Towards the end of the 1930s, twin engine monoplane bombers with enclosed cockpits, multiple machine-guns and internal bomb-bays came into service, encouraging a belief that the bomber could strike decisively at German industry. The Armstrong Whitworth Whitley was one of a new quartet, which included the Bristol Blenheim, Handley Page Hampden and Vickers Wellington. Powered by two 1,145hp Merlin X engines, with a crew of five, the Whitley was armed with six machine-guns, had an operational range of 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometres),a ceiling of 26,000 feet (7,900 metres) and a top speed of 230 mph (370 kph) at 17,000 feet (5,200 metres). 70 feet 6 inches (21.5 metres) long, with a wing-span of 84 feet (25.5 metres) it carried a bomb load of 7,373lbs (3,344kg). Once war was declared and…
