World War II AircraftThis aircraft was one of the first of 1;465 Mk.V Whitleys that employed Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines of 1145 hp instead of the AW Tiger radial; total production of all Marks I-VII of the Whitley was 1;814. Maximum speed of the 'Flying Barn Door' was about 230 mph; service ceiling was 26;000 feet; operational range was 1;650 miles; maximum ordnance load in bomb bay and wing cells was 7;000 lb; and it carried a crew of five in the night bomber role. The type was the first in the world specified and designed from the start to operate as a specialised night bomber; and No.102 Squadron was part of the RAF's 4 Group from October 1938; the first ever dedicated to the task. 102 exchanged its Heyfords for Whitleys in 1938; flew a 'Nickel' leaflet-dropping operation to Germany on the second night of the war and continued fly similar raids until March 1940; when Whitley units bombed German land targets for the first time; concentrating on the seaplane base at Hornum. Further raids on Baltic and North Sea ports followed until 1 September 1940; when the squadron was loaned to Coastal Command and flew from RAF Prestwick on convoy escort duties for nearly six weeks; resuming bombing duties on 10 October. 102 continued to operate the Whitley by night against targets in Germany and Occupied France until it re-equipped with the Halifax in February 1942.Illustration (Tim Brown); 2019.