FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1936
1936 - 1671.PDF
6?8 FLIGHT. JUNE 25, 1936. Several Rotas (C.30 autogiros) have been issued to army co-operation squadrons. The Hawker Hector (below) is the newest " A.C." machine adopted. The engine is the 725/805 h.p. Napier Dagger III. seeing it developed into a high speed medium bomber. It was loaned to them for test, and the outcome was that a large order for military versions, known as Blenheims was placed. The main portions of the wings and the complete fuse lage have metal "stressed skin " coverings. A retractable undercarriage, blending, when raised, into the engine nacelles, is incorporated. The engines of the Blenheim are Mercurys giving 840 h.p. (maximum) at 14,000 ft. The airscrews are controllable-pitch De Havillands. Our standard army co-operation machine : the Hawker Audax with Kestrel IB or X. The Fairey Battle is planned on different lines, being a single-engined machine. Its engine is the Rolls-Royce Merlin which drives a De Havilland C.P. airscrew. The undercarriage retracts, but when in the " up " position leaves a portion of the wheels protruding below the wing. Although no performance figures may be published, it is permissible to say that slightly over ten minutes after leaving the Fairey aerodrome, near the Great West Road, the machine could be over the South coast. Night flying equipment is carried and needless to say the cockpits are enclosed. At the time of going to press no particulars have been received of the Handley Page medium bomber, but it is known that it has two Pegasus engines. There is some uncertainty as to whether this machine will appear at Hendon. The "Heavies" Heavy bombers and bomber-transports are the largest landplanes normally employed by the R.A.F. The func tion of the heavy bomber is to carry large bomb loads over long distances. As it is known in the R.A.F. it is a well-armed twin-engined machine (four-engined types may be expected before long in the experimental category) carrying a crew of four or five. In order to study the equipment of a typical heavy bomber we shall take the Handley Page Heyford as an example. A detailed " cut- way " drawing of this aircraft appears on pp. 672-673. The Heyford, with its fuselage hung from the top planes is certainly one of the most easily recognised machines in the air to-day. In its latest Service form (Mk.ni) it has a pair of Kestrel VI engines and will cruise at 115 m-p.h. for 8J hours. Normally the crew is of four men: a front air gunner who also fulfils the duties of bomb aimer and navigator; a pilot; a wireless operator; and a rear gunner. The last named has an upper gun station and a lower position in the "dustbin." The Saro London (above) has two 690 h.p. Pegasus Ills and is now going into service. On the right is the Short Singapore III (four Kestrel) a " cut-away " drawing of which appears on pp. 692-3.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
