Handley Page Hendon
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
|name = Hendon |image = HPHendon.jpg |caption = }}{{Infobox aircraft type |type = Torpedo bomber |national origin=United Kingdom |manufacturer = Handley Page |designer = |first flight = 1924 |introduced = |introduction= |retired = 1927 |status = Prototypes |primary user = |more users = |produced = |number built = 6 |unit cost = |developed from = Handley Page Hanley |variants with their own articles = }} |
The Handley Page Hendon was a British torpedo bomber of the 1920s. A two-seat development of Handley Page's earlier single-seat Hanley, the Hendon was a single-engine biplane. While six aircraft were purchased by the British Air Ministry for evaluation and trials purposes, no further production ensued and the Hendon did not enter squadron service.
Development and design
While the single-seat Handley Page Hanley had lost to the similar Blackburn Dart in fulfilling the requirements for a carrier-based torpedo bomber to equip Britain's Fleet Air Arm, it was recognised by both Handley Page and the Air Ministry that a two-seat aircraft would be more useful both for operational purposes and for experimental work. An order was therefore placed on 27 November 1923 for six two-seat derivatives of the Hanley III, designated the Type Ta (later known as the H.P.25) or Handley Page Hendon to meet the requirements of Air Ministry Specification 25/23 for an interim torpedo bomber.Barnes 1976, p.223, 225.
The first of the six aircraft to fly, (serial N9724) flew on 7 July 1924, with the remaining five flying by September. It had a longer fuselage to accommodate the observer, who was provided with a .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun on a Scarff ring mounting, but initially, was similar to the Hanley III. Tests showed that it was tailheavy when carrying a torpedo, the outer wings being swept back by six degrees to avoid this.Barnes 1976, p.225.
Operational history
The six Hendons were used for extensive trials to investigate various configurations of leading edge slots/slats. These allowed one aircraft to successfully land on {{HMS|Furious|47|6}} while carrying a torpedo and without using arrestor gear.Mason 1994, p.158. No further production occurred, the development of automatic slots in October 1927 making the Hendon obsolete.
Variants
;Hendon I
:Initial configuration. Leading edge slots as Hanley III. Six built.
;Hendon II
:Improved slot gear. Three converted.
;Hendon III
:Slotted Flaps. One converted from Hendon II.
Specifications (Hendon)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Handley Page Aircraft since 1907.Barnes 1976, p.229.
|prime units?=imp
|crew=2
|length ft=36
|length in=6
|length note=
|span ft=46
|span in=0
|span note=
|height ft=13
|height in=8
|height note={{citation needed|date=June 2020}}
|wing area sqft=562
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight lb=4350
|empty weight note=Lewis 1980, p.420-421.
|gross weight lb=6970
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Napier Lion IIB
|eng1 type=W-12 water-cooled piston engine
|eng1 hp=450
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=fixed-pitch propeller
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|max speed mph=110
|max speed note=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed mph=55
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed note=
|range miles=
|range note=
|combat range miles=
|combat range note=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling ft=9500
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading lb/sqft=12.4
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass={{cvt|0.065|hp/lb}}
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|guns=1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) forward firing Vickers machine gun and 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun in rear cockpit
|bombs=1 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo or 2 × 230 lb (105 kg) bombs
}}
See also
References
=Notes=
{{Reflist}}
=Bibliography=
{{refbegin}}
- Barnes, C.H. Handley Page Aircraft since 1907. London:Putnam, 1976. {{ISBN|0-370-00030-7}}.
- Mason, Francis K. The British Bomber since 1914. London:Putnam, 1994. {{ISBN|0-85177-861-5}}.
- Lewis, Peter. The British Bomber since 1914. London:Putnam, Third edition, 1980. {{ISBN|0-370-30265-6}}.
- [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1926/1926%20-%200521.html "The Handley Page “Hendon”"]. Flight. 29 July 1926. Page 459–461.
{{refend}}
External links
{{commons category|Handley Page Hendon}}
- [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/bww1/hendon.html H.P.25 Hendon]
{{Handley Page aircraft}}