but will see if i have any info over the weekend, if so i will post it 

   cheers

     jerry

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