Westland Whirlwind portrait

RAF Westland Whirlwind pilot Arthur 'Art' Brunet of 137 Squadron in aircraft P7046, coded SF-B, which had his wife's nickname, "Lennie", painted on the side of the cockpit.

The distinctive, twin-engined Whirlwind was, when it entered service, at least as fast as any other fighter but a lack of development meant it never fulfilled its potential and kept being superseded by aircraft that were better at the various tasks for which it was suited. It operated in the fighter bomber role from 1940 to 1943.