Hawker Heron

Infobox Aircraft
name=Heron


caption=
type=Biplane fighter
national origin=United Kingdom
manufacturer=Hawker Aircraft
designer=
first flight=1925
introduced=
retired=
status=Prototype
primary user=
more users=
produced=
number built=1
variants with their own articles=The Hawker Heron was the first fighter aircraft designed at Hawker Aircraft with a basically metal structure. Sydney Camm was the chief designer that introduced what became the typical structure for all Hawker aircraft until the introduction of the jet-powered Hawker P.1040. This structure consisted of metal tubes (steel or aluminium) with their ends swaged so that they could be connected to each other by means of "fishplates" and bolts (sometimes with ferrules to protect the tubes).

Design

The design was produced in 1924 as a private venture version of the Hawker Woodcock fighter with the wooden structure of the Woodcock replaced by a mainly metal structure, but as the design devloped, the use of a metal structure resulted in an entirely new aircraft. Mason 1991, pp124-125.]

The Heron was a single bay biplane with a metal structure as described above and fabric covered. It was powered by a Bristol Jupiter VI, 455 hp engine driving a two-bladed wooden propeller. (A metal propeller was also flown but showed no improvement of performance). There was provision for two Vickers machine guns.

The first flight, flown by P.S.W. Bulman was made in 1925. Despite being heavier than the similar powered Woodcock, it was 15 mph faster and was praised by the pilots that flew it for its excellent handling properties. Mason 1991, p.126.] Due to little interest from the Air Ministry, only one aircraft was built.

pecifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Hawker Aircraft since 1919 Mason 1991, p.127.]
crew=1
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 22 ft 3 in
length alt=6.78 m
span main=31 ft 10 in
span alt=9.70 m
height main=9 ft 9 in
height alt=2.97 m
area main= 291 sq ft
area alt= 27.0 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,120 lb
empty weight alt= 960 kg
loaded weight main=3,126 lb
loaded weight alt= 1,460 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)=Bristol Jupiter VI
type of prop=radial piston engine
number of props=1
power main= 455 hp
power alt=339 kW
power original=
max speed main= 156 mph
max speed alt= 136 knots, 251 km/h
max speed more= at 9,800 ft (2,987 m)
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 23,300 ft
ceiling alt= 7,102 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=10.7 lb/ft²
loading alt=54.1 kg/m²
power/mass main=0.15 hp/lb
power/mass alt=0.23 kW/kg
more performance=*Endurance: 3 hr 30 sec
*Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 5 min 30 sec
armament=Two .303 in Vickers machine guns
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=*Hawker Woodcock

similar aircraft=

sequence=

lists=

see also=

References

* Mason, Francis K "Hawker Aircraft since 1920" London:Putnam, 1991. ISBN 0 85177 839 9.
* Fozzard,John W. (editor) "Sydney Camm & the Hurricane".Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 1991. ISBN 1853102709

External links

* [http://www.historicaircraft.org/British-Aircraft/pages/Hawker-Heron.html A photograph of a Hawker Heron]
* [http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac6/Hawker%20Heron%20J6989.html A picture of the Hawker Heron "J6989"]