Handley Page Hendon

infobox Aircraft
name = Hendon
type = Torpedo bomber
national origin=United Kingdom
manufacturer = Handley Page


caption =
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 engined 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 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" 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 made 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.

pecifications (Hendon)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=Handley Page Aircraft since 1907 Barnes 1976, p.229.]
crew=2
capacity=
length main= 34 ft 6 in
length alt= 10.51 m
span main= 46 ft 0 in
span alt= 14 m
height main= 13 ft 8 in [ [http://www.handleypage.com/Aircraft_hp25.html HANDLEY PAGE H.P.25 HENDON] "www.handleypage.com". Retrieved 13 June 2008.]
height alt= 4.17 m
area main= 562 ft²
area alt= 52.2 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 4,350 lb Lewis 1980, p.420-421.]
empty weight alt= 1,978 kg
loaded weight main= 6,970 lb
loaded weight alt= 3,160 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)=Napier Lion IIB
type of prop=12-cylinder water-cooled W engine
number of props=1
power main= 450 hp
power alt= 336 kW
power original=
max speed main= 96 knots
max speed alt= 110 mph, 177 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main= 48 knots
stall speed alt= 55 mph, 88 km/h
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 9,500 ft
ceiling alt= 2,900 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= 12.4 lb/ft²
loading alt= 60.5 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.065 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.11 kW/kg
more performance=

guns=One .303 in forward firing Vickers machine gun and one Lewis gun in rear cockpit
bombs=One 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo or two 230 lb (105 kg) bombs

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=*Handley Page Hanley

similar aircraft=*Blackburn Velos

lists=

see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

*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 0370 30265.
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1926/1926%20-%200521.html "The Handley Page “Hendon”"] . "Flight". 29 July 1926. Page 459—461.

External links

* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/bww1/hendon.html H.P.25 Hendon]
* [http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/handley_hendon.php Handley Page H.P.25 Hendon]