Whitman, William Charles (Sergeant)

The Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke was a maritime patrol aircraft and trainer used by the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Built by Fairchild-Canada, it was a license-built version of the Bristol Blenheim Mk IV bomber.

In 1935, the British Air Ministry issued Specification G.24/35 to procure a coastal reconnaissance/light bomber to replace the Avro Anson. Bristol proposed the Type 149, based on its Blenheim Mk I, with Bristol Aquila engines to give greater range. While the Air Ministry rejected this proposal, a Blenheim Mk I, retaining its Mercury VIII engines, was converted as a Type 149 (Blenheim Mk III) for the general reconnaissance role.The nose was lengthened to provide more room for the bombardier, with the upper left surface of the nose being scooped out to maintain pilot visibility during takeoff and landing.

The longer range also fulfilled a Canadian requirement for a maritime patrol aircraft. Consequently, Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) of Quebec started production of the Blenheim Mk IV as the Bolingbroke (the originally intended name for the Blenheim IV). This type was nicknamed the "Bolly". After a small run of aircraft constructed to British specifications, as the Bolingbroke Mk I, Fairchild switched production to the Bolingbroke Mk IV with Canadian and American instruments and equipment. These versions also included anti-icing boots and a dinghy. One of the early Mk IV variants was the Bolingbroke Mk IVW which was powered by two 825 hp (615 kW) Pratt & Whitney SB4G Twin Wasp Junior engines. Incapable of maintaining altitude on one engine, the normal bomb load was reduced to 500 pounds on these aircraft to compensate for the low engine power. The most-produced variant was the Bolingbroke Mk IVT trainer, of which 457 were completed. A total of 626 Bolingbrokes were produced. Wikipedia

Wikipedia Bolingbroke Bomber

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Bolingbroke Bomber WWII

Bolingbroke - Kestrel Publications

Aircraft Images

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Bolingbroke 9053

Bolingbroke Mk. IV 9053

Served with No. 119 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Yarmouth, NS.Crashed on approach to Yarmouth when engine cut out on changing fuel-cocks to select inner tanks at 16:12 hrs on 11 Dec 1941: the 3-person crew, Flight Sergeant E. Bawtinheimer, Flight Sergeant J. Riess and Flight Sergeant W. Whitman were all killed. Came down in woods 1/4 mile from end of runway. First fatal Bolingbroke crash for this unit. Allocated to No. 4 Repair Depot on 12 December 1941 for write off.

1941-11-24 Taken on Strength Eastern Air Command 2019-08-20
1941-December-11 Accident: 119 Squadron Loc: Yarmouth Nova Scotia Names: Bawtinheimer | Riess | Whitman
1942-02-04 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to produce 2019-08-20