- Handley Page Hyderabad
infobox Aircraft
name = Hyderabad
type = Heavy Bomber
manufacturer =Handley Page
caption =
designer =
first flight = October 1923
introduced = 1925
retired = 1933
status =
primary user =Royal Air Force
produced =
number built = 44
unit cost =
developed from = Handley Page W.8
variants with their own articles =Handley Page Hinaidi The Handley Page H.P.24 Hyderabad was a British twin enginedbiplane heavy bomber built byHandley Page which served with theRoyal Air Force between 1925 and 1933. It was the last wooden heavy bomber to serve with the RAF.Design and development
The Hyderabad was a development of the Handley Page W.8 airliner, initially designated the W.8D, to meet
Air Ministry Specification 31/22 for a replacement for theVickers Vimy for theRoyal Air Force Citation | last =Mason | first =Francis K | year =1994 | title =The British Bomber since 1914 | place =London | publisher =Putnam Aeronautical Books| pages= p.152-154 | isbn = ISBN 0 85177 861 5] .The Hyderabad was structurally similar to the W.8, and was an all wooden, three bay
biplane powered by twoNapier Lion engines. It was fitted with a single fin and rudder, and was one of the first large aircraft to be fitted with Handley Page leading edgeslats , giving good lateral stability Citation | last=Thetford|first=Owen|year=1957|title=Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57| edition=1st edition| place=London | publisher=Putnam | pages=242-243 | id= | url=] . A single prototype W.8D was ordered by the Air Ministry in January 1923, first flying in October 1923 and was delivered to Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A & AEE) at Martlesham Heath for evaluation against theVickers Virginia . On the basis of this evaluation, the aircraft, now called the Hyderabad was ordered for use by the RAF .Operational history
The Hyderabad entered service with No. 99 (Bomber) Squadron RAF at
RAF Bircham Newton in December 1925 , replacing the single enginedAvro Aldershot bomber. Deliveries were slow, and accidental losses were high, with a second squadron,No. 10 Squadron RAF atRAF Upper Heyford only forming in 1928 . In 1928 and 1929, two Special Reserve squadrons were formed. The two regular squadrons were re-equipped with theHandley Page Hinaidi , an all metal development of the Hyderabad in 1931, with the final reserve Squadron, No 503, continuing in service until 1933 .Operators
;UK
*Royal Air Force
**No. 10 Squadron RAF
**No. 99 Squadron RAF
**No 502 (Ulster) Squadron RAF Special Reserve
**No 503 (County of Lincoln) Squadron RAF Special Reservepecifications (Hyderabad)
aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=propref=The British Bomber since 1914
crew=Four
capacity=
length main= 59 ft 2 in
length alt= 18.04 m
span main= 75 ft 0 in
span alt= 22.87 m
height main= 16 ft 9 in
height alt= 5.11 m
area main= 1,471 ft²
area alt= 136.7 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 8,910 lb
empty weight alt= 4,050 kg
loaded weight main= 13,590 lb
loaded weight alt= 6,177 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=engine (prop)=
Napier Lion V or VA
type of prop= twelve cylinder, water cooled broad arrow engine
number of props=2
power main= 500 hp
power alt= 373 kW
power original=
max speed main= 95 knots
max speed alt= 109 mph, 175 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 435 nm
range alt= 500 mi, 805 km
ceiling main= 14,000 ft
ceiling alt= 4,270 m
climb rate main= 800 ft/min
climb rate alt= 4.1 m/s
loading main= 9.24 lb/ft²
loading alt= 45.2 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.074 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.12 kW/kg
more performance=armament=
* 3 x .303 in (7.7 mm)Lewis Gun s in nose, dorsal and ventral positions
* 1,100 lb bombs carried externallyavionics=
ee also
aircontent
related= *Handley Page W.8
*Handley Page Hinaidi
*Handley Page Clive
similar aircraft=*Vickers Vimy
*Vickers Virginia
lists=*List of aircraft of the RAF see also=
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Barnes, C. H. "Handley Page Aircraft Since 1907". London: Putnam & Company, Ltd., 1987. ISBN 0-85177-803-8.
* Clayton, Donald C. "Handley Page, an Aircraft Album". Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd., 1969. ISBN 0-7110-0094-8.External links
[http://avia.russian.ee/air/england/handley_hyderabad.php Virtual Aircraft Museum]
[http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=218 British Aircraft Directory]
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