Hawker Harrier#Specifications (Harrier, as bomber)
{{Short description|Experimental biplane torpedo bomber aircraft built by Hawker Aircraft}}
{{For|the "Harrier jump jet" vertical take-off fighter|Hawker Siddeley Harrier}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = Harrier
|image = Hawker Harrier (1927).jpg
|image_caption = Hawker Harrier prototype at A &AEE
|aircraft_type = Torpedo bomber
| national_origin= United Kingdom
|manufacturer = Hawker Aircraft Limited
|designer = Sydney Camm
|first_flight = February 1927
|status =
|primary_user =
|more_users =
|produced =
|number_built = 1
|developed_from =
|variants =
}}
The Hawker Harrier was a British experimental biplane torpedo bomber aircraft built by Hawker Aircraft to a specification issued in the 1920s for the Royal Air Force.
Development
In 1925, the British Air Ministry laid down specifications for a high altitude bomber to replace the Hawker Horsley and for a coastal torpedo bomber (Specifications 23/25 and 24/25). As these specifications were similar, the Air Ministry announced that a single competition would be held to study aircraft submitted for both specifications.{{Harvnb|Mason|1994|p=193}}
Sydney Camm of Hawker Aircraft designed the Harrier to meet the requirements of Specification 23/25, with the prototype (J8325) first flying in February 1927, the first of the competitors for the two specifications to fly. The Harrier was a two-seat biplane with single-bay wings powered by a geared Bristol Jupiter VIII radial engine. It was armed with one .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and one .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun carrying a maximum of {{convert|1000|lb|kg|abbr=on}} of bombs.{{Harvnb|Lewis|1980|p=162}}
The prototype Harrier was tested at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A & AEE) at Martlesham Heath in November 1927, where, while it met the requirements of Specification 23/25 and had satisfactory handling, the geared engine meant that it was underpowered, and it had an inferior bombload to the Hawker Horsley, the aircraft it was meant to replace. It was therefore modified to carry a torpedo. On testing the modified aircraft, however, it was found to still be underpowered, being incapable of taking off with a torpedo, gunner and full fuel load. It was therefore not considered further, the competition ultimately being won by the Vickers Vildebeest.{{Harvnb|Mason|1994|p=200}}
The prototype was used by Bristol as an engine testbed, flying with the {{convert|870|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Bristol Hydra and the {{convert|495|hp|abbr=on}} Bristol Orion engines.
Specifications (Harrier, as bomber)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Mason, The British Bomber since 1914
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=two
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=29
|length in=7
|span m=
|span ft=46
|span in=3
|height m=
|height ft=13
|height in=4
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=496.8
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=3278
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=5656
|fuel capacity={{convert|191|impgal|USgal L|abbr=on}}{{Harvnb|Mason|1991|p=148}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Bristol Jupiter VIII
|eng1 type=nine-cylinder geared radial engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=583
|eng1 shp=
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|power original=
|thrust original=
|eng1 kn-ab=
|eng1 lbf-ab=
|more power=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=Watts wooden propeller
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=12
|prop dia in=3
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=135
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at {{convert|6500|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=20000
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|time to altitude=18 min 30 s
|more performance=
|guns= 1 × forward firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers gun and 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun on Scarff ring in rear cockpit
- 4× {{convert|250|lb|kg|abbr=on}} GP bombs or
- 8× {{convert|112|lb|kg|abbr=on}} bombs or
- 1× Type VIII {{convert|2844|lb|kg|abbr=on}} torpedo
|avionics=
}}
See also
{{aircontent
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|sequence=
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References
=Notes=
{{reflist}}
=Bibliography=
- {{cite book |title= The British Bomber since 1914|last= Lewis|first= Peter|edition= Third |year= 1980|publisher=Putnam |location= London|isbn= 0-370-30265-6 }}
- {{Cite book |last=Mason |first=Francis K. |title=The British Bomber since 1914 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books|location=London |year=1994 |isbn= 0-85177-861-5 }}
- {{cite book |last=Mason |first=Francis K. |title=Hawker Aircraft since 1920 |year=1991 |edition=Third |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |location=London |isbn=0-85177-839-9 }}
External links
{{commons category|Hawker Harrier}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930163732/http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=486 Hawker Harrier] – British Aircraft Directory
{{Hawker Siddeley aircraft}}
Category:1920s British bomber aircraft
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1927