Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Union Jack Rocks Glass

Sale price$11.99 USD Regular price$14.99 USD
Save $3.00 USD

Tax excluded.


The Armstrong Whitworth Whitley was a British twin-engine medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s. It first flew on 17 March 1936 and entered RAF service in March 1937. The Whitley was one of the three main bombers in RAF service at the outbreak of World War II, alongside the Vickers Wellington and Handley Page Hampden.

Built by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, the Whitley featured a distinctive nose-down flying attitude due to its thick wing profile and level fuselage design. It was powered by Armstrong Siddeley Tiger engines in early variants, later replaced by Rolls-Royce Merlins in the Mk IV and Mk V. A total of 1,814 Whitleys were built.

Whitleys flew the RAF’s first bombing raid on Germany in September 1939 and participated in leaflet drops, maritime patrols, and paratroop drops. Though withdrawn from frontline bombing by 1942 due to its slow speed and limited ceiling, the Whitley continued in Coastal Command and training roles until 1945.

While overshadowed by newer bombers like the Lancaster and Halifax, the Whitley was a vital stopgap during the RAF’s early war efforts and served with distinction during a critical period of expansion and transition.