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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0651.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 28, 1934 ARMY CO-OPERATION Handley Page " Heyford " (two " Kestrel " III.MS). NIGHT BOMBERS NDLEY PAGE " HEYFORD " (2 Rolls-Royce " Kestrel" /// M.S., 12-cyl. water-cooled, 525 h.p.) Vee" This type is the latest long-range night bomber to go intoservice with the R.A.F. It is a striking aircraft in many respects. The manufacturers call it an " express " nightbomber, not only because of its high speed in the air, but because of peculiar properties which make for rapidrearming and refuelling on the ground between raids. The fuselage, being carried beneath the top plane, allows verywide fields of fire for the three machine guns. One of these is carried in the nose of the fuselage and the othertwo between the main planes and the tail, one on top of the fuselage and the other in a turret beneath which maybe rotated and retracted. This latter deadly contrivance is disrespectfully known in the Service as the " dust bin." The two " Kestrel " engines are supercharged and givethe " Heyford " a top speed of 143 m.p.h. at 13,000 ft. If desired, an automatic or " robot " pilot, affectionatelyknown in the Service as " George," may be installed. The " Heyford," although a large heavily loaded aircraft,is highly manoeuvrable and lands quite slowly, a great advantage for a machine which flies by night. The wingarea is 1,470 ft. :KERS " VIRGINIA " • (2 Napier " Lion" V, 12-cyl. water-cooled " broad arrow," 450 h.p.) A well-tried night-bomber type, the " Virginia " is avery large aeroplane with a wing area of 2,184 sq. ft., capable of carrying a crew of four and about 3,000 lb. ofbombs on the power of two Napier " Lion " engines of 450 h.p. each. The gross weight is 17,960 lb. Three Lewisguns on Scarfi mountings are pro- vided for defensive purposes, one ; of these being situated behind the ***tail. The type is now due for replace-ment, for its performance does not suit modern requirements, the topspeed being about 95 to 100 m.p.h. At economical cruisingspeed the machine can stay up for over 12 hours. The landing speedis exceptionally low. For long- distance flying an " automaticpilot " may be employed. A crew of foai is normally carried. The " Virginia " is a descendantof the " Vimy," which made the first direct Trans-atlantic flight in1919. Vickers " Virginia " (two Napier " Lion " V>. HAWKER " AUDAX / B, 12-cyl. " Vee " water-(Rolls-Royce "Kestrel cooled, 525 h.p.) Several Army Co-operation Squadrons have recently beenequipped with this machine, which is yet another develop- ment of the ubiquitous " Hart." For army co-operationwork it is fitted with wireless receiving and transmitting apparatus, a hook for picking up messages tied to stringstretched between two posts, rifles or lances, night-flying equipment and long exhaust pipes. Hawker " Audax " (Rolls-Royce " Kestrel " IB) andAutogiro C.30 (7-cyl. Siddeley " Genet Major "). AUTOGIRO C. 30 P. (Siddeley 7-cyl. " Civet" air-cooled radial, 140 h.p.) This machine, which has hitherto been used mainly forcivil flying, and is gaining in popularity, is at present being used experimentally for army co-operation work,and a number of aircraft of this type are being sup- plied to the Air Ministry. With its exceptionally slowflying qualities it should make an excellent machine for gunnery spotting and similar duties, although the rotorblades form a very vulnerable target to gun lire from the air and from the ground. For operation from aircraftcarriers, the machine lias much to recommend it.
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