Description
An A3 Pencil Artwork Poster of the RAF’s WW2 medium range Bomber.
The Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company AW38 Whitley was a twin-engined cantilever monoplane with a retractable undercarriage, drawing on the design of the AW23 ‘bomber transport’, particularly in respect of the wing structure.
It showed such initial promise that it was ordered ‘off the drawing board’ with the prototype (K4586) flying for the first time from Baginton Aerodrome on 17th March 1936. Power was initially provided by two Armstrong Siddeley Tiger IX engines with the Mk.II featuring by Armstrong Siddeley Tiger XI supercharged engines.
An initial order for 80 aircraft was placed comprising 40 Whitley Mk.1 and 40 Whitley Mk.II.
After the first 34 aircraft had left the production line (split across the three Armstrong Whitworth Coventry facilities), the uprated supercharged Armstrong Siddeley Tiger VIII engines were fitted as standard on all marks.
The AW38 Whitley was already in service with the RAF at the outbreak of World War II and is probably the most important Armstrong Whitworth design to see operational service. It participated in the first bombing raid of the conflict in September 1939 and was only superseded in the role by the introduction of the ‘heavies’ such as the Avro Lancaster.
Artworks from the collection of the late Artist Barry Wallond, from St Mawgan in Cornwall. Barry’s artwork included a wide range of WW2 and Post War Royal Air Force aircraft, drawn in Pencil. Barry also created a over 150 computer designed images of aircraft, with details of the individual aircraft portrayed.
